Already winner the day before the prologue of the Dakar-2025, Australian biker Daniel Sanders won the first stage of the famous rally-raid in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
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The 30-year-old KTM rider, who aims to become the second Australian to win the Dakar on a motorcycle after Toby Price (2016 and 2018), took the lead of the special at kilometer 151 and managed to stay there, although closely behind.
The winner of the last Morocco rally was finally timed at 4h 41min 27sec on the 413 km special, leaving his pursuers Ricky Brabectitle holder, and Ross Branch two minutes away.
Mounted on his Honda, the French Adrien Van Beveren finished 8th, almost a quarter of an hour behind the leader.
“The second half was much better, once I got out of all that dust. The bike runs well, the body feels good”said Daniel Sanders upon arrival in the bivouac.
Tracing an 8,000km curve through Saudi Arabia, the famous rally-raid will culminate on January 17 in the desert dunes of the Empty Quarter, on the border with the United Arab Emirates.
