Three American riders are showing great speed in the 2025 Dakar Rally, with the Monster Energy Honda HRC riders Ricky Brabec, Skyler Howes and Preseon Campbell in action. Over the short but demanding test, it was Brabec who emerged as America’s strongest performer, securing third overall and finishing just five seconds shy of the fastest time set by Edgar Canet.

For two-time Dakar winner Brabec, the importance of a solid opening result was clear.A strong performance would allow him to choose a favourable starting position for stage one and he delivered with confidence, completing the prologue in just over eleven and a half minutes aboard his Honda CRF450 RALLY.

Skyler Howes started with an encouraging eighth place, clearly at home on the longer prologue and finishing only 32 seconds from the top of the timesheets.

Preston Campbell delivered a composed and consistent ride, finishing an impressive fourth in Rally2, just half a minute shy of prologue winner Michael Docherty.It marked a strong opening for the young American, who quickly found his rhythm on the fast, flowing stage as it threaded through rocky canyons some 40 km from the Yanbu start camp.

Ricky Brabec: The prologue was great, I made it to the finish in a good position so we’re looking good for tomorrow. I’m happy to get some speed under our belt and shake the monkey off our back. Overall it’s a good start, but tomorrow starts the real Dakar Rally.

Skyler Howes: The prologue was good for me, I really enjoy prologues like this, I mean this is the biggest race in the world, so to have nice open desert on a fast prologue is really cool and a longer one as well. It felt good out there, the bike is feeling good, we’ve been working hard as a team and I have a decent result so it will put me in a good position for the start of the rally which is stage one, that’s when the real racing begins. I’m happy to be here at the start of my eighth Dakar now, which is crazy to say and it’s a dream come true to be here with Monster Energy Honda HRC and I’m happy. I’m looking forward to these next two weeks of chaos.

Preston Campbell: The prologue was super fun, a quick, short stage, but it was nice to get the race underway and get the two weeks going. It was fast through the valleys, a little bit rocky, the navigation wasn’t too difficult and it was a quick 22 km sprint.