Kevin and Luciano Benavides and Daniel Sanders will spearhead the twelve-stage 8000km rally starting on January 3 in Saudi Arabia . The team have been honing not only their rally riding skills but have been putting in the hours in roadbook training , which can make or break a rider ’ s results in the tricky terrain and massive dunes that will see accurate navigation play a key role in Dakar 2025 . With Kevin Benavides having a tough 2024 with injury , his rehab has been going better than expected and he will hopefully be 100 percent fit when the engines fire up for the prologue . For its 47th edition , this year ’ s Dakar Rally will be hosted in the Middle East for the sixth consecutive year . Setting off on January 3 from Bisha , riders will face that short , timed prologue , and the tone will be set for 12 stages in the Saudi Arabian desert . In an exciting twist for 2025 , the race will feature the gruelling 48-hour chrono stage on days two and three , followed almost instantly by the marathon stage , leaving competitors little time to catch their breath . A rest day in Ha ’ il on January 10 will be hardearned and much needed with seven stages through the ‘ Empty Quarter ’ then standing between the riders and the finish in Shubaytah on January 17 .