08 May Cannondale VAS Arabay champions of the Skoda Titan Desert 2023
This weekend has finished a new edition of the Titan Desert and Roberto Bou, rider of the ISB Sport ambassador team the Cannondale VAS Arabay, has taken first place in the competition.
As always the Titan Desert is one of the events marked on the calendar for the Cannondale VAS Arabay. In the last editions they had remained on the podium a few seconds behind the winners. That is why this year the whole team had decided to work as a team in order to win the race. The men’s team consisted of Roberto Bou, Fran Herrero, Miguel Muñoz and Josep Termens. In the women’s category, Monica Calderon was their bet.
On Sunday, April 30, the Titan Desert began with the first stage, Boumalne Dades – Boumalne Dades, a track in the Atlas area in which the contestants fought in a constant climb in which Fran Herrero, after fighting with the favourites to the sprint, took first place and position 5 for Roberto Bou.
In the second stage, ISB Sport ambassadors competed on a stage that took place from Boumalne Dades to Nkob. The Cannondale VAS Arabay team continued with the good dynamics and finished with two of its riders in the Top 3, Herrero and Bou.
Third stage of the Titan Desert, 129 km between Nkob and Fezzou in which the riders of the Cannondale VAS Arabay have decided not to take risks and reserve energies in a transition stage in which the heat and wind have been highlighted. P3 for Bou.
Between Fezzou and Merzouga the fourth stage of the Titan Desert was played, a hard stage where the ambassadors of ISB Sport have met with a route of sand and rock. The team managed to maintain the positions crossing the finish line with Herrero second and Bou fourth.
The second, third and fourth stages were very similar between the favourites, a lot of vigilance and few seconds of difference between them.
In the fifth stage everything changed, both Roberto and Fran were in the top positions of the general. Playing as a team they decided to divide the options to try to turn the race around, Fran stayed in the group of favorites and Roberto attacked shortly after leaving, the fact of being more than 3 minutes from the leader allowed him to have that freedom to go alone. Roberto took advantage of the opportunity, rode alone most of the stage and also used navigation to reach the finish line alone, win the stage and take more than 10 minutes from the group of favourites. At that same stage Fran Herrero and Miguel Muñoz entered with the group of favourites.
After the lead of the Cannondale VAS Arabay rider, Roberto Bou, it was time to defend the leader’s jersey in the sixth stage. The good work of Fran and Miguel counteracting the rival attacks allowed Roberto to finish the stage in second position and win the Titan Desert with ISB Sport.
Roberto Bou’s statements after the last stage: “From the start I knew I was going to win. I had incredible strength, I found myself with a lot of energy and on top of that I was supported by a very strong team. Because of me, I knew I wasn’t going to fail.”
The Cannondale VAS Arabay had a debt to the Titan and after many years fighting and working hard they have finally achieved the final victory with Roberto Bou. Fran Herrero finishes in third position and Miguel Muñoz in eighth position. Josep Termens could not finish the Titan and had to retire in the fifth stage. With these good results they are also proclaimed winners of the Titan by teams. In the women’s category Mónica Calderón finishes in sixth position after fighting in all the stages without finishing finding the race rhythm.
From ISB Sport we know the importance of this victory for the Cannondale VAS Arabay team and we will continue working to guarantee more titles.
