Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge stage two results – Red Bull KTM rider Daniel Sanders turns six-minute deficit into a lead as early leader, Monster Energy Honda rider Tosha Schareina, suffers in the sand at World Rally-Raid Championship round two.

Daniel Sanders scored a double whammy on stage two of the 2025 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge with a start to finish win, catapaulting the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider to the top of the general classification.
Taking on a 302km loop around Mezaira'a, in Liwa Province, including 228km against the clock, the dunes gave a tough time to Monster Energy Honda’s Tosha Schareina who had lead out the stage – the Spaniard started the day in first place having won both the prologue and stage one but lost serious time on the clock today.

Sanders takes the initiative

Sanders started the special in seventh place after a suspected clutch issue on day one, yesterday, led ADDC stage two from the beginning. The 2025 Dakar winner fended off Ignacio Cornejo (Hero MotoSports) and Adrien Van Beveren (Monster Energy Honda HRC) in the stage classification.

The KTM rider turned a 6′37″ deficit to  Schareina into a 2′25″ advantage with his KTM teammate Luciano Benavides right behind on the sheets. Schareina is now third at 2′43″ after struggling at the front of the race today with his HRC brother Ricky Brabec close behind at 3′00″.

A failing clutch knocked Ross Branch and his Hero out of the event today. This is the second DNF in a row for the reigning W2RC champion, who crashed out of the Dakar a month ago.

With the top five within four minutes of each other the remaining three days of the ADDC are all to play for and could well see dramatic daily leaderboard changes like today.

388km on stage three promise much the same (41% sand and 39% dunes), with 237km of special on the first half of a marathon stage with no assistance and a night out under the stars for competitors.

RALLY 2: Docherty at the triple

Michael Docherty is eyeing up a first W2RC win of his career with consecutive stage wins in class so far at ADDC. The Dubai-based South African clinched the special by 3′37″ over his teammate Tobias Ebsterand 5′15″ over Duust Rally rider Konrad Dabrowski. 

Dabrowski, is the closest rival in the standings at 15′51″. Ebster is fourth at 29′19″ after receiving a penalty for changing his engine, behind former EnduroGP and GNCC racer Ruy Barbosa, 23′35″ off the pace.

ADDC ’25 stage 2 results:

ADDC ’25 classification after stage 2:

Photo Credit: A.S.O. | Edophoto | DPPI | Matteo Gebbia + Helena Clancy + Irina Petrichei