Titan Desert
Over the mountains and through the Sahara
The Race
The Titan Desert is a 6 days mountain bike race of 600k. The 13th edition began on april 29th in the Atlas village of Boulmane Dades and finished in Maadid 6 days later close to the Merzouga Erg. Every day, the 600 participants take the start at 8 am with the objective of linking the 7 mandatory GPS waypoints of the course: 4 checkpoints and 3 waterpoints. During the navigation stage, no gps track is given by the race staff, and be careful: the shortest way is rarely the best choice. With stages from 70 to 125K and sometimes more than 2000m of elevation gain, the Titan Desert is a physical and mental challenge.
“We came to Morocco with a group of 30 girls to show that every woman with the proper physical, mental & mechanical training, can finish the race. I know that after 3 stages of Titan Desert, you move forward with you head, not your legs. That’s why we made it.” - Marta Garciapons, Bib 212, leader of the Domenica Team
A nomad cycling tribe
“At kilometer 28 of the 5th stage, Greg broke his rear derailleur. We thought it was the end and that we wouldn’t be able to fix it. Another rider stopped and offered his help. He pulled out some tools and in 10 minutes the bike was fixed, converted to a single speed! We reached the finish line a few hours later. The Titan Spirit is no bluff!” - Gregory Mollet Vieville & Aude Baron, category Mixt Duo, Bib 313 & 314
Mystical Africa
Some of the riders knew the desert before coming to the Titan Desert, some didn’t. Undoubtedly, they all leave with a true spiritual connection, which attracts them to come back to find themselves in the silence of the Sahara. From crossing an abandoned village to riding along with camels, Morocco creates unforgettable memories. Two riders have done all 13 editions of the race! They are called Titan Legends.
Josef Ajram, Bib 258, 8 participations to the Titan Desert
