Rivero and Santini Conquer the Demanding Desafío La Titánica 2026

The cycling race, marked by wind and rain, tested participants' endurance in Gran Canaria.

Road bicycle wheel on wet asphalt, with a blurred mountainous landscape in the background under a cloudy sky.
IA

Road bicycle wheel on wet asphalt, with a blurred mountainous landscape in the background under a cloudy sky.

Blas Rivero and Michela Santini claimed victory in the Monte Feliz–powered by Playitas Desafío La Titánica 2026, a cycling competition that challenged participants with gradients exceeding 20% and adverse weather conditions in Gran Canaria.

The 2026 edition of the Desafío La Titánica concluded with a second stage that lived up to its name, characterized by the toughness of the route and particularly unfavorable meteorological conditions. Wind and rain accompanied the cyclists for much of the day, making this race one of the most demanding in its history.
The final stage began at the Auditorio de Agüimes, leading the peloton towards Ingenio. The course included two timed sections through various island landscapes, such as La Atalaya, Alto de la Bodeguilla, and La Asomada, where gradients exceeded 20%. Due to the inclement weather, the organization decided to cancel the last timed section, directing participants directly to the finish line in Vega de San Mateo.
In the men's overall classification, Blas Rivero was crowned absolute winner with a time of 1:28:46. He was followed on the podium by Edgar Clemente (1:29:02) and Niklas Brantner (1:30:13), who completed the top three positions.
Meanwhile, in the women's category, Michela Santini dominated the race with an outstanding performance, achieving victory with a time of 1:48:13. The women's podium was completed by Emma Vickman (2:08:13) and Mónica Alarcón (2:20:11).
The awards ceremony was attended by various personalities, including Miguel Reyes, Sports Councilor of San Mateo; Maite Reta, commercial deputy director of Servatur; and Daniel González, manager of DG Eventos. The event was made possible thanks to the support of sponsors such as the Canarian Cycling Federation, Free Motion, Rafafel Alfonso – Yamaha, Alsa, Nissan – Grupo Ari, Powerade, Panadería Pulido, Frutanisa, and Tirma.
The organization of the event was carried out by DG Eventos and the City Councils of Agüimes and San Mateo, with the main sponsorship of Monte Feliz–powered by Playitas, and the backing of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria through its Tourism and Sports departments.