Canet Secures Second Straight Dakar Stage Win After Branch Penalty
20-year-old Andorran-based rider Edgar Canet dominates motorcycle category on Saturday, extending overall lead to 1:05 over Sanders.
Key Points
- Canet wins stage after Ross Branch penalized for speeding, leads overall by 1:05 over Sanders.
- Baumel/de Mévius take car stage by 40s over Al-Attiyah; Gutiérrez 15th.
- Schareina rises to 4th overall (2:12 back); Van Beveren 8th on stage.
- Prologue: Canet youngest bike winner ever; next stage ~400km timed.
Edgar Canet, the 20-year-old Andorran-based rider, claimed his second consecutive victory in the 2026 Dakar Rally on Saturday, securing the stage win in the motorcycle category after a penalty was applied to initial leader Ross Branch for speeding. The result strengthened his overall lead, now 1:05 ahead of Daniel Sanders and 1:37 clear of Ricky Brabec.
The demanding 518km stage, with 305km timed, featured broken rocky terrain early on that tested riders' nerve. Canet navigated it with composure, building on his prologue triumph from Friday night, where he became the youngest stage winner in Dakar motorcycle history atop the bike standings.
In the car category, Andorran resident Mathieu Baumel and Belgian driver Guillaume de Mévius capitalised on their third-place prologue start to take the stage victory, finishing 40 seconds ahead of Nasser Al-Attiyah. Several teams held back strategically ahead of tougher days. Cristina Gutiérrez, another Principality resident, placed 15th, focusing on measured pace amid compressed margins.
Other Andorran-based bikers showed promise. Tosha Schareina delivered a strong run to climb to fourth overall, 2:12 off Canet's lead. Adrien Van Beveren ended eighth on stage, 5:52 behind, staying in contention. Lorenzo Santolino, also based in Andorra, endured a tough day with multiple falls, losing significant time in the general classification.
Friday's prologue had set the tone, with Canet dominating on his KTM by following the roadbook precisely and avoiding risks. He noted feeling "very secure on the bike," aware that "this is just the beginning and the Dakar is very long." Baumel's third place there marked a rapid recovery less than a year after a serious accident, behind winner Mattias Ekström in a tight field.
Schareina was seventh in the prologue, 23 seconds back, while Van Beveren took eighth, 24 seconds off. Gutiérrez was 14th among cars, 26 seconds from the top.
The rally now eyes Sunday's second stage, nearing 400km timed, which will widen gaps and challenge frontrunners opening the track.
Original Sources
This article was aggregated from the following Catalan-language sources: