Kyle Chaney Scores Career-First Stage Win at Dakar 2026
Valcourt, Quebec, January 13, 2026 – In his first Dakar Rally campaign, Can-Am Factory racer Kyle Chaney scored a monumental career-first win on stage five of the rally, establishing his position as a front-runner at the pinnacle of Rally Raid. Chaney and his navigator, Jacob Argubright piloted their Can-Am Maverick R to the stage win through sheer pace, clean navigation, tire management, and sharp decision-making, deep into a demanding marathon stage.
After nine stages of racing, Chaney’s determination and consistency are paying off, as he sits in second position in the overall rankings. “The longer I’m here, the more it sets in how big and prestigious this race is,” said Chaney on his inaugural Dakar effort. “The stage win definitely feels good, but it doesn’t overtake the time we lost on the previous stage. I knew it was going to be critical to have a good day. It was fun having a good car that worked well and not having any issues. It was an experience, for sure!”
Chaney’s Can-Am Factory Racing teammates also found strong pace as the 2026 Dakar Rally passed its midpoint. Jeremias Gonzalez Ferioli notched an impressive stage win on stage seven, while Kyle Chaney and Joao Monteiro completed a podium sweep for Can-Am factory racing.
“It was a really good day for us, I'm happy to find out at the finish that we won the stage,” said Ferioli after his win on stage seven. “It was a clean day, we had to overtake cars because we'd had problems in stage 6, but we did it and now we're ecstatic. We'll see how it goes tomorrow, the Dakar has no easy stages."
On stage nine, three-time Dakar Rally champion Francisco “Chaleco” Lopez put together an outstanding drive to win the stage. Lopez was followed by Hunter Miller and Kyle Chaney in third and fourth place on the stage, respectively.
The Can-Am Factory team continues to move up in the overall rankings, with Chaney and Monteiro running second and third position, respectively, after nine stages. Looking ahead, the team is in the middle of the second Marathon Refuge stage of the 2026 Dakar Rally. With no team assistance available overnight, stage ten will play a crucial role in the overall rankings of the rally.
Overall Standings After Nine Stages
2nd: Kyle Chaney
3rd: Joao Monteiro
5th: Chaleco Lopez
6th: Manu Andujar
7th: Jeremias Gonzalez Ferioli
Key Highlights
● Dakar Rally rookie Kyle Chaney scored his first stage win on stage five, and is second overall in the standings after nine stages of racing.
● Can-Am Factory Racing swept the podium on stage seven, with Jeremias Gonzalez Ferioli taking the win, followed by Chaney and Monteiro.
● Multi-time Dakar Rally champion Francisco “Chaleco” Lopez notched a stage win on stage nine.
● The Can-Am Maverick R thrived in the Saudi Arabian desert, claiming five of the top seven overall positions in the standings after nine stages of racing.
