Cannondale ISB Sport sweeps again
8 de October de 2024Riccardo Chiarini was no stranger to the race. He was on the podium in the last Škoda Titan Desert Morocco and is part of one of the most successful teams in recent years of the Titan World Series.
Perhaps he was not the big favorite because he was facing names from the world of road cycling that seemed stronger: Luis León Sánchez, Peter Sagan or Luis Ángel Maté, but the Italian from Cannondale ISB Sport has won the red jersey that certifies him as the winner of the Škoda Titan Desert Almería.
Chiarini has been good on the climb, good on the flat and he has also had good fortune on his side. Everything adds up in a race as demanding as this one and sometimes it’s not enough to have good legs or to be lucky: you need everything.
Today, in the Espíritus Legión stage, which crossed the centenary Álvarez de Sotomayor base, Chiarini knew that he only had to follow the wheel of Maté, his most direct rival. It was an almost calm day for him, despite the toughness of the course. Ahead of him was Luis León Sánchez, who lost his chances for the GC yesterday, but today he took his second stage win.
Cannondale ISB Sport retains the title won last year by Francisco Herrero and, for the first time, an Italian wins a Titan World Series race.
Tessa Kortekaas was the big favorite. In all the pools she was the undisputed number one to retain her title and the Dutchwoman is not one to let opportunities slip away.
Like last year in Almeria or this year in the Škoda Titan Desert Morocco, Kortekaas has made full of victories: four out of four. With her victory today in the Espíritus Legión stage, the Dutchwoman based in Lanzarote equals Anna Ramírez as the cyclist with the most GCs in the history of the Titan World Series: four each.
Kortekaas is a true hurricane who, when she is physically fit, tends to cannibalize races. He never misses an opportunity to showcase herself and always wants to win, regardless of the GC situation in the race.
Today she rode for 60 kilometers with the leading group chasing Luis León Sánchez and stayed close to the front at all times. She finished the stage in 17th position and finished the race as the 20th best placed rider in the combined men’s and women’s GC.
Milestones and feats that are only within the reach of the Cannondale ISB Sport rider. A Tessa Kortekaas who has come to change the Titan World Series forever.
