Tosha Schareina Secures Third in Dakar Rally 2026 Motorcycle Category

Andorran resident Tosha Schareina finished third overall in the motorcycle category of the Dakar Rally 2026, confirming his podium position in a tense 105-kilometer finale in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday. The Valencia rider, in his fifth Dakar appearance, completed the short stage without issues, ending 25 minutes and 12 seconds behind winner Luciano Benavides. Benavides took the title by a record margin of just two seconds over Ricky Brabec, who faltered with a late navigation mistake.

Schareina had arrived at the final day in strong shape after Friday's 12th stage, a rocky and demanding special where he dropped 12 minutes to the winner but held a comfortable lead over challengers. His consistent performance secured a second podium in three seasons as a factory rider.

Edgar Canet, another Andorran resident, claimed the biggest moment by winning the final stage—his third of the rally, following the prologue and stage 1. The young Catalan rider recovered from an early fall in Friday's penultimate leg, where he finished 24 minutes off the pace, to end the event with two overall stage victories and five top-three results, showing marked improvement in stamina.

Adrien Van Beveren, the France-based Andorran resident, rounded out a solid rally in sixth place overall. He posted fourth on Friday with a time of 3 hours, 32 minutes, and 8 seconds—13 minutes and 7 seconds behind the stage leader—before finishing steadily on Saturday, 1 hour, 6 minutes, and 57 seconds off the top entering the finale.

In cars, Cristina Gutiérrez placed 11th overall after a 12th on Friday (3 hours, 31 minutes, 25 seconds, 9 minutes and 33 seconds off the best time), staying within reach of a top-10 in the Ultimate class through pace and reliability. Copilot Mathieu Baumel, also Andorran-based, crossed the line 34th alongside Guillaume de Mévius after Friday's 42nd, more than 46 minutes behind the leader there. His finish marked a personal milestone after a severe injury caused partial leg amputation.

Nasser Al-Attiyah won his sixth car title ahead of Nani Roma, capping one of the rally's toughest editions with Andorran residents earning a motorcycle podium, stage win, and top contention.