There are very few sporting events in the world that have been able to accumulate so much charisma in their first 17 editions. And the Skoda Titan Desert, held every year in Morocco, has quickly become a legendary event. Its gigantic aura, accumulated over time, has led it to play a leading role in the list of objectives shared by mountain biking fans. There are many ways to enjoy the African continent, but cycling in the desert is undoubtedly one of the best.
This emblematic event, open to registration by any cycling fan, has earned its reputation as one of the toughest sporting challenges on our planet. Precisely for this reason, the objective of the majority of participants does not refer to their theoretical position in the classification. It is about something else, exploring one's own limits in the face of a strenuous journey. Reaching the final goal, becoming a finisher, is the spirit that predominates in the camps, where a powerful addiction to the desert is generated.
The edition that marks the coming of age of the Skoda Titan Desert starts next Sunday, with the first of the two mountain stages, which will test the legs of the participants in the demanding passes of the Atlas mountain range. Then there will be four days full of desert, to pedal on tracks that alternate rocks and sand, with the climax that each season represents the passage of the race through a range of dunes. This year's six days add up to a total route of 589 kilometers, in which 6,630 meters will have to be ascended.
The magic accumulated by the Skoda Titan Desert has seduced many world elite cyclists, who decided to participate in the race after ending their time as professionals. In the 2024 edition, the entry list is heavily loaded with famous names from the international peloton.
Miguel Induráin, five-time winner of the Tour de France and two times of the Giro d'Italia, heads the list of illustrious participants, which will also include Óscar Pereiro, Melcior Mauri, Sylvain Chavanel, Luis León Sánchez, Haimar Zubeldia and Manuel Beltrán.
But the greatness of this peculiar competition is that such cyclists share camps and experiences with any pedal lover who accepts the challenge, like Silvia González. This cycling fan from Madrid has decided to participate, after having recently overcome cancer. Registered in the same team as Abel Antón, double marathon world champion, she defends that sport is beneficial to successfully face chemotherapy treatments.
