Luciano Benavidez wins by the narrowest margin in Dakar history: just 2 seconds! Contrary to all expectations, in the madness of the final stage

When the Argentines arrived, everyone was surprised at the camp in Yanbu Luciano Benavidez on the final stage of the Dakar Rally. No one believed what had happened. The Argentine started the final stage with a 3-minute, 20-second disadvantage over Ricky Brabec, with 105 kilometers to go from winning Tuareg’s third bronze medal. Everyone thought Honda was the winner. There was no way he would lose in the Dakar. But it happened. While the American opened the course, Benavidez was setting the fastest time behind him, but was unable to surpass him in the overall standings. Until the end of the special, the American’s mistakes caused the Dakar to drop in the standings. Great plate for him.

30-year-old Luciano Benavidez won the closest Dakar in history by just two inches. The youngest Benavidez will head to Salta in a bronze Touareg to follow in the footsteps of his older brother Kevin, who won the Dakar on two wheels in 2021 and 2023 by the shortest margin in history.

And to complete this epic, he completed two months of grueling rehabilitation after a crash at the Morocco Rally that broke his shoulder and knee, to avoid surgery before the big event.

A heartbreaking ending and a Dakar-worthy mistake

After just 19 kilometers, Brabec lost the Dakar Rally and its comfortable cushion. He clocked in at three minutes and left the bivouac in shock. It happened 4km from the finish line. Taking his third Dakar, the American took a wrong turn and gave up all his advantage. We should have had a comfortable shot at winning, but it just wasn’t worth it.

Luciano continued to believe. He said the day before that he was up for the challenge and still had a chance of winning the Dakar. The race wasn’t over until the last meter. That sounded trite. But it was true.

Even the 1 minute 22 second bonus accumulated to start the course in this final special did not allow Brabec to maintain his overall lead.

The drama happened in the last 4km. As Benavidez made his way to the finish line, the two-time Dakar champion got lost and was unable to find the final WP. And when it arrives, madness ensues. It was a cinematic moment. Luciano even finds himself confronting Brabec, who is on the wrong path.

The Americans were unable to pursue him because Luciano had to completely change direction to get back on the right track he was running on. The Argentine admitted that he had intended to relax with 3km to go, which was his plan when he realized he wouldn’t make it and his rival would receive all the track-opening bonuses. But when he spotted Brabec, his heart skipped a beat. That was a sign that he had to give his all, like never before, to win. And he did it.

MD met Edgar Canet’s father, Luciano’s fellow caravaner and great Argentine friend. “Luciano won the Dakar”said Albert to this newspaper. “Why? It can’t be like that.”I said with a surprised look on my face, wondering if this information was wrong. He looked at his phone, gave the KTM team the same look of disbelief, and left. It was true.

Luciano knelt behind the goal and put his hands on his face. I cried with joy. he couldn’t believe it. And Brabec accepted the blow with a distraught look on his face, assuming a very costly mistake with an outcome far too cruel for a driver like him.

But this Saturday, the dream of never giving up, showing that nothing is impossible, and fighting in front of and against everything for what you want won out. Winner Luciano Benavidez took a hard fall at the Morocco Rally last October, fracturing his knee, ligaments and meniscus. He also injured his shoulder. If he undergoes surgery, he will not be able to participate in the Dakar. Even if he didn’t, there was no guarantee that he would arrive. It didn’t just arrive. Through much pain and fighting back like a lion, Luciano Benavidez led the race and dreamed big. But Brabec’s final strategy seemed to prevent the film from finishing Luciano’s story of overcoming, as he intentionally stopped on stage 11 to attack on stage 12, taking the lead from the Argentine by 3 minutes 20 seconds with one stage remaining. But at last, the result was worthy of Hollywood’s greatest director. This became a reality in Yanbu. No one could believe it. The KTM team hugged each other. Luciano pumped gas into his motorcycle without stopping. KTM director Jordi Villadomus was surprised. They all did it. Luciano became the new Dakar champion. Contrary to all expectations, this was the tightest Dakar in history.