The 48th Dakar Rally roared into life Sunday with an action-packed first full stage that delivered a mix of surprise victories, early championship pressures and historic performances in Saudi Arabia. Stage One was a 305-kilometer loop around Yanbu featuring rocky trails and sandy dunes that tested both machines and riders in scorching conditions.
In the car class, Belgian driver Guillaume de Mévius seized the stage win in his X-raid Mini, overtaking early leader Mattias Ekström and holding off a strong challenge from five-time Dakar champion Nasser Al-Attiyah. Defending champion Yazeed Al-Rajhi suffered a major setback, picking up significant penalties for missing a waypoint and speeding, leaving him nearly 29 minutes behind the stage leader.
On two wheels, 20-year-old Edgar Canet continued his sensational start by winning the motorcycle category’s Stage 1. The KTM rider, is already the youngest ever Dakar stage winner after clinching a win in the prologue. Canet extended his advantage ahead of teammate Daniel Sanders and Honda’s Ricky Brabec.
In the SSV class, Xavier de Soultrait emerged victorious, topping the leaderboard with a strong effort that put him ahead of his rivals by several minutes at the end of the grueling Stage 1. Polaris dominated the top positions, with Portuguese driver Alexandre Pinto finishing second, just 3 minutes 34 seconds behind de Soultrait, and American competitor Brock Heger taking third at +3 minutes 48 seconds.
