‘The Challenge’: Ben Driebergen Thinks Gameplay Change Created ‘Rift’ With Sarah Lacina
Survivor champs Ben Driebergen and Sarah Lacina were close during season 40 but appeared to drift apart during The Challenge: USA. The two have returned for World Championship, where they’ve fully turned on each other. Ben clarified the “rift” between the formerly close allies in a podcast.
Ben Driebergen and Sarah Lacina were close before ‘The Challenge: World Championship’
During Survivor 40: Winners at War (2020), Sarah Lacina and Ben Driebergen developed a close friendship in their alliance. He allowed her to vote him out to improve her resume, leading to him placing fifth.
Many viewers assumed they were still closely aligned when they returned for The Challenge: USA (2022).
However, Ben began working with her rival Angela Rummans, presumably fracturing their game relationship as they seemingly didn’t enter World Championship on the same page, despite competing on Team USA.
During an April 2023 interview with MTV’s Official Challenge Podcast, Ben clarified the split between him and Sarah. The Survivor champ explained he realized they weren’t as close as he thought on The Challenge: USA because he felt left out of important conversations she had with Danny McCray.
Ben explains the ‘rift’ between him and Sarah
Additionally, he knew Survivor and The Challenge required different gameplay and tried to switch it up when he entered the USA house.
Therefore, while Ben wanted to continue working with her, he didn’t want to rely on her and present themselves as a “package” deal.
According to the Idaho-based marine, he thinks the choice bothered Sarah, creating tension between them. When the trio returned for World Championship, Ben claimed they intended to remain loyal to each other because they wanted to repair their “rift.”
Regardless of their differences, he claimed he doesn’t have “hard feelings” toward Danny or Sarah as he recognizes them as competitors playing their own games. Additionally, the Survivor champ pointed out that he doesn’t want to align with the USA winners in World Championship because he disagrees with their current strategy.
Ben and Sarah are working against each other in ‘World Championship’
Teamed up with Spies, Lies, and Allies winner Kaycee Clark, the two worked with Team USA until episode 5, when Ben told Danny he would vote Jordan Wiseley into elimination. Instead, the Idaho native sided with the legends, ultimately causing a stalemate.
Due to their inability to agree, daily winners Kiki Morris and Darrell Taylor had the sole vote to throw any team they wanted into elimination against the challenge losers Wes Bergmann and Zara Zoffany. They seemingly blindsided Ben and Kaycee by sending the USA duo into the Arena.
However, it backfired when they returned. The two presumably aren’t working with Team USA anymore but aligned with Australia’s Amber Borzotra and Troy Cullen to vote Emily Seebohm and Yes Duffy into elimination.
Ben and Kaycee are aware of Sarah and Danny working with the Australians to take them out, so they’re teaming up with the legends to target the strong MVPs. The elimination was canceled due to Team Australia’s Grant Crapp’s medical disqualification. His exit weakens Sarah and Danny as he is one of their closest allies.
The Challenge: World Championship airs Wednesdays on Paramount+.
