Contenders that are familiar faces
24 de April de 2026This Saturday marks the start of the 2026 Škoda Titan Desert Morocco. A peloton of 475 Titans faces six stages and more than 580 kilometers of pure desert.
It’s a true adventure with a history spanning for over two decades, and, as every year, it features a lineup of cyclists vying for victory in the men’s and women’s general classifications.
While there have been many surprises in recent years and new riders have made history in the race, it would be a surprise if the 2026 Škoda Titan Desert Morocco added new names to its list of winners.
This year’s edition promises to be a race of veterans and participants who already know what it takes to win in the Titan World Series. It’s an opportunity for them to add to their list of achievements.
In the men’s GC, Andrey Amador, the defending champion, will not be competing. This leaves the field wide open for several riders to step up and claim the victory.
The rider who seems best positioned is Luis León Sánchez. The Cleardent team rider already knows what it’s like to win in Morocco, as well as in Almería and Saudi Arabia. Based on his form and track record, he is the race’s top favorite to take Amador’s crown. But he’s not the only one.
Luis Ángel Maté has also racked up podium finishes, stage wins, and even a men’s GC title in the first edition of the Titan Forest Patagonia. The KH7 rider has legs and team to give ‘Luisle’ serious trouble. Joining him on his team will be Dani Moreno and Jonathan Castroviejo, newcomers to the race but with spectacular WorldTour records.
The surprise could come from another former pro: José Luis ‘Pipo’ Rodríguez, the Chilean rider who was one of the big revelations in Patagonia.
There will, of course, be room for the mountain specialists and those who know the Škoda Titan Desert Morocco well: Pablo Guerrero, Noel Martín, Vicente Quiles, Jorge Lamiel, and Oriol Colomé.
The women’s GC does include the defending champion: Pilar Fernández. “Pili” capped off her 2025 season with victories in Morocco and Chile—her best year yet in the Titan World Series. Her only setback came in Almería, where she earned a commendable second-place finish despite the physical issues she faced.
It won’t be an easy challenge for the Madrid native, who will face what is surely the best cyclist in the history of the Titan World Series: Tessa Kortekaas.
The Dutch rider has competed in six races of this format and has won five, including two Škoda Titan Desert Morocco events. Kortekaas has also put on spectacular performances, at times battling to break into the race’s overall top 10. A true force of nature looking to challenge the reigning champion.
