BISHA — The 2026 Dakar Rally standings underwent a dramatic transformation on Wednesday during Stage 10, a 420-kilometer special in the Bisha region. The stage was marked by a historic victory in the car category and a major accident that altered the course of the motorcycle title race.
In the Ultimate (Car) category, France’s Mathieu Serradori secured a landmark win for the South African-based Century Racing Team, finishing 6 minutes and 12 seconds ahead of Nasser Al-Attiyah. Despite finishing second on the stage, Al-Attiyah (The Dacia Sandriders) successfully reclaimed the overall lead from Ford’s Nani Roma. Al-Attiyah now holds a 12-minute cushion over Toyota’s Henk Lategan, who moved into second place, while Roma slipped to third, trailing by 12 minutes and 50 seconds.
The Bike category saw even greater volatility. Honda’s Adrien Van Beveren dominated the soft white-sand dunes to claim his first stage win of the 2026 edition. However, the championship battle shifted at kilometer 138 when defending champion and previous leader Daniel Sanders suffered a high-speed crash, resulting in a suspected shoulder injury. Although Sanders managed to complete the stage, he dropped over 27 minutes.
American Ricky Brabec (Honda), who stopped to assist the injured Sanders, was awarded a 1-minute and 37-second time credit by officials. This adjustment propelled Brabec into the overall lead, just 56 seconds ahead of KTM’s Luciano Benavides.
“The dunes today were incredibly soft and far less compact than expected,” noted an official from the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO). “It was a true test of navigational patience and mechanical sympathy.”
With only two stages remaining before the finish in Yanbu, the competitors will now depart Bisha for Stage 11, which features a grueling 480-kilometer special toward AlUla, known for its treacherous rocky passes and hidden canyons.