The FIA category had its Shakedown.
Desafío Ruta 40 YPF began to show its full intensity with the Prologue, the competition’s first timed stage on the roads of San Juan. The 13th edition of the event, which counts toward the third round of the World Rally Raid Championship (W2RC), thus saw its first major sporting chapter in the Cuyo region.
The Prologue (9 km) was open to competitors in the FIM, Open, and Desafío Ansenuza categories. Later, on that same 9-kilometer section near the city of Albardón, participants in the FIA category completed the Shakedown, their final opportunity to get their machines ready for the intense week of competition ahead.
Local rider Luciano Benavides (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was the top performer in the Motorcycles category, while Tobias Carrizo (FANTIC BY MED Racing Team) did the same in the Quads category before a large crowd that had gathered early at the stage and also at the bovouac located at San Juan Villicum Circuit.
Upon arriving at the camp, Luciano Benavides reflected on the day’s events: “It’s a mix of so many emotions: starting this race as the reigning Dakar champion, as the championship leader, having renewed my contract with KTM, racing at home in Argentina, and today I won the Prologue—so there have been a lot of things that move me, and with today’s crowd, it’s been incredible”.
Stage 1 Description: San Juan – San Juan (340 km special stage and 171 km road section)
The 2026 Desafío Ruta 40 YPF will kick off across a wide variety of terrains, landscapes, and surfaces—and certainly some of the most beautiful ones. With the foothills of the Andes as an ever-present backdrop, the race will begin within imposing canyons before entering a vast and fast-paced salt flat—one that demands careful attention to navigation.
The route will alternate between dry riverbeds of varying characteristics: some wide with good surfaces, others more confined between ravines, and still others requiring very slow passage with numerous branches, making concentration an essential skill.
The river crossings feature trails of varying widths and directions, some of which are very clear while others are less so. There are also tracks that appear to run parallel but can lead competitors away from the ideal route. Challenging right from the start.
Spectators Zones: Etapa 3 San Rafael-San Rafael (Wednesday 27 May)
Argentine fans will have the opportunity to see world-class rally stars such as Sébastien Loeb, Carlos Sainz, Stéphane Peterhansel, Nasser Al-Attiyah, Nani Roma, and brothers Luciano and Kevin Benavides, among many other top international competitors.
The Spectator Zones (ZE) will be the only areas designated for safely watching the race. To preserve the spirit of the rally raid and keep the race routes secret, the official locations of the ZE will be announced 72 hours before each stage.
Stage 3: San Rafael–San Rafael: The Nihuil Dunes. The competitors in the Desafío Ruta 40 will have to navigate the dunes of Mendoza and find the right route to avoid losing time at the start of the third day of competition. This will be the main dune section of the race, a challenging terrain that the drivers are looking forward to with great expectation. The designated spectator areas can be downloaded here: https://desafioruta40.ar/zona-espectadores/
Source: Desafio Ruita 40
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