Dakar 2026 - Stage 7 Highlights

Luciano Benavides Strikes Back on Stage Seven as Daniel Sanders Extends Dakar Lead

The Barcia crash – a damning indictment of the Supercross circus

WADA...Ralph Marzahn 

Justin Barcia suffered a heavy crash at the Supercross season opener in Anaheim. 

The season opener of Monster Energy AMA Supercross The event in Anaheim was meant to prove once again why this series likes to call itself the biggest and most professional stage in the sport. However, after the 450SX Main Event, one thing above all else remains: a bitter aftertaste – and the feeling that you have learned absolutely nothing from past mistakes.

Wrong place at the wrong time – and then alone

The actual racing incident is easily explained and can be classified as a sporting incident. In the first lap, at turn three before the triple corner, the cars made contact. Ken Roczen and Malcolm stewart in the air. Stewart opted for double-single, Justin Barcia He was already committed to the triple. The motorcycle landed on Stewart's shoulder and arm, Barcia was catapulted over the handlebars and crashed brutally. Racing accident. Period.

What followed, however, is No more racing accidents...but rather an organizational failure. While Stewart was being attended to on his knees, Barcia lay motionless on the ground. And lay. And lay. For about 45 seconds without any assistance before anyone even seriously checked on him – and even then, only briefly, without any apparent stabilization of his head or spine. The medical crew? They didn't arrive until much later.

Neutralized does not mean supplied

Yes, the race was interrupted. But what good is a neutralization if the obviously seriously injured driver... not top priority What happened? The scene that unfolded was horrific: track marshals were clearing away motorcycles, officials were running around – and the man, who may have suffered severe trauma, lay unnoticed in the dirt.
In any other professional motorsport series, that would be unthinkable. Apparently not here.

Déjà vu instead of exception

What's truly alarming is that nothing about this scene seems new. The debate surrounding the Alpinestars Medical Crew has been simmering in the sport for years. The same images, the same justifications, are repeated time and again. Riders are encouraged to get up after hard impacts; spinal risks seem like a secondary consideration. The name Austin Forkner It is no coincidence that fans are talking about systemic problems.

And this is precisely where the core problem lies: That was no fluke. This was another chapter in a long list of questionable procedures.

Public reaction: The loss of trust is there.

The reactions on social media were correspondingly strong – and unusually unanimous. Spectators described the scene as "disturbing," "hard to watch," and "unacceptable." The criticism focused less on the fall itself than on the fact that Barcia was visibly left unattended for an extended period, while other procedures were clearly implemented more quickly than the initial medical treatment.

A particularly frequent point raised was that Barcia was briefly moved physically without any clear stabilization of his head and cervical spine. The demand was clear: better protocols, more staff, clearer priorities. In short: Finally, a level of professionalism that does justice to this sport.

The bombshell: Barcia is no stranger to controversy.

The fact that Barcia is affected in particular intensifies the criticism. The move to Ducati It was a bumpy ride anyway. Broken collarbone, surgery, plate replacement, long recovery. Seven rides on the new bike, understanding the risk – and then this crash. A rider with this history would, in case of doubt, rinse He should have been treated as a high-risk case. The fact that this didn't happen is hardly defensible.

Finally, the Troy Lee Designs Ducati Team with a first official update on Justin Barcia's condition. The statement was matter-of-fact, but above all intended to convey one thing: a cautious all-clear after the dramatic images from the track.

"Unfortunately, Bam collided with Malcolm and fell heavily. Bam was conscious, clear-headed, answered questions and spoke with the medical staff. On his way out, he waved to the fans, so we're taking the positives and will keep you updated as soon as we know more."

As reassuring as these words may initially sound, they do not change the fundamental discussion that this incident has sparked. Because regardless of the driver's subsequent condition, the central question remains: how to deal with an athlete lying motionless on the ground in the first crucial moments – and whether the structures of Supercross currently meet this requirement.

Big show, small standards

Supercross loves to portray itself as uncompromising, tough, and spectacular. And it is all of that. But toughness should never be confused with... carelessness They can be confused. Anaheim has shown that there is a dangerous gap between the series' ambitions and the reality on the track.

Those who earn millions from this sport, who market drivers as heroes and consciously accept risks, have a clear duty: Medical procedures that leave no questions unanswered. As long as a motionless rider lies alone in the dirt longer than his motorcycle stays on the track, this duty is not fulfilled. And then it doesn't matter how big the show is – it remains a disgrace.

Scans to determine extent of Stewart shoulder injury

450SX front-runner involved in scary opening lap incident.

Additional evaluations will determine the extent of Malcolm Stewart’s shoulder injury sustained at Anaheim 1, after the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider was involved in the scary opening-lap incident during the main event.

After tangling with another rider before the triple, Stewart elected to double while positioned in the mid-field, leaving Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia with nowhere to go but to land on the 33-year-old.

In the aftermath of the incident, Stewart stated this afternoon that he has incurred a shoulder injury, with the extent of any damage to be confirmed through scans in the coming days.

“First and foremost, sending prayers to the Barcia family,” Stewart explained. “I’m gutted by how this situation unfolded and truly hope he’s okay. I did sustain a shoulder injury and will update you all after further evaluation. I’m going to do everything I can to be back out there. Appreciate all the love and support.”

Barcia has since explained that he is ‘extremely beat up’ following the incident, with the Anaheim Supercross opener delivering a tough night for both riders. No timetable has been provided for either rider’s return to racing.

Barcia escapes major injury following Anaheim 1 fright

 Motoonline Competition  Post:Kane Taylor

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TLD Red Bull Ducati rider ‘extremely beat up’ in aftermath.

Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia escaped major injury during last night’s frightening opening-lap clash at Anaheim 1, the 450SX mainstay revealing that he is ‘extremely beat up’. Barcia’s debut onboard the Desmo450 MX was off to a promising start after he took third place in his heat race, before a lap-one collision in the main event brought a premature end to his night.

After Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) elected to double the triple, the 33-year-old was left with nowhere to go, landing on Stewart and sending both riders violently tumbling to the ground.

“It was a scary night last night,” Barcia reflected this afternoon. “Practice sessions were tough, then qualifying went better, and then in the main event…[it] wasn’t good. Unfortunately, someone rolled the triple when I was already committed, and that’s about all I remember from there.

“[It] was a tough one – I am happy to say that I was able to walk out of the hospital under my own power, I got extremely lucky, and god was looking after me yesterday. It shows you just how quickly things can change from good to bad.

“I’m extremely beat up… I’ve had some heavy hits throughout my career, but this one is the heaviest of them – I’ve never been so sore in my life. I can’t really move my neck, and my back hurts really bad – that was a big worry for us, but I got away with it well. I only broke a little wing in my back, so no surgery is needed, and my spine is stable.

“I think we’ll know more over the next few days when the soreness calms down, but I appreciate everyone reaching out to me. We’ll recover and get back out there soon.”

No timetable has been outlined for when Barcia will return to racing, while teammate Dylan Ferrandis powered his new Ducati to a ninth-place finish on debut.

Prado Off to Good Start

Jorge Prado (Third in 450SX) Penalized Three Championship Points for Failing Post-Race Sound Check

It was a big night at the 2026 Monster Energy AMA Supercross opener for Jorge Prado. First, Prado got out to a great jump in his heat race, right with the top few riders. And when Cooper Webb and Aaron Plessinger made contact and both went down, Prado sped off into the race lead. He would ride well and hold off Eli Tomac late in the heat to take the race win—the second 450SX heat race win of his career after the 2024 San Francisco SX mudder heat race win.

Then, after the red flag and restart following the big collision between Justin Barcia and Malcolm Stewart (hopefully both riders will be okay), Prado grabbed the holeshot then jumped out to an early lead. He would get tracked down by his teammate Tomac again and this time around he was passed, but Prado rode really well. Prado was battling with Ken Roczen before the #94 slipped by to take over second, but Prado brought home third place at the checkered flag. It was his first 450SX podium finish in just his seventh main event start. It was a one-three night for Red Bull KTM with Tomac's first KTM win and Prado's first podium.

However, after the race, the SuperMotocross League Instagram page announced Prado failed his post-race sound test, resulting in a three-point penalty. So, Prado retains third place, but instead of receiving 20 points on the night, he gets 17 points. He now sits tied for fourth in the 450SX standings (Jason Anderson also with 17 points for fifth place) behind fourth-place finisher on the night, Hunter Lawrence, who has 18 points. The post read:

"Jorge Prado has been docked 3 championship points for failing post race sound check."

Big picture wise, while this was only one race, Prado seemed significantly improved from 2025. He kept mentioning how happy he was to get back onto a KTM. So, was this a fluke? Or can he keep this momentum going forward? Only time will tell.

Supercross Round #1 450SX Highlights...Wild Night

Supercross Round #1 250SX Highlights

Max Thinks This Was His Best!

Max Anstie says winning Anaheim is the best win of his career after a brilliant ride saw the 32 year old British rider accomplish a childhood dream.

“Anaheim is special. You know, when I was just a kid, 7, 8, 9 years old, I remember coming to this race, watching this race, dreaming about this race, thinking that it was so far away that I don’t know if I’d ever, you know, I was just a kid, I was like, I don’t even know how to get here, how to even be here.And like I said on the podium, hopefully, you know, I can be some inspiration to these kids that are still trying to figure it out, but feel like, you know, I came from England, I’m a long way away from here and, and to be, to have made it here now.

“I’m 32 years old. People might go, oh, yeah, when you’re 16, 18, I’m, you know, it’d be great.I would love to have been in this position when I was 18, 19, 20 years old. But man, coming from the UK, making it all the way over here, it’s been something special. And I think for the kids that don’t have life all figured out, don’t really know how to get to this place, everyone’s on their own timeline, you can get there.

“I think so. (!best win of his career) I mean, obviously I come back to Matterley MXoN 2017. I was great at home, but this one, that was something special in a different way. Like, mate, I remember coming to America in 2020, after nine years of GPs, thinking, man, I want to get back to America. I was teammates with Adam….so over there, we’re just trying to make the night show, trying to make the main event! And then we’re like, and what, five years later, here, here I am on, on top of the box with the best team in the 250 class. Like it’s, it’s unreal the way that it’s, it’s all worked out. So I just think that the whole journey getting to this place is something special. So yeah, very, very thankful and grateful for it all.”

Tomac On His Win!

Eli Tomac took the scoop tyre off, still got a good start and controlled the race out front to hold off Ken Roczen and take a brilliant win to set up his title charge for 2026 on the KTM.

Eli looked superb on the bike from the moment his wheels hit the track on press day and he was thrilled with his win.

Tomac said: This one feels good! Leading from the get-go like that is tough, because you need to really maintain focus the whole time, but my motorcycle was the best it was all day in the Main Event after a slight adjustment from the Heat Race. We went in the right direction, and this is the perfect way to start a new season and with my new team in Red Bull KTM Factory Racing. After a big off-season with both myself and the team testing and developing all over the place, it means a lot to achieve this early success together.”

Dakar - Stage 7

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides has won stage seven of the 2026 Dakar Rally – his second stage win of the event so far. Edgar Canet fought through the pack to claim second, while Daniel Sanders delivered another outstanding ride in the dunes, placing fourth and extending his rally lead.

Stage seven of the 2026 Dakar Rally marked the beginning of week two as riders left Riyadh and headed south toward Wadi Ad-Dawasir on a long and demanding 877-kilometer route, including 459 kilometers against the clock. Fast open valleys and high-speed tracks were followed by extended dune sections, where navigation and rhythm proved critical, before the stage tightened through narrower, more technical terrain later in the day.

Unstoppable on stage seven, Benavides came out swinging to lead the field from start to finish. As the sixth rider into the 459-kilometer special, the Argentine pushed hard straight away and by kilometer 100, he had opened up a lead of over one minute. Increasing that advantage all the way to the flag, and despite not earning any time bonus, Benavides secured a decisive stage win by four minutes and 57 seconds. Lying third in the provisional overall standings, Luciano now trails teammate Sanders by less than five minutes.

Luciano Benavides: “I’m really pleased to take my second stage win of the race today. I pushed all day and felt great out there. Starting the second week like this is really positive, I’m in good shape and highly motivated. I felt very comfortable on the bike today and my body feels good too. Today was super-fast but I just stayed focused and concentrated on my navigation. Overall, I think I did a really good job.”

Bouncing back in style from a tough end to week one, Canet demonstrated his exceptional pace and skill on today’s timed special. Following his 15th place start, the young Spaniard gradually increased his pace as he cut his way through the field, navigating the mixed terrain superbly on his way to a runner-up finish. Although his overall position in the race was affected by his issues on stage five, Canet will continue to push and learn as the rally continues in week two.

Edgar Canet: “Stage seven was really fast. I got lost right at the beginning, around kilometer 15, but after that, I was able to find my rhythm and get stuck in to chasing down the riders in front. I had a really good feeling with the bike and was able to take P2 on the stage, so I’m super-happy with how the day went. Luciano won today and Daniel was P4, so it was a great day for us. Now we have to open tomorrow and try to make as much time as we can.”

Sanders has once again shown his skill, speed, and composure on stage seven of the Dakar. Regrouping from an early error, the Australian got his head down, focused, and began to reel in the two riders ahead of him. Not only did Daniel catch his rivals, but he also opened up enough of a gap to claim the available bonus time from kilometer 375 onwards. The impeccable performance earned him fourth on the stage and saw him increase his advantage at the top of the standings to four minutes and 25 seconds.

Daniel Sanders: “I made one mistake at the start and lost two or three minutes, which was unfortunate. After that, it was hard to catch the guys in front because it was such a fast stage and difficult to make a difference. After the second refuel the leading riders on stage had slowed up to calculate the bonus, so I put the hammer down and pulled away to make sure they didn’t get any. I pushed as hard as I could to the finish. I feel good today, I rode well, and I’m just getting warmed up. The bike is working really well, my body feels strong, and I’m ready for a big day tomorrow.”

Monday’s stage eight, which includes the longest timed special of the event at 481 kilometers, also features a liaison of 236 kilometers as the riders complete a loop around Wadi Ad-Dawasir.