Mani Gyenes returns to Dakar after 2025 victory in Original by Motul

Romanian rally legend Emanuel Gyenes is set to return to the Dakar Rally in 2026, lining up once again in the toughest category of them all – Original by Motul, the class without technical assistance.

The 48th edition of the Dakar Rally will start on January 3, 2026, and Gyenes will be back at the start after winning the Original category in 2025, repeating his success from 2020 and confirming his status as one of the most resilient and consistent riders in rally-raid history.

Dakar 2026: brutal mileage, limited dunes, maximum endurance

Dakar 2026 will cover a total of 7,906 kilometres, including 4,840 kilometres of special stages, spread across 13 stages plus a prologue, running from January 3–17. It marks the seventh consecutive edition in Saudi Arabia and will follow a loop format, with both start and finish in Yanbu, a city on the Red Sea coast.

This year’s route is designed to punish bikes and bodies alike. With only 7% dunes, the focus shifts to rocky terrain, repeated canyon crossings, and fast, sandy sections. Both the first and second weeks include marathon stages, where riders must survive with minimal resources and no overnight mechanical support.

Competitors will sleep in small, basic bivouacs, relying on limited supplies and military-style rations. Tyre management will be crucial, as tyres cannot be changed overnight, and any mechanical repairs must be carried out using only the tools the rider carries during the special stage.

Adding to the challenge, Dakar 2026 will once again feature four stages with simultaneous starts for motorcycles and cars, each running on separate routes.

Original by Motul: Dakar at its purest

The Original by Motul (formerly Malle Moto) category represents the purest form of rally racing. Riders compete without registered technical assistance and must service their own motorcycles—either alone or with help from another Original rider still in the race.

From the first day in Saudi Arabia until the end of the rally, Original competitors sleep in tents and handle every aspect of race survival themselves. The organiser provides only basic infrastructure, including:

• A personal 80-litre storage box for tools, spares, and personal items
• Access to generators, compressors, and shared toolboxes
• Charging points for airbag vests and phones
• Transport for essential equipment, including wheels, tyres, tent, travel bag, bike stand, and work mat

It’s a class that rewards discipline, mechanical knowledge, and mental strength as much as outright speed.

Gyenes’ preparation and Dakar schedule

Mani Gyenes departed for Yanbu on December 30, collecting his motorcycle on December 31, which had been shipped by the organisers from Barcelona. Final administrative and technical checks are scheduled for January 1, followed by last-minute bike setup and preparation on January 2.

The 23-kilometre prologue on January 3 will determine the starting order for Stage 1, with riders setting off in reverse order of race numbers, chasing every second to secure a favourable position.

Thanks to the support of Țiriac Collection—where the motorcycle used to win Dakar 2025 is currently on display in Otopeni—Gyenes will race a KTM 450 Rally Replica, built in the summer of 2025. He also gained valuable mileage during Rallye du Maroc in October.

Mani Gyenes on returning to Dakar

“I’m happy to take the start of what is considered the ultimate endurance test in motorsport for the 16th time. This will be my eighth Dakar in the no-assistance class, and I continue to choose it because it’s the closest to the original spirit of the rally.

It’s not easy to ride hundreds of kilometres of special stages and then prepare the bike for the next day once you reach the bivouac. In Saudi Arabia, with very short days, every minute counts.

I’ve never fought so hard for seconds as I did in the final 30 kilometres of the last stage in 2025. That was the most intense special I’ve experienced in 15 Dakars. I wanted a top-30 overall finish in the motorcycle category, but I never expected to end up 20th.

Dakar is unpredictable, but my goal is a solid rally and another top-30 overall result. Thank you to everyone who made my participation in Dakar 2026 possible.”
— Emanuel Gyenes (#34, Autonet Motorcycle Team)

Sixteen Dakars. Eight times without assistance. Two Original victories. Mani Gyenes doesn’t just race Dakar — he endures it, year after year, in its hardest possible form.

In an era of factory support and massive teams, his return to Original by Motul is a reminder of what rally raid was built on: self-reliance, grit, and absolute commitment. Dakar 2026 won’t be about comfort or spectacle — it will be about survival. And once again, Mani Gyenes is ready to answer that call.