STAGE 9 Highlights
Dakar 2026 | Stage 9 | WADI AD DAWASIR > BIVOUAC REFUGE
BIKES | SCHAREINA: OH, WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN…
- The competitors do not approach the marathon-refuge stages like the others and the one that set out this morning from Wadi ad Dawasir included navigational difficulties that soon changed the face of the special for the main protagonists over the last days. Benavides’ wonderful adventure is perhaps not over but his stay at the top of the overall rankings has been interrupted at the very least. The major blow today was struck by Tosha Schareina, who was the smartest at the start of the special in choosing the right canyon at a point where his rivals selected the wrong option, and was especially the quickest at the very end of the stage, which he completed with the best time: 6’24’’ quicker than Daniel Sanders, and 6’22’’ in front of his Honda team-mate Ricky Brabec.
- The Spanish rider, who is still fourth in the overall rankings but with a gap reduced to 15 minutes form the top, can continue to kick himself over the ten-minute penalty he received on the first marathon stage, without which he would be locked in the duel with Daniel Sanders that everyone was expecting. The defending champion is the main beneficiary of the day, as the confusion shared with his teammate Luciano Benavides meant he loses a little less time.
- The Australian KTM rider has, as a result, regained the lead in the overall rankings, where he now has a 6’24’’ advantage over his American rival Ricky Brabec. However, this margin is not particularly comfortable ahead of the second leg of the marathon-refuge stage, on which the Honda rider will start three minutes behind him and where the route including challenging dunes may hold some surprises in store.
CARS: IT’S A FAMILY AFFAIR FOR THE GOCZALS
- Though rally aficionados have become accustomed to their spectacular performances, today’s accomplishment stands out as the best of their careers on the Dakar. Eryk Goczal impressed on his debut in 2023, winning four stages and the SSV category at the tender age of 18 years old. This year, he secured his first stage victory on his debut in the Ultimate class. The young Polish man is never short of predictions regarding his family’s destiny in the Dakar rankings. Today, his father was not there to accompany him but his uncle Michal clocked the second fastest time on the special.
- The overall rankings were completely shaken up on completion of stage 9, with the resulting gaps not amounting to much at all. Nani Roma returned to the top spot, which he had not held since his triumph in 2014. However, a battle of nerves is brewing in the minds of the three most experienced drivers in the elite group. Three former winners make up the podium, as the Catalan prepares to take on his team-mate from Madrid Carlos Sainz, who is 57 seconds behind him, in a ‘Clasico’.
- Also, with just four stages to go, it is definitely not inconceivable for Nasser Al Attiyah, dethroned from the top of the pile but only 1’10’’ behind the new leader, to make a comeback in his Dacia Sandrider tomorrow.
- The race hierarchy remains as open as ever so close to the rally’s finale. However, while they are not completely out of the running, two of the day’s losers can be clearly identified. Henk Lategan owes his survival in the top four (occupying 4th place, 6’13’’ behind) to the pit stop that was set up after 183 km, where he was able to have his power steering repaired, but this 14-minute stop cost him his place on the provisional podium. The fall from grace was even more damaging for Mattias Ekstrom, who left Wadi in 2nd place in the overall rankings but will sleep in his tent tonight in 5th place, 11’19’’ behind the new leader after a major navigation error.
PERFORMANCE OF THE DAY: NO GROWING PAINS FOR ERYK GOCZAL
It is always tempting to break into a faint smile on hearing ultra-optimistic predictions of world dominance from people who are not yet even champions of their neighbourhood. When he was 17 years old, Eryk Goczal had not even passed his driving test but was already dreaming big when accompanying his father and uncle taking part in the Dakar in the SSV category to prepare him for the rally. That was in 2022 and since then the young Pole’s progression has been simply dazzling: he won the SSV category outright in 2023, suffered the setback of disqualification for technical non-compliance on his Challenger class Taurus the following year, won a special on the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge 2025 in his first Toyota Hilux and has now written his name in style on the Dakar roll of honour for stage wins in the Ultimate class.
During the first week, the young and ambitious driver began with a fifth placed finish on one stage, by way of a warning because it was on the first part of the marathon stage. Today, this type of exercise again inspired him. On arrival at the bivouac-refuge, Eryk won his first stage in the Dakar’s premium category, after starting out from Wadi in 38th position. On his way, he overtook a total of 17 cars, which were hardly trundling along, before producing the best time on the special. As if it was not already a very happy day, he had the added joy of finishing just ahead of his own uncle in the stage rankings, by 7’45’’. The first Polish victory in the Ultimate class since Krzysztov Holowczyc in 2012, was an unprecedented family one-two.
CRUSHING BLOW OF THE DAY: A VERTICAL DROP FOR CAVIGLIASSO
For Nicolas Cavigliasso, the title holder in the Challenger class, 2025 was “the most beautiful year of my life” in his own words. It began with his first triumph in the Challenger class on the Dakar and the season he shared with his wife Valentina Pertegarini as navigator finished with the W2RC title in their division. To retain his title on the Dakar, the Argentinean, who had already tasted glory in the quad category in 2019, decided to isolate himself in a structure entirely devoted to his success, encouraged and supported by Oscar Ral, his only team-mate on the tracks.
Today, the Spaniard who helped to create Vertical Motorsport played his role to perfection when catching up with “Nico and Valen” who had ground to a halt due to a damaged radiator. Oscar sacrificed his result for his champion team-mate who was still in second place in the overall rankings this morning, 2’02’’ behind Pau Navarro. After a vertical drop down the leader board, the couple is now faced with a deficit of more than one and a half hours in the overall rankings.
STAT OF THE DAY: 20
‘Chaleco’ Lopez celebrated his 50th birthday on 15th September last year and the Chilean today added another round number to the important figures in his life, namely his 20th victory in the SSV and Challenger classes, in which he has been competing since 2015. When he turned 40, he closed the book on his years as a biker which he began on the Dakar in 2007, picking up 11 stage successes in total.
Today, the leading Chilean in terms of stage wins on the Dakar has drawn level with the 20 victories obtained by Seth Quintero, who, until today, was the sole record holder for the Challenger and SSV classes combined.
In total, the official Can-Am driver boasts 31 stage victories on the race, though this figure is by no means engraved in stone because the man from Teno has not finished with the Dakar yet.
TRUCKS ACTION
MEGA-GALLERY
Quelle / Source / Pictures / Bilder: Dakar Rally, A.S.O
