CRISTINA GUTIERREZ, SARA PRICE & PUCK KLAASSEN Show Grit at Dakar Rally

January 17, 2026

• CRISTINA GUTIERREZ and Pablo Moreno delivered a remarkable 11th place finish for Dacia despite barrel-rolling their Sandrider just seven kilometers into the second Marathon stage. While the crash dropped her out of top-10 contention, her recovery showcased the resilience that’s becoming her trademark. It’s worth noting she was the highest-finishing woman in the Ultimate class, proving once again that when women get proper machinery and support, they deliver results that speak for themselves.
• SARA PRICE claimed a podium finish in the new Stock class, bringing her Defender home second behind teammate Rokas Baciuška. The American’s consistency throughout the punishing 13-day event earned her recognition as the top woman finisher in Stock, though she did receive a 30-minute penalty for changing her differential on the final day. Her performance validates what we’ve been saying – give women competitive cars and watch what happens.
• PUCK KLAASSEN made her mark in Challenger class with two stage victories, including a narrow win on stage eight where she edged out experienced competitors. The Dutch driver teamed with Augusto Sanz to finish fifth overall in their G Rally Team G-ECKO, proving that women can win stages and compete for podiums when the playing field levels out. Her stage wins weren’t flukes – they were earned through skill and determination against seasoned rally raid veterans.
• LAIA SANZ rounded out the notable women’s performances with a 20th place finish in her Ebro S800 XRR, while REBECCA BUSI completed the rally in 103rd despite significant time delays. The diversity of machinery and classes represented by these women shows we’re finally seeing broader opportunities opening up across rally raid, not just token entries in underpowered equipment.

challenger class, dacia sandrider, dakar rally, stock class