Challenge Route 40 – Stage 2: Al-Attiyah regains his strength

Although the second stage was one of the longest of this third round of the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC), with 632 kilometers on the program, it only consisted of 128 against the clock! In a format that could almost be likened to a sprint, it was difficult to create gaps, and although Nasser Al-Attiyah managed to snatch his first special stage victory of this 2026 edition, the Qatari was only able to make a slight comeback in the overall standings.

Al-Attiyah indeed won it by a mere 18 seconds over an excellent Kevin Benavides, with his Toyota from the Belgian team Overdrive. The two-time Dakar winner on a motorcycle is therefore also showing great skill on four wheels, ahead of two other Toyotas, those of Variawa and Ferreira, who now takes the lead in this Desafío Ruta 40. Winner of the first stage and therefore opening the second section, Eryk Goczal lost almost a quarter of an hour, and therefore slips considerably in the general classification.

For Sébastien LoebThe stage ended in ninth place after a strategic one-minute stop, in order to ensure a better starting position for the third stage, which will take place this Wednesday and will consist of 409 kilometers against the clock, around San Rafael.

W2RC 2026 – Desafío Route 40
Stage 2 ranking

W2RC 2026 – Desafío Route 40
The general after Stage 2

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