Open Throttle, Clean Run

Day two took the rally out of Portugal and across the border into Spain. It was the longest day of the event, 406.9 miles (655 kilometers), with 266.5 miles (429 km) of racing, slicing through pine forests, eucalyptus groves, and finally spilling into the dry plains near Badajoz.

Two selective sections were on the schedule, both fast and open, but different in texture. The first part ran through sandy trails around Ponte de Sor. The second climbed through the rougher, more technical terrain of Mação, where narrow tree-lined paths left little margin for error.

And the rally bit back.

Ross Branch, the reigning World Champion riding for Hero MotoSports, crashed out violently just before the halfway mark. His race, and his title hopes, ended in the dust. Not long after, Adrien Van Beveren was also forced to retire after a hard fall and a suspected shoulder injury. By midday, two of the biggest names in RallyGP were gone.

Up front, the lead battle tightened. Daniel Sanders had the unenviable task of opening the stage after winning the day before, a role that often costs time.

But he stayed sharp, navigating flawlessly and keeping the pace high.

Tosha Schareina was pushing hard behind, keeping pressure on through the Spanish tracks. The two traded time all day, but Sanders held on, winning the stage by just four seconds, a blink, after nearly five hours of racing.

“It was a very long day. The last 37 miles (60 km) were really slippery,” he said at the bivouac. “I had to concentrate to stay upright. The course was technical but great fun.”

By the end of the day, Sanders had extended his overall lead to 1 minute, 36 seconds. The duel with Schareina was now head-to-head, and only two stages in.

Saturday brought the rally back into Portugal. The riders left Badajoz behind and crossed the border on a long link stage before diving into 170.3 miles (274 km) of racing. The terrain was mixed, narrow in the early Spanish section, then opening up across Reguengos, Portel, and Évora, where the dry earth of the Alentejo returned to test everything: pace, tires, and concentration.

There was little shade. The temperature climbed. Stones lay just beneath the surface, sharp and unpredictable, waiting for a lapse in focus.

Daniel Sanders pushed hard from the start. With fresh rubber and a clear goal, he moved through the stage in full sync with the terrain, trusting the pace, reading the ground as it came. At the same time, Schareina was doing everything right. He was matching Sanders in pace, navigating well, and keeping the overall lead within reach.

Until the last 12.4 miles (20 km).

Somewhere near a farm gate, with the finish nearly in sight, Schareina looked up from the roadbook and caught a gesture from a man standing beside the trail, a farmer, pointing the wrong way. It was just a moment. But it was enough.

He took a detour, lost his bearings, and the time slipped through his fingers.

“I didn’t pay enough attention to the roadbook,” Schareina admitted later. “I had a good rhythm, but that mistake cost me.”

Sanders, unaware of the drama behind him, kept the throttle open and finished the stage with his third stage win of the event. At the end of the day, the Australian held a 3-minute, 12-second lead heading into the final showdown.

The rally had broken open again. And this time, the cracks were showing.

Under the flags in Lisbon, with the crowd packed along the docks near the Padrão dos Descobrimentos, Sanders stood tall beside his KTM 450 Rally, grinning wide, helmet off, jersey already swapped for a bright orange “#1” shirt prepared by the team.

“I was focused on the stage, not the championship,” he said. “This kind of consistency is rare in rally. It’s all still sinking in.”

The moment wasn’t quiet. It was loud with cheers, cameras flashing, hands clapping against back protectors, and the unmistakable hum of a season well finished.

Later that afternoon, in a moment full of dust, smiles, and shared miles, Ross Branch, the outgoing world champion, walked up to Sanders and handed him the symbolic #1 plate. No ceremony, just a long hug, a few loud pats on the back, and two riders laughing like teammates after a long weekend ride.

That’s RallyGP. On the bike, there’s no mercy. But off the bike? There’s a bond that only this kind of road can build.

The handover of the #1 plate said more than any press conference could. Riders laughing with helmets in hand, boots still dirty, gear bags half-zipped.

Inside the bivouac, the mood was simple: this was a good day to be part of the rally.

Luciano Benavides, strong through every stage, closed out the rally in third and climbed to second in the championship standings. Edgar Canet, solid all week in Rally2, now leads his category heading into Morocco. The orange tent had reason to smile.

But there’s still one more rally ahead. Rallye du Maroc is the last stop of the season. And while the title is already locked in, Sanders made it clear: the throttle isn’t done turning.

Sometimes, the road ends with a trophy. Sometimes, it ends with a dust cloud and a smile no one sees under the helmet.

Either way, the championship is won. The story, still riding.