De Mévius Stuns at Dakar rally Opener, Canet Dominates on Two Wheels
The 2026 Dakar Rally kicked off with a series of surprises in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, as Belgian driver Guillaume de Mévius secured a stunning stage one victory. Simultaneously occurring, young spaniard Edgar Canet continues to impress, building on his prologue win with another dominant performance in the motorbike category.
Let’s break down the key moments from a thrilling opening day.
Cars: A Quiet Victory for De Mévius
De Mévius navigated the challenging 305-kilometer loop around Yanbu with remarkable consistency. Surprisingly, his tracking beacon experienced intermittent outages during the stage, adding an element of mystery to his eventual triumph. He ultimately crossed the finish line 40 seconds ahead of five-time Dakar champion Nasser Al Attiyah, proving that a steady pace and smart strategy can pay off.
This win is particularly poignant for de Mévius’ navigator,Mathieu Baumel. Baumel, who lost his right leg in a roadside accident last year, is competing with a prosthetic limb. His experience and skill – having previously guided Al Attiyah to four Dakar victories – are clearly invaluable.
Here’s a speedy look at the top car finishers:
* 1st: Guillaume de Mévius
* 2nd: Nasser al Attiyah (+0:40)
* 3rd: Martin Prokop (+1:38)
* 4th: Mattias Ekström (+1:38)
Unluckily, defending champion yazeed Al Rajhi faced a difficult start to his title defense.Penalties for missing a waypoint and exceeding the speed limit added a meaningful 16 minutes to his time, leaving him trailing by over 28 minutes.
Motorbikes: Canet Makes History
Edgar Canet is quickly becoming a name to watch. Following his prologue win, the 20-year-old Spaniard secured victory in stage one, becoming the youngest ever Dakar stage winner. He then extended his overall lead to 65 seconds over KTM teammate Daniel Sanders.
Canet’s achievement is historic, marking the first time in 11 years a rider has won the opening two stages of the Dakar Rally. This demonstrates not only speed but also exceptional consistency and composure.
Ross Branch initially led the motorbike stage for over 200 kilometers. However, a six-minute penalty for speeding ultimately dropped him to seventh place. This serves as a stark reminder of the importance of precision and adherence to regulations in this grueling race.
Here’s a look at the top motorbike finishers:
* 1st: Edgar Canet
* 2nd: Daniel Sanders
* 3rd: Ricky Brabec
* 4th: Tosha Schareina
What’s Next?
The Dakar Rally is a marathon, and stage one is just the beginning. With 12 stages still to come, there’s plenty of opportunity for competitors to climb the leaderboard.you can expect further challenges, shifting sands, and dramatic twists as the rally progresses.
Keep an eye on Canet and de Mévius - they’ve certainly set the stage for an exciting competition.And remember, in the Dakar Rally, anything can happen.