Bruno Santos is just one day away from successfully completing his Dakar Rally 2026 campaign, where he is on course for his best-ever result in the toughest off-road race in the world, competing aboard a Husqvarna 450 Rally. He is the Swedish brand’s top representative, sits seventh among Rally 2 riders and has held a place in the overall Top 20 since Stage 4 in a field of more than one hundred competitors—making him, by all indications, the best non-professional rider at this year’s Dakar.
Today, in a particularly demanding stage from Al Henakiyah to Yanbu, featuring a 310-kilometre timed selective sector, marked by a wide variety of terrain in which competitors tackled fast tracks interspersed with twisting, narrow sections, riverbeds and an extremely challenging dune section, Bruno Santos—backed by Frutas Patrícia Pilar—remained focused on fulfilling the objectives set out at the start of this competition.
“One more step towards the end of the Dakar. Today was the last long stage. We returned to the first bivouac in Yanbu, where Dakar 2026 started. It was a long day because we began very early. We had many liaison kilometres. The selective sector was much harder than what had been announced. Lots of rocks. Lots of difficulty, and plenty of problems could have appeared for the riders today. Over the first 100 kilometres I was at a good pace, but then I had one or two scares and rode at a more consistent pace until the finish. At this point it’s already hard to move up further in the standings. I’m ready for the final day, which will be tomorrow, with a shorter special of around 100 kilometres. It’s very good to be here and to have overcome all the difficulties. Now there’s just one more small step to go,” said the rider from Torres Vedras on arrival at the Yanbu bivouac, as he continues to be supported by Momento TT.
Dakar Rally 2026 concludes tomorrow with the 13th and final stage, which will be contested around Yanbu. The final special will feature 105 kilometres against the clock, split into two distinct sections. In the first, riders will cross a mountainous landscape on hard-packed dirt tracks. After this segment and the corresponding transfer, a new start will be given for the final timed section of the rally—followed by the final celebration with the climb onto the podium.
Source:Official Press Release
Photo: EdoPhoto
Disclaimer:
As a service to the sport we all love and follow, Rally-Raid Network posts numerous media releases from a wide variety of sources on our website. Due to the large number, and some times short time available, it is nearly impossible to review each public release. These articles are written by reporters or press officers who work for various organizers, teams, drivers, riders, and other parties, and they do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Rally-Raid Network.
