The desert rewards Herrero and Fernandez

The Škoda Titan Desert Morocco 2025 is a living tribute to its first editions. There are already two decades that contemplate the race since its birth in 2006, and six days of many references to those early years are expected.

The first stage of 2025 had all the elements that make this race unique: desert plateaus, dune sections, navigation segments without tracks and a lot of hardness.

Fran Herrero emerged from the first kilometers of dunes in the lead. The Segovian, runner-up in 2022 and winner of the Škoda Titan Desert Almería 2023, knew how to make his experience count until the finish line.

At times with Andrey Amador, at times with Luis León Sánchez, Fran finally took the stage win. A victory that was especially meaningful for the Flyz team rider and that brought tears to his eyes as he crossed the finish line.
 Herrero, reigning Spanish XCM champion, remembered his youngest son, Marco, to whom he dedicated the stage. “I wanted to do it last year, I even carried a photo of him with me on each stage. It hurt me not to be able to do it. I hope this win today makes up for all the time I can’t spend with him,” he explained through tears.

With Herrero as leader, second place went to Luis León Sánchez, who came in next to the leader and decided not to sprint. 18 seconds later came Costa Rica’s Andrey Amador, who gave an excellent performance in his debut stage.

The new leader of the women’s GC did not enter the finish line in tears, but with a smile and the satisfaction of someone who has had a great time on the bike and has also achieved her goal for the day.

Pili Fernandez is, for the first time, leader of the Škoda Titan Desert Morocco. A veteran, who already knows what it is to be on the podium of the Moroccan race and who is facing her great opportunity to emerge victorious in the final stage of Maadid.

Like Herrero, she was also the best in the dunes. From there she left as leader, although a small navigation mistake allowed the British Annabel Fisher, second classified, to catch up with her. 

From there to the finish line it was neck and neck between the two GC favorites, until the Spaniard found an unexpected surprise, the help of a luxury teammate: the four-time winner of the Škoda Titan Desert Morocco, Josep Betalú.

The KH7 team’s strategy worked perfectly until the finish line, which allowed Fernandez to open a gap of almost 20 seconds with her immediate pursuer.