Overview
- Edgar Canet topped the 22 km prologue in Yanbu with a time of 11:31.9, finishing 3 seconds ahead of Daniel Sanders and 5 seconds ahead of Ricky Brabec.
- The Dakar organization’s records list Canet as the youngest rider ever to win a motorcycle stage, and his prologue time gives him the initial overall lead.
- Luciano Benavides placed fourth in motos at +11 seconds to lead the Argentine contingent, with Tosha Schareina seventh at +23 seconds.
- Mattias Ekström won the cars prologue in a Ford Raptor ahead of teammate Mitch Guthrie; these times set Sunday’s starting order but do not count toward the general classification.
- Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz were eighth in cars at +15 seconds, as the rally moves to Stage 1 on January 4 with a 305 km special; the event runs through January 17 over roughly 8,000 km and 13 stages.