Chasing Waypoints

Stage 10 of the Dakar Rally 2026 delivered one of the biggest turning points of the rally so far, with dramatic moments in the dunes reshaping both stage results and the overall standings.

In this episode, Victor breaks down everything that happened on Stage 10, from key crashes and recoveries to major shifts at the top of the leaderboard across bikes, vehicles, and Rally 2.

On two wheels, Adrien Van Beveren claimed the Stage 10 victory, while Daniel Sanders suffered a costly crash in the dunes that saw him lose the overall lead and drop to fourth. In a true Dakar moment, Ricky Brabec stopped to assist Sanders and later had his time returned—an action that now places Brabec at the top of the overall standings after Stage 10.

In the car category, Nasser Al-Attiyah capitalized on the day’s chaos to regain the overall lead, while tight margins continue to define the fight across the field.

This episode also covers:

• Full Stage 10 bike and vehicle results

• How the dunes reshaped the overall standings

• Why Stage 10 became a defining Dakar moment

• Rally 2 highlights, including Preston Campbell leading the category

• The role of safety and race control, with five helicopters active on the stage

• What to expect as Dakar 2026 heads into its final, decisive stages

With standings now incredibly tight and momentum shifting daily, Stage 10 may be remembered as the day Dakar truly changed direction.

🎙️ Presented by Chasing Waypoints
📍 Dakar Rally 2026 – Stage 10 Results & Analysis

Subscribe for continued Dakar Rally coverage, including upcoming stage previews, results, and overall standings breakdowns.

Stage 10 of the Dakar Rally 2026 marks a decisive moment in the rally as competitors push deeper into the marathon phase and begin fighting to lock in podium positions.

In this episode, Victor Orellana breaks down Stage 10, focusing on the route layout, dune-heavy terrain, navigation challenges, and the strategies riders and crews must adopt to survive a long, sandy day.

This stage features a high percentage of dunes, creating a completely different rhythm compared to previous days. Navigation becomes critical, especially with limited visual references and the constant risk of getting lost in dune fields. Steep dune descents, soft sand, and technical transitions push both bikes and vehicles to their limits.

A key storyline for Stage 10 is the route split between motorcycles and vehicles. Bikes take a more direct line, while vehicles face longer, more complex navigation, increasing the importance of discipline and communication. Vigilance points are highlighted throughout the briefing, with special attention paid to animal camps and safety zones that require caution even at speed.

This episode covers:

• Full Stage 10 course overview

• Why dunes dominate the day and what that means for pace

• Navigation risks and getting lost in dune systems

• Differences between bike and vehicle routes

• Key vigilance points and safety concerns

• Strategic implications as the rally enters its final stretch

• Predictions for how Stage 10 could reshape the podium battle

Stage 10 isn’t about dramatic attacks — it’s about execution. With fatigue building and margins shrinking, the competitors who stay clean and patient will gain the biggest advantage.

🎙️ Presented by Chasing Waypoints
📍 Dakar Rally 2026 – Stage 10 Preview & Course Breakdown

Subscribe for continued Dakar Rally coverage, including Stage 10 results, maps, and marathon-stage analysis.

Stage Nine of the Dakar Rally 2026 marks the first half of the final Marathon Stage, and with it comes a noticeable shift in strategy, pressure, and risk for competitors across all categories.

In this episode, Victor Orellana breaks down the Stage 9 results, including key performances in the bike and car categories, insights into Rally 2 standings, and what the evolving marathon format means for the days ahead.

On two wheels, Tosha Schareina led Stage 9 with a winning time of 3:45:42, while Daniel Sanders and Doherty followed closely behind, keeping the overall fight extremely tight among the leaders.

The overall standings remain razor close, especially among the top three, as the marathon stage continues to reward discipline, clean navigation, and smart tire management over outright aggression. In the car category, Carlos Sainz sits in a strong position as the rally moves deeper into its decisive phase.

This episode covers:

• Full Stage 9 results across bikes and cars

• Why Stage 9 is the first half of the final Marathon Stage

• How the new bivouac setup adds pressure and complexity

• Rally 2 performances and why the category matters

• Tight overall standings and strategic implications

• What to watch as competitors head into the next stages

Stage 9 doesn’t end the rally — but it absolutely defines how the final chapters will be written.

🎙️ Presented by Chasing Waypoints
📍 Dakar Rally 2026 – Stage 9 Results & Marathon Stage Analysis

Subscribe for continued Dakar Rally coverage, including upcoming interviews, stage previews, and results breakdowns.

As the Dakar Rally 2026 moves into Stage 9, the rally enters the first half of the Marathon Stage—a critical point where strategy, navigation, and discipline begin to outweigh outright speed.

In this episode, Victor Orellana recaps the Stage 8 results and breaks down what to expect from Stage 9, including a detailed look at the course layout, navigation challenges, and how the marathon format can quickly reshape the standings.

Stage 9 features separate selective routes for motorcycles and vehicles, adding complexity for all categories. Navigation becomes decisive, with limited references, tricky waypoint sequences, and speed zones that can impose heavy penalties if missed. With an early morning start, fatigue and focus will be tested from the very first kilometers.

This episode covers:

• Why Stage 9 marks the true start of the Marathon Stage

• Course breakdown and navigation challenges

• Differences between motorcycle and vehicle routes

• Current overall standings after Stage 8

• How Luciano Benavides leads the rally heading into Stage 9

• Tight competition in the vehicle category, with gaps under ten minutes

• The developing battle in the SSV category

• Why navigation errors and speed zones can cause major time losses

Stage 9 is not about attacking—it’s about surviving clean. With no assistance and long days ahead, this is where Dakar 2026 begins to sort contenders from casualties.

🎙️ Presented by Chasing Waypoints
📍 Dakar Rally 2026 – Stage 9 Preview & Overall Standings

Subscribe for continued Dakar Rally coverage, including Stage 9 results, maps, and marathon-stage analysis.

Stage Eight of the Dakar Rally 2026 proved to be a pivotal moment in the rally, tightening the overall standings and reinforcing just how competitive Dakar 2026 has become.

In this episode, Victor Orellana breaks down the Stage 8 results, highlighting key performances across motorcycles, vehicles, and SSVs, along with the growing impact of penalties as the rally moves deeper into its second half.

On the bike side, Luciano Benavides claimed the Stage 8 victory with a time of 4:26:39, delivering a strong performance in a stage that rewarded speed and control. Ricky Brabec remains firmly in the fight for the overall title, as the battle between KTM and Honda continues to intensify inside the top ten.

The vehicle category delivered one of the closest finishes of the rally so far, with gaps measured in seconds rather than minutes, while the SSV category once again showcased just how deep and competitive the field has become.

This episode covers:

• Full Stage 8 motorcycle, vehicle, and SSV results

• How Stage 8 impacts the overall standings

• Why the marathon stages are a strategic turning point

• The growing role of penalties in shaping Dakar 2026

• What to watch as the rally heads toward the next stages

With overall positions tightening and little room for mistakes, Stage 8 reinforces a core Dakar reality: consistency and discipline matter as much as outright speed.

🎙️ Presented by Chasing Waypoints
📍 Dakar Rally 2026 – Stage 8 Results & Analysis

Subscribe for upcoming coverage including maps, overall standings, and penalty breakdowns in the next episode.

Stage Eight of the Dakar Rally 2026 pushes the field deeper into the second half of the rally, delivering a long and demanding day that places equal emphasis on navigation, tire management, and strategy.

In this Stage 8 briefing, Victor Orellana breaks down a 721-kilometer day, featuring a challenging mix of dirt tracks, sand, and rocky sections that continue to test both riders and machines. With stony terrain already proving tough on tires this year, durability and decision-making become critical.

Navigation plays a major role once again, with alternating tracks and HP navigation sections that can quickly catch competitors out. Combined with the introduction of mid-stage tire changes, Stage 8 rewards those who manage pace intelligently rather than pushing blindly.

This episode covers:

• Full Stage 8 course overview

• Terrain mix and what it means for speed and fatigue

• Why navigation accuracy is decisive

• Tire management challenges on stony tracks

• Timing details, including the early 5:10 AM bike start

• Strategic considerations as Dakar 2026 moves into its later stages

Stage 8 may not look extreme on paper, but like many Dakar stages, it’s designed to punish in subtle ways. As the rally progresses, preparation and discipline matter more than ever.

🎙️ Presented by Chasing Waypoints
📍 Dakar Rally 2026 – Stage 8 Preview & Course Briefing

Subscribe for daily Dakar Rally stage previews, results, and rally-raid insights throughout Dakar 2026.

Stage Seven of the Dakar Rally 2026 delivered one of the longest and most demanding result days of the rally, where endurance, navigation, and discipline mattered more than outright speed.

In this episode, we break down the Stage 7 results across motorcycles, cars, and the SSV category, highlighting how a long, attritional stage reshaped gaps and rewarded consistency.

For the bike category, Stage 7 reinforced how tight Dakar 2026 has become. Fatigue and navigation accuracy played a major role late in the stage, with small mistakes carrying big consequences after nearly a full day on course.

In the car category, the stage once again showed why leading out can be a double-edged sword. Clean tracks came with navigation pressure, while later starters benefited from references but still faced long hours and rising mechanical stress.

The SSV class continued to deliver close racing, with Stage 7 emphasizing consistency over aggression as machines and crews were pushed deep into the endurance zone.

This episode covers:

• Full Stage 7 bike, car, and SSV results

• How endurance and fatigue shaped the day

• Why navigation errors late in the stage were costly

• The impact of Stage 7 on overall standings

• What this stage tells us about Dakar 2026 moving forward

Stage 7 may not have been the most dramatic on paper, but it quietly separated competitors who can manage long Dakar days from those who can’t.

🎙️ Presented by Chasing Waypoints
📍 Dakar Rally 2026 – Stage 7 Results & Analysis

Subscribe for daily Dakar Rally results, stage previews, and rally-raid insights throughout Dakar 2026.

Stage Seven of the Dakar Rally 2026 delivers one of the longest and most demanding days of the rally, pushing competitors deep into the endurance phase as the race builds toward the Marathon Stage.

In this episode, Victor Orellana breaks down Stage 7, a massive 877 km day featuring a challenging mix of terrain: 59% dirt track, 17% sand, and 15% stone track, with zero asphalt once the selective section begins. While the numbers suggest speed, the reality is far more complex.

Navigation becomes increasingly difficult, especially through dune sections where line choice, visibility, and fatigue collide. Vigilance points highlight real safety concerns, with hidden hazards, changing terrain, and long hours on the bike placing heavy physical and mental demands on riders.

This Stage 7 preview covers:

• Why this is one of the longest days of Dakar 2026

• Terrain composition and what it means for pace and fatigue

• The growing importance of navigation, especially in the dunes

• Tire management and endurance strategy as the rally progresses

• Current standings and how tight the competition remains

• Why Stage 7 sets the tone for the upcoming Marathon Stage

With energy conservation, smart navigation, and discipline becoming more important than outright speed, Stage 7 is the kind of day where anything can happen — and often does.

🎙️ Presented by Chasing Waypoints
📍 Dakar Rally 2026 – Stage 7 Preview & Course Breakdown

Drop your thoughts in the comments — who manages this long day best, and who pays the price heading into the Marathon Stage?

On the Rest Day of the Dakar Rally 2026, Chasing Waypoints host Victor Orellana sits down with Scotty Bloom—founder of the Baja Rally and longtime rally journalist—to break down Dakar 2026 so far and explore where rally racing is headed next.

This wide-ranging conversation covers the realities of modern rally racing: pressure on competitors, tire strategy issues, navigation challenges, and how even top riders can be caught out when the margins are razor thin. We discuss how Dakar continues to evolve—not just as a race, but as a media product—with improved global coverage and storytelling changing how fans experience the rally.

Scotty also shares insight into the future of rally racing, highlighting the importance of youth development, mentorship, and emerging talent. Riders like Preston Campbell represent a new generation, while the legacy of Johnny Campbell continues to influence how American riders approach rally-raid competition.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Dakar Rally 2026 insights through the Rest Day

• Rally strategy, tire issues, and pressure on competitors

• How media coverage of Dakar has evolved

• The role of innovation, hot pits, and modern logistics

• Why youth involvement is critical for rally’s future

• The rise of new talent in North American rally racing

This is a conversation about where rally racing has been, where it is now, and where it’s going next.

🎙️ Presented by Chasing Waypoints
📍 Dakar Rally 2026 – Rest Day Interview

If rally-raid, Baja Rally, and the future of off-road motorsport matter to you, this episode is for you.

Stage Six of the Dakar Rally 2026 delivered a different kind of challenge than expected, proving once again that Dakar doesn’t always punish with terrain — sometimes it punishes with penalties and precision.In this episode, we break down the Stage 6 results, focusing on motorcycle and vehicle performance, navigation challenges from the road book, and how speeding penalties played a major role in reshaping the standings.On the bike side, Ricky Brabec claimed the Stage 6 win with a strong, controlled performance. Meanwhile, Daniel Sanders suffered a significant penalty that impacted his overall lead, highlighting how quickly Dakar can turn even on a relatively manageable stage.This episode covers:Why Stage 6 wasn’t the “monster” many expectedHow road book navigation and speed limits caught competitors outThe impact of speeding penalties on overall standingsWhy leading out can be a double-edged sword, especially for vehiclesNotable performances, including Doherty’s return to the raceWhy fewer retirements point to improved durability across the fieldAs the rally heads into the rest day, the overall standings remain tight, and penalties continue to play an outsized role in shaping Dakar 2026. With harder stages still to come, Stage 6 serves as a reminder that discipline matters as much as outright speed.🎙️ Presented by Chasing Waypoints📍 Dakar Rally 2026 – Stage 6 Results & AnalysisSubscribe for daily Dakar Rally results, stage previews, and in-depth rally-raid insights throughout Dakar 2026.#DakarRally2026#DakarStage6#DakarResults#RallyRaid#DakarNavigation#DakarBikes#DakarCars#MotorsportAnalysis#RickyBrabec#ChasingWaypoints