Dakar Rally 2026: Stage 11 Keeps Overall Battle Tight as Focus Shifts to Final Push

Stage 11 of the Dakar Rally 2026 brought a key day as the rally edged closer to the finish. This stage focused on navigation rather than flat-out speed, which always changes how riders and drivers approach the task. Competitors faced split routes, frequent direction changes and mixed surfaces that punished small errors. The day covered 883 kilometres in total, with 346 kilometres timed, making time management important. With only two stages left after this one, most teams chose a controlled approach instead of taking risks. The goal was simple: protect overall positions, avoid time loss and reach the bivouac without issues. Stage 11 felt like a thinking rider’s and driver’s test rather than a sprint, and it played a quiet but important role in shaping the end of the rally.

Also Read: Dakar Rally 2026: Stage 10 Sees Van Beveren, Serradori on Top

In the bike category, Skyler Howes took the Stage 11 win by keeping things clean and mistake-free. In the car class, Mattias Ekstrom topped the times with a similar approach. Several rivals dropped minutes due to navigation slips, which showed how costly a wrong turn can be at this point of the Dakar. The stage results shuffled the daily order but did not shake up the overall standings in a big way.

Stage 11 was also another solid day for the Land Rover Defender Dakar programme. The Defender completed the full route without technical trouble, continuing its steady run in its first Dakar campaign. Managing long distances, road sections and off-road terrain has been key for the team, and this stage added more valuable mileage as the rally nears its end.

Hero MotoSports Team Rally finished the day with both riders inside the top 15. Ross Branch ended the stage in eighth after bouncing back from a difficult previous day. He settled into a rhythm early, handled the navigation zones well and brought the Hero 450 Rally home safely. That result moved him to eighth overall going into the final stages.

Nacho Cornejo finished Stage 11 in 14th after dealing with rocky sections that broke his flow. He avoided major mistakes and completed the distance without drama, which was enough to hold on to seventh overall. With Stage 12 set as the final long test of the Dakar Rally 2026, the focus now shifts to staying sharp, managing fatigue and reaching the finish line without errors.