It’s no secret that KTM is one of the top bike manufacturers in rally raid today, but the 2025 Dakar Rally was another story. While Daniel Sanders dominated for the RallyGP and outright bike win, Edgar Canet did the same in Rally2 in his debut with the factory program.

KTM released a behind-the-scenes and recap video, titled How We Won Dakar 2025!, on Wednesday. The video follows Sanders, Canet, and the former’s RallyGP teammates Kevin and Luciano Benavides from training for the race to finish.

Kevin had been with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing since 2022, winning the Dakar for a second time in 2023. His younger brother Luciano, who won the 2023 World Rally-Raid Championship, and Sanders migrated to KTM at the end of 2024 as Pierer Mobility AG consolidated Husqvarna and GasGas into the larger brand. Sanders won straight away at the Rallye du Maroc before continuing his momentum by leading Dakar from start to finish.

Canet was a late addition to the roster, only joining KTM a few weeks before the race. Despite being only 19 years old and racing Dakar for the first time, he took the overall lead in his class after just two stages and never let go.

The videos also highlighted the Benavides brothers’ efforts, including Kevin in his return to racing after suffering serious head injuries last May.

“He had to learn to talk and walk and breathe. He started from really low. I think nobody was even thinking he should do Dakar,” KTM motorsports director Pit Beirer explained in the video. The only reason we brought the bike there and his mechanics was to pay him back for all the effort he put in.”

Kevin ultimately withdrew after the first half as the physical strain was too much for him. Luciano notched two stage wins and finished fourth.

For Sanders, it was his maiden Dakar triumph in his fifth try. After KTM only ran three races in 2024 amid budget cuts and the aforementioned restructuring by Pierer, the team is signed up for the 2025 championship.

“I think that’s a good sign we should all take to build this company up again to the good days,” concluded Beirer. “We have a good plan. We’re going to build the future of KTM on this rally victory.”

How We Won Dakar 2025! on YouTube

Featured image credit: Antonin Vincent / DPPI