Monster Energy Honda Team rider Tosha Schareina began the longest day of the bp Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal with a 2min 56sec cushion over Hero Motorsports Rally Team rider Sebastien Bühler.

The Spaniard was able to fend off the German’s challenge as the event crossed the border into Spain. Both riders were the class of the field but Schareina clocked the quickest time and extended his lead to 3min 40sec. The win marked his third of the campaign after the Prologue and stage one successes.

Sebastian Bühler, the most Portuguese of the German riders, was born on German soil but moved to Portugal when he was three months old. Boasting dual nationality, he now lives in Relíquias, in Grândola, the epicentre of the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal. Where better to toast his first W2RC victory? Dominating stage 2 from flag to flag, the Hero MotoSports factory rider cashed in on his home advantage to become the twentieth rider to clinch an FIM stage win since the 2022 season. This makes him the fourth stage winner for the Indian maker, following in the slipstream of Joaquim Rodrigues, Ross Branch and Aaron Mare.