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Dakar 2026: Stage 1 - Team De Rooy FPT Sets the Tone in Dakar Rally Opening Stage: Victory for Loprais!

Dakar 2026: Stage 1 - Team De Rooy FPT Sets the Tone in Dakar Rally Opening Stage: Victory for Loprais!

Dakar Hits: 347 0 minutes read
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YANBU – Team De Rooy kicked off the 48th Dakar Rally in style as Aleš Loprais claimed the stage win in the truck category. The Czech title contender finished just under two minutes ahead of Dutchman Mitchel van den Brink during a grueling first stage around the port city of Yanbu. Teammate Vaidotas Žala finished fourth, 7:32 behind Loprais.
“I’m happy, but this is only the first stage”, Loprais said matter-of-factly. “That’s just how it goes, and I’m grateful. Grateful we made it through. The stage was particularly tricky early on, with a challenging rocky section. After that, things settled down a bit. That’s when I started having fun.”
All-Out Right From the Start For Loprais, embarking on his nineteenth Dakar Rally with championship aspirations, it was all-out right from the start. His top result speaks for itself. “I felt completely dialed in. We maximized our run, so it was a well-earned stage win.” The veteran was quick to put things in perspective, though. “It’s only the first stage—we’re just getting started.”
Teammate Žala also described a demanding day in Saudi Arabia. “The first section went better for us than the final stretch, with some minor hiccups in between. We lost a few minutes searching for a waypoint. We also picked up a flat”, he recounted.
Broken Suspensions Everywhere “I saw plenty of competitors swapping tires, others dealing with broken suspensions. All things considered, we came out okay. Tomorrow, we head into some really tough terrain toward AlUla. It’s known for its rocky conditions. I expect a day full of surprises. We know it’s going to be a long one, but for now, we’re satisfied.”
On Monday, competitors face the 504-kilometer second stage from Yanbu to AlUla, which includes a 400-kilometer special.
 
Source: Team De Rooy
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