Luciano
Benavides
Argentina
·
Rally Raid
Date of birth | June 15, 1995 |
|---|---|
Birthplace | Salta |
Age | 30 |
Nationality | Argentina |
Career start | 2015 |
Disciplines | Rally Raid Bike |
Luciano started racing at five years old, inspired by his amateur enduro-riding father and his older brother Kevin, who's now two-time Dakar Rally winner.
By 2015 Luciano was racing enduro at international level, competing in the ISDE that year and again in 2016. He then raced at Full Gas Enduro in the USA and finished the season second overall for his class and the top rookie rider of the year.
When Luciano watched his brother’s progress at the 2016 Dakar, he was determined to follow in his footsteps. Soon after came the opportunity to join KTM. At his first rally, in Argentina in August 2017, he broke his collarbone, but came back to race again in October that year at Rallye du Maroc where he finished as the second-place junior, which qualified him for the Dakar.
A heavy crash saw Luciano's Dakar debut in 2018 end prematurely. However, he was back on his bike the following year and finished ninth overall. He further improved at the 2020 Dakar, the first to be hosted by Saudi Arabia, with a sixth-place finish.
The 2021 Dakar was bittersweet for Luciano. Although he was forced to retire early on Stage 9 he was able to cheer his brother Kevin to victory.
In 2022, Luciano switched from KTM to Husqvarna and finished that year's Dakar in 13th place. In 2023, both Benavides brothers were able to match their best-ever Dakar performances; Luciano finished sixth, while Kevin won again. 2023 turned out to be Luciano's most successful year to date as he won the Desafío Ruta 40 in his native Argentina on the way to being crowned the FIM World Rally-Raid Champion.
Next up for Luciano was a trip to Saudi Arabia as he competed in the 2024 Dakar with the #1 plate on his Husqvarna bike. The Argentine would go on to make history after finishing second on a stage behind his brother, Kevin, the first siblings to achieve this feat in the history of the Dakar. Later in the year Luciano won third place at Rallye du Maroc.
Ahead of the 2025 Dakar Rally Luciano made a return to KTM and he scored back-to-back wins on Stage 8 and Stage 9 as he raced to a career-best fourth overall.
Returning with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing again for the 2026 edition, he made history on the very final stage of the 8,000km battle when he snatched a last-gasp victory to claim the Dakar crown by just two seconds – the smallest margin the race's history – and join his brother Kevin on the list of winners at the world's toughest rally.
All hail the 2026 Dakar Rally champion
© Marcelo Maragni/Red Bull Content Pool
Luciano Benavides is the new Bike champ – by just two seconds!
© Marcelo Maragni/Red Bull Content Pool
Luciano Benavides is gunning for Dakar Rally glory
© Kin Marcin/Red Bull Content Pool
Ready to race the rising sun at Rally Raid BP Portugal
© Kin Marcin/Red Bull Content Pool