Dakar is underway in Saudia Arabia. Today’s racing unfolds over stage 2, which is a 338-kilometer section of grueling Dakar desert blasting. And as rider Skyler Howes notes it’s important to keep your head in the game with two weeks of racing ahead. In fact, this stage is on the shorter side compared to some of the legs coming up.

The visuals of endless dunes with bikes taking their own paths are amazing. Camels dodge out of the way in sections. Riders keep the throttle pegged. And the action is wicked, as always. Not every time is having a great though either, and this highlight video details one team’s struggle to repair busted suspension bits. But one thing you can count on… is to find Sebastien Loeb at the front of the pack in his class. This year that’s happening again.

Audi is also out there running its RS Q E-Tron. It’s pretty amazing to see how much it donkey kicks over the jumps, and I know Audi drivers aren’t thrilled with some of their suspension requirements. But Carlos Sainz Sr is doing what he can to bring that EV to the finish line. Even if the Audi team has no chance of a top spot in their class.

As the Dakar youtube channel pumps out more highlights and recaps, we will share them here. Dakar kicks ass.