Dakar Rally 2026: Hero MotoSports Maintains Top 10 Overall After Stage 7

Stage 07 of the Dakar Rally 2026 marked the restart after the rest day, and Hero MotoSports delivered a clean run. Nacho Cornejo finished ninth, while Ross Branch took eighth on the stage. Those results kept both riders inside the top 10 overall, with Cornejo sixth and Branch eighth. This was a smart Dakar day. No risks, no mistakes, and no damage. The second week often decides the rally, and Stage 07 showed Hero’s focus on staying in the fight rather than chasing a single stage result.

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The stage covered 462km against a total route close to 900km. The stage design focused on fast sandy tracks with bushes lining the course. Riders needed to stay sharp on navigation while holding speed for long periods. After the earlier marathon stages, this layout tested how well teams could manage pace. Many sections felt more like rally raid sprint zones, where accuracy matters more than aggression.

Several riders lost time due to navigation issues. Hero MotoSports avoided that by riding within limits. Cornejo controlled his pace to protect his overall position, while Branch used the flow of the stage to stay competitive. Their approach showed strong rally discipline, which often decides Dakar results more than outright speed.

The bike stage win went to Luciano Benavides riding for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, finishing in 4 hours 0 minutes 56 seconds. Edgar Canet and Adrien Van Beveren followed. Branch finished 8 minutes 47 seconds behind the leader, with Cornejo at 9 minutes 10 seconds. Both Hero bikes completed the stage without mechanical trouble.

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The rally now moves to Wadi ad-Dawasir for Stage 08, the longest special of the Dakar Rally 2026 at over 500km. With the top 10 riders still closely packed in standing, endurance and consistency will define the next phase.