Phoenix 24
The young Spaniard lost the overall lead, but only 91 seconds separate him from Daniel Sanders.
Zagora
Edgar Canet finished second in the fourth stage of the Rally of Morocco after another intense duel with Red Bull KTM teammate Daniel Sanders. The Australian won the 321 kilometer special by 3 minutes and 1 second and regained the overall lead, but Canet remains only 1 minute and 31 seconds behind with one stage remaining.
Canet began the day carrying a 1 minute and 30 second advantage over Sanders after taking control of the rally during Stage Three. For much of the special, he appeared capable of defending that position. Sanders, however, started farther back and benefited from existing tracks while maintaining a very aggressive pace from the opening kilometers.
The battle changed repeatedly. By kilometer 112, Sanders had gained more than two minutes on Canet despite suffering a fall earlier in the stage. The Spaniard responded progressively and reduced the gap as the route developed. By kilometer 193, Canet had recovered enough time to regain the virtual overall lead by nine seconds.
The decisive shift came during the final third of the stage. Sanders increased his pace significantly, turning a 34 second advantage at kilometer 222 into more than three minutes only around 30 kilometers later. Canet reduced some of that loss before the finish but could not prevent the Australian from taking both the stage victory and the rally lead.
Adrien van Beveren completed the stage podium, finishing 3 minutes and 17 seconds behind Sanders. In the overall classification, Ricky Brabec sits third at 8 minutes and 9 seconds, while Luciano Benavides follows at 9 minutes and 53 seconds. The leading pair therefore enters the final day with a meaningful cushion over their closest rivals.
Canet’s position is particularly significant because he is still developing at the highest level of rally raid competition. Leading after three full stages and staying within 91 seconds of Sanders after more than 13 hours of racing confirms that his progress is no longer theoretical.
The final stage will cover another 259 kilometers. Canet has already made his strategy clear: attack.
The margin is small enough to preserve every possibility. In rally raid, one navigation error, one mechanical problem or one burst of speed can erase 91 seconds very quickly.
Facts that do not bend.