On January 6, 2026, Puck Klaassen became only the fifth woman to have claimed stage wins in Dakar. Eventaully, she finished this year’s Dakar, her second attempt in the competition categories, in fifth of the Challenger category. We recently had the opportunity to talk to Puck, here’s her motorsport journey.
All photos © Puck Klaassen
Born in Europe and raised in South Africa, the connection between Puck Klaassen and motorsport was shaped through motocross during her childhood and teenage years. “My dad comes from rallying and is a big motorsport fan. He introduced myself and my three other siblings to many different kinds of sports. When I was six, and my younger brother was four, my dad put us on bikes, and we loved it. So I started racing go-karts and motocross then. That’s how my love for motorsport grew.”
But Puck’s path in motocross didn’t follow a straight line to glory. An injury forced her to stop her career on two wheels, leaving her unsure of what came next. That was when an unexpected opportunity opened the door to rally-raid. “I had a motocross injury, and I was a bit lost and not sure what to do next. One of my dad’s family friends was selling his classic car and telling us about the Dakar. We only had 2-3 months to prepare for our first Dakar Classic. Besides go-karting when I was really young, I’ve never done a car race before. I had a coach who trained me in small speed cars. Other than that, I just went in blind, a bit clueless. I was very intimidated and nervous. But it turned out to be the best experience ever and completely opened my eyes to rally-raid. It was unreal. It was special.”
Growing up watching the Dakar on TV, I thought the competitors were crazy, and it was impossible. Never in my life would I ever have thought I would do the Dakar. When I arrived at the Dakar and saw all the top riders and my idols, I was blown away.
Not long after taking that first glimpse into the rally-raid world, another opportunity emerged – the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, this time to truly step into the competitive side of the sport. “A month after my first Dakar in Dakar Classic, I was invited to do the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge by one of the owners of Taurus. It was crazy, I haven’t even done a local rally. It was completely different from the Classic I did. But obviously, I wouldn’t say no to an opportunity like that. I’ll just come do it. It was even more of an eye-opener for me because I was racing with all my idols, the people I’ve looked up to my whole life. I’ve never driven a sequential gearbox racing car before. I surprised myself and came in fourth in the prologue. That’s when I realized this is what I want to do. The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge was a life-changing moment for me.”
Rally-raid is all about experience. I just learned and adapted through every race.
In 2025, Puck returned to the Dakar starting podium, this time in the Challenger category, racing against the clock. The real Dakar revealed itself in full force. “I was blown away by the pace of the race. I was going really slow, and I was following Nico Cavigliasso and Valen Pertegarini, who won the Challengar class last year. They were going insanely fast, jumping through the dunes. The Dakar Classic was about cruising in gentlemanly style, while the competition categories are about time, racing, and speed.”
I really love the speed aspect of the competition, as it’s flat-out racing, full attack. I also love the endurance style and the mental game, managing your pace, managing your decision making, thinking about the whole race rather than one stage or one moment.
This year marked Puck’s second competitive Dakar and third overall appearance. In stages 3 and 8, she claimed stage wins in the Challenger category, becoming only the fifth woman ever to win a Dakar stage. “Last year, I went in with the mentality to just finish the race. My approach might be a bit too slow. I thought that if I go slowly and cautiously, it’s safer. It was me just surviving and learning about the Dakar and the stages. This year, I took a completely different approach. I went in trying to stand on the podium. It actually went easier this way. The car is also really good after we developed it for a year.”
Throughout the 13-stage marathon, Puck went through the highest points of stage wins, and also some really low moments, such as setbacks in stage 4. “We broke the upper wishbone. Normally, you would carry that part in the car so you can quickly change it in 15-20 minutes. But we didn’t have it in our car with us. It was such a pity. We lost almost two hours in that and dropped me from the podium. Obviously, I learned from it, but it was really tough in the moment.”
Despite the disappointment, Puck left the 2026 Dakar with historic stage wins and valuable lessons, feeling stronger and more focused than ever. “For me, as a woman, at the beginning of my career, I thought I had a lot to prove, to earn respect, to get a name for myself. I always had moments where I started doubting myself, or I was not sure if I was good enough. Having the stage wins and receiving all the love and support was a life-changing moment. This year, I was trying to minimize risks every day. I only had one day where we weren’t fully prepared. There’s still a lot to learn, but for now we can take all the big learning moments and try to prevent them in the future.”
I came from sports where it’s a single driver or rider in the competition, it changed the game quite a bit having someone next to me. Me and my co-driver, Augusto Sanz, we have a really professional relationship, and I trust him completely. He gives me confidence to push, and we make the decisions together.
Now, as she prepares for her next Dakar, Puck’s goals are clear – a podium in the World Championship and, eventually, one day, winning the Dakar in the Challengar category. “Winning the Dakar in the Challenger category would be my ultimate dream. This year, I’ll try to get more experience and try to get a podium in the World Championship. My training focuses a lot on endurance and the mental side. I go for really long hikes, and I’m doing yoga and breathing training. You need to constantly focus and have a good body-mind connection.”
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