It was a double podium for Monster Energy Honda HRC as Tosha Schareina and Adrien Van Beveren finished second and third at Rally-Raid Portugal 2026.
After securing his second stage victory of the week, Schareina headed into the final stage just 1’46 behind Daniel Sanders in the fight for the overall rally win. With only 100 km against the clock, Schareina needed an all-out charge to have any chance of overturning the deficit. The day’s stage featured 98 km of timed action before the riders regrouped at the Loulé bivouac, followed by a short but decisive 2 km sprint alongside the city’s stadium.
For the first time this week, conditions were dry, but the stage still demanded full concentration as ravines and blind crests littered the mountainous route and Schareina faced the added challenge of opening the stage. At the 43 km checkpoint, just one second separated him from Sanders, but by the end of the main special, the Spaniard had conceded 13 seconds to the Australian.
That left a 1’59 gap heading into the final 2 km sprint. Schareina pushed to the limit, but despite his efforts, he could only claw back a handful of seconds and at the finish, just 10 seconds separated the two on the stage, with Sanders securing the overall victory by 1’56. Schareina finished runner-up for the second year in a row.
The third edition of the rally also marked a confident return to form for Adrien Van Beveren, who claimed his first podium of 2026 thanks to consistent performances throughout the week. Another strong ride on the final stage saw him secure third overall, finishing 8’25 behind Sanders and heading into the next round with renewed momentum.
Ricky Brabec endured a challenging and eventful rally, with terrain that proved more demanding than what he typically faces in the United States. The American welcomed the drier conditions on the final stage, finishing sixth on the day, 3’23 adrift and eighth overall. He will now look forward to a return to more familiar desert terrain.
His compatriot Skyler Howes also experienced a week of highs and lows. Eighth on the final stage, he finished just ahead of Brabec in the overall standings and like his fellow American, will be eager for the upcoming desert rounds.
At the top of the World Rally-Raid Championship standings, the battle remains tight. Schareina moves up to second place with 44 points, just four behind leader Luciano Benavides. Van Beveren’s podium lifts him to fifth on 31 points, while Brabec sits fourth with 38. Howes is close behind in sixth with 29 points.
With the second round now complete, the riders will take a short break before the championship resumes at the Desafío Ruta 40 in Argentina, taking place from 24th to 29th May.
Ruben Faria – General Manager : « Rally-Raid Portugal has finished. While the result wasn’t exactly what we wanted, it wasn’t bad for the championship. We gave our maximum effort and the riders did the best they could.
« Tosha put in a strong performance, finishing just 1’56 off the top spot. He lost a little time on the first day, but overall he had a really good race and we’re happy with his riding. After the race, he told me he plans to improve for the Desafío Ruta 40, and we will do everything we can to win that rally.
« Adrien secured a podium finish, which is excellent for him. It’s a boost to his confidence after the setback he experienced here last year. Skyler finished seventh, not the result he or we were hoping for. We know this terrain doesn’t suit American riders as it was very wet and slippery. Ricky finished eighth and his main setback came on day four when he crashed in the river, stopping his bike and costing him significant time to get going again.
« Importantly, we started the rally with four riders and finished with all of them, which is a testament to the team’s effort. The team did a great job and now we’re focused on Desafío Ruta 40, with our sights set on winning. »
Ricky Brabec #9 – Stage: 6th Overall: 8th : « The rally was cool. It was a wet rally so something I’m not really used to. Overall, it was a good experience and I’m just happy the whole team made it back in one piece. There was a lot of carnage out there, mostly for myself. The last day was definitely the best, it was drier, so just the way I like it coming from the West coast. Overall, it was a good learning experience I’d say. I think I’m ready to go back to the desert, get my feet out of wet boots and put them in dry boots, that would be a nice change for us. Most of all, just get home and enjoy some drier temperatures. »
Skyler Howes #10 – Stage: 8th Overall: 7th : « We finished the Portugal rally and I couldn’t be happier to be here at the finish line because, man, this has been a tough race for me, specifically the mud, the slippery tracks, the mountain roads with cliffs on the side, I just got my butt kicked, I didn’t feel comfortable out there, I was riding really cautiously and that’s how it goes. I had a couple of good rides out there but I’m happy to be at the finish of this one and look forward to getting in the desert in Argentina in a couple of months. The team works really hard for us and it’s cool to see Tosha and Adrien land on the podium and battle it out for the win, so that’s important for the team. It’s a huge effort, they all work so hard for us and I’m very thankful to be on this team and be surrounded by such good, passionate people. My mechanic Mario and everyone they do such an incredible job. I’m really happy to be here, happy to be healthy and looking forward to the next one. »
Adrien Van Beveren #42 – Stage: 3rd Overall: 3rd : « I’m really happy to finish on the podium in Portugal. Six months ago I finished this race over a cliff and in the hospital, so I’m really happy to be back on the podium. I’ve enjoyed my riding here a lot, it’s always a special race because it’s really technical. Today was good, again in third. Daniel and Tosha were fast but we were in the fight. I can’t wait for Argentina now.
Tosha Schareina #68 – 2nd : « I’m really happy with my riding, it was a really good battle with Daniel to the end. We did everything we could on this last stage and I’m happy for second, happy for the team, we did a really good job. Now we will focus on Argentina. »
Rally GP Result – Stage 5
1. Sanders Daniel 1 AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team, 1:04:30
2. Schareina Tosha 68 SPA Monster Energy Honda HRC, +0:10
3. Van Beveren Adrien 42 FRA Monster Energy Honda HRC, +2:01
4. Canet Edgar 73 SPA Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team, +3:04
5. Benavides Luciano 77 ARG Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team, +3:11
6. Brabec Ricky 9 USA Monster Energy Honda HRC, + 03:23
7. Evan Branch Ross 16 BWA Hero Motorsports Team Rally, + 05:10
8. Howes Skyler 10 USA Monster Energy Honda HRC, + 05:49
Rider Standings
Rally 2 Provisional Standings After Stage 5
1. Sanders Daniel 1 AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team, 11:03:53
2. Schareina Tosha 68 SPA Monster Energy Honda HRC, + 01:56
3. Van Beveren Adrien 42 FRA Monster Energy Honda HRC, + 08:25
4. Canet Edgar 73 SPA Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team, + 20:44
5. Evan Branch Ross 16 BWA Hero Motorsports Team Rally, + 25:38
6. Benavides Luciano 77 ARG Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team, + 27:47
7. Howes Skyler 10 USA Monster Energy Honda HRC, + 34:18
8. Brabec Ricky 9 USA Monster Energy Honda HRC, + 41:28