The engines roared to life in Yanbu as the Dakar Rally 2026 kicked off its highly anticipated prologue stage on January 3, setting the tone for what promises to be a fiercely contested edition of the world’s most grueling rally raid. While the cars blazed the trail early, the trucks faced a notably delayed start, building anticipation and tension among teams and fans alike. For Dutchman Mitchel van den Brink and the Eurol Rallysport team, the wait was worth every second.
Van den Brink powered through the prologue, clocking a blistering time of 13 minutes and 5 seconds. His performance not only put him at the top of the leaderboard but also provided a huge morale boost for the entire Eurol Rallysport squad. The competition was razor-thin, with Lithuania’s Vaidotas Zala of Nordis Team de Rooy trailing by a mere three seconds, and fellow Dutchman Gert Huzink of Kuipers Jongbloed securing third, just six seconds off the pace. The top three were separated by less than ten seconds—a testament to the high stakes and skill on display right from the outset.
“It’s a great feeling to start Dakar this way. The team did a fantastic job preparing the truck, and everything came together today,” Van den Brink remarked in the bivouac, his satisfaction evident. For Huzink, the podium finish added another layer of Dutch pride to the opening day’s proceedings. The tight margins between the front-runners suggest that this year’s truck category is destined for a nail-biting battle all the way to the finish.
But not everyone had reason to celebrate. Reigning Dakar champion Martin Macik, who many tipped as the man to beat, suffered a significant setback by losing more than half a minute to Van den Brink. In a race where every second counts, such a gap—even this early—could loom large as the rally unfolds. Macik’s fans, however, know better than to count out the Czech driver after just one stage. The Dakar is a marathon, not a sprint, and fortunes can change in the blink of an eye out in the desert.
The prologue’s results painted a vivid picture of the competition’s intensity. Rounding out the top five in the truck class were Martin Soltys (Buggyra ZM Racing), who finished 17 seconds behind the leader, and Ales Loprais (Loprais Team de Rooy), who crossed the line 34 seconds adrift. With such narrow margins separating the leaders, strategy, teamwork, and a touch of luck will be crucial as the rally heads into its punishing long stages.
The Challenger class, meanwhile, saw its own share of Dutch success. Paul Spierings stormed to the fastest time, finishing six seconds ahead of compatriot Puck Klaassen, who piloted a KTM-XBow for the Belgian GRallyteam. Klaassen’s performance was particularly impressive, considering the GRallyteam’s buggy was purpose-built for the Dakar by her teammates Guillaume and Ghislain de Mévius. “We put so much effort into building this buggy, and to see it perform like this right out of the gate is fantastic,” Klaassen shared, her enthusiasm infectious in the paddock.
Making his Dakar debut in the Challenger class was Charles Munster, also driving a KTM-XBow similar to Klaassen’s. Munster finished with the sixteenth fastest time, 46 seconds off the pace set by Spierings. While it wasn’t a podium start, Munster’s performance was a solid foundation for the stages to come, especially given the notoriously steep learning curve of Dakar’s sandy tracks and rocky trails.
Further down the order, Daniel Kersbergen and his Belgian co-driver Michiel Goegebeur (Orange Bull) recorded the 33rd fastest time, a result that leaves them with plenty of work to do as the rally progresses. But as any Dakar veteran will tell you, consistency and reliability often pay greater dividends than outright speed, especially as the kilometers rack up and mechanical challenges mount.
The SSV (Side-by-Side Vehicle) category brought its own drama and intrigue. American defending champion Brock Heger, driving a Polaris for the team led by rally legend Sebastien Loeb, set the fastest time in the prologue. Heger’s teammate Guerreiro finished just four seconds behind, underscoring the strength of the Polaris outfit. However, it wasn’t smooth sailing for everyone: Xavier De Soultrait, another Polaris driver, suffered a puncture and ended up 45 seconds slower than Heger. Such incidents are a stark reminder of Dakar’s unforgiving nature, where even the smallest mishap can have outsized consequences.
Looking ahead, the first major stage looms large on the horizon. Scheduled for Sunday, January 4, competitors will tackle a grueling 400-kilometer route from Yanbu to Alula. This stage promises to test both man and machine, with a mix of treacherous dunes, rocky outcrops, and unpredictable navigation challenges lying in wait. The transition from the short, sharp prologue to the marathon stages is always a pivotal moment in the rally. Teams will need to balance aggression with caution, pushing for speed while guarding against early mistakes that could jeopardize their entire campaign.
For the Dutch contingent, the opening day’s results have injected a surge of optimism. With Van den Brink leading the trucks, Spierings and Klaassen excelling in the Challenger class, and a strong showing across the board, hopes are high for continued success. Yet, seasoned Dakar followers know that the rally’s true tests are just beginning. Mechanical issues, navigation errors, and the punishing Saudi Arabian terrain will undoubtedly play their part in shaping the leaderboard over the coming days.
As the sun sets over Yanbu and the bivouac buzzes with activity, one thing is clear: Dakar 2026 is off to a thrilling start. The competition is fierce, the margins razor-thin, and the stories—of triumph, heartbreak, and relentless determination—are just beginning to unfold. With the first long stage set to challenge every competitor to their core, all eyes now turn to the vast Saudi desert, where legends are made and dreams are tested in the ultimate motorsport adventure.
Stay tuned as the action continues to develop, with the next stage promising to shake up the standings and deliver more unforgettable moments from the world’s toughest rally.