In an interview with BioBioChile dated 16 October, the Chilean rider names the 2027 Dakar as his next big goal. The project is not yet fully funded.
“I still have to close the budget and find the last financing,” Barbosa told the Chilean outlet, translated from Spanish. He said he wants to line up well prepared, both physically and mentally.
Eighth in Rally2 on his comeback
At the Rallye du Maroc, Barbosa rode for HT Rally Raid on a Honda. The standings published by Honda HRC after stage five put him in eighth place in Rally2, 1:07:28 hours behind class winner Martim Ventura. On the final stage he finished ninth in his category.
In the latest interview, Barbosa said he was not satisfied with his result. Navigation errors had set him back. On the positive side, he noted that he got through without a fall and without motorcycle problems; the pace and speed are there.
Dakar exit on stage ten
His Dakar debut ended early on 14 January 2026. According to the official Dakar report, Barbosa crashed at kilometre 307 and retired with pain in his right shoulder. At the start of the day he had been third in Rally2.
In March, BioBioChile reported injuries to the subscapularis and supraspinatus tendons in the shoulder. After returning to Chile, Barbosa underwent surgery. Several months of rehabilitation followed. In September, the outlet reported on his medical clearance and resumed training sessions in northern Chile.
Barbosa comes from enduro. The official Dakar profile lists his 2018 junior world title in the 125cc class and his later outings in the US GNCC series. At the Dakar he rides in Rally2, the category in which he was fighting for a podium place before his crash.
Sources and photo credits
- BioBioChile: interview with Ruy Barbosa, Jaime Zavala, 16 October 2026. Source for his return goal, the funding and his assessment of the comeback. The quote was translated from Spanish.
- Honda HRC: Rallye du Maroc, result after stage five, 3 October 2026; shown there as provisional Rally2 standings.
- Dakar: rider profile of Ruy Barbosa and report of 14 January 2026, source for the crash kilometre, his position at the time and his sporting background.
- BioBioChile: interview on the injury and rehabilitation, 9 March 2026.
- Photo 1: Barbosa in the dunes, BioBioChile, comeback preview of 18 September 2026. Credit “Cedida”, photographer and date of the photo not stated. The report also documents the surgery and return to training.
- Photo 2: Dakar 2026, stage eight, 12 January 2026. A.S.O. / F. Gooden / DPPI, official Dakar gallery in the rider profile.
- Banner: AI-assisted editorial collages. Image bases: Photo 1 and the portrait/riding image in the interview of 16 October, credited there as “IG @ruy14”; photographer not stated. Original Dakar logo: A.S.O. The two photos in the article are not generated.
As of: 16 October 2026.