W2RC
October 9, 2026
At just 21, the Spanish KTM rider claims victory at the 2026 Rallye du Maroc after overturning Daniel Sanders’ lead on the final stage. His maiden RallyGP win confirms that a new generation is ready to challenge rally-raid’s established stars.
In rally-raid, talent alone is rarely enough. Experience, navigation and the ability to manage a race often make the difference. That is what makes Edgar Canet’s victory at the 2026 Rallye du Maroc so significant. This achievement goes far beyond his first win in the sport’s premier motorcycle class.
At just 21, the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider has won one of the most important events on the World Rally-Raid Championship calendar, beating his teammate Daniel Sanders and Ricky Brabec, two of the sport’s leading competitors.
Canet becomes the youngest rider in the history of the Rallye du Maroc to claim the overall motorcycle victory and the first former Rally2 champion to win in RallyGP.
Canet entered the fifth and final stage with a considerable challenge ahead of him. He needed to overturn a deficit of 1 minute and 26 seconds to Daniel Sanders, who started the day at the top of the overall standings.
The decisive stage, starting and finishing in Zagora, offered one last opportunity to turn the result around.
Sanders, who had to open the stage, made a navigation error that allowed Canet to catch him. The Spaniard seized his chance and took the overall lead.
I have to admit that Canet's final stage left a lasting impression on me. He started the day trailing Sanders, but as the stage unfolded, everything began to change. Watching him turn the standings around, catch his teammate and go on to win the rally was remarkable. It was one of those finishes that reminds you why rally-raid is about so much more than outright speed.
Canet did not need to win the stage itself. Ricky Brabec took the stage victory, while the Spaniard finished fourth, enough to secure the overall win by 1 minute and 2 seconds over Sanders. Brabec completed the podium, 3 minutes and 32 seconds behind the winner.
But Canet’s victory was not simply decided in the closing kilometres. He had laid the foundations throughout the week, finishing inside the top four on every one of the five stages.
Consistency, so often the deciding factor in rally-raid, proved to be one of his greatest strengths.
What makes Canet’s achievement particularly significant is how quickly he has progressed through the ranks.
After claiming the Rally2 title in 2025, the Spanish rider has secured his first RallyGP victory in a season that has seen him compete directly against some of the biggest names in the championship.
His performance in Morocco shows that he has much more to offer than raw speed. Canet maintained his consistency, dealt with the challenges of navigation and made the most of a decisive opportunity against far more experienced rivals.
That is one of the hardest steps in rally-raid, making the transition from a fast rider to someone who can genuinely fight for victories.
Canet’s triumph is also significant for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing.
The Austrian manufacturer has now celebrated victories with all three of its factory riders during the 2026 season. Luciano Benavides won the Dakar, Daniel Sanders took victories in Portugal and Argentina, and Edgar Canet has added Morocco to the team’s list of successes.
Sanders remains at the top of the RallyGP World Championship standings with 87 points, followed by Benavides and Tosha Schareina, both on 74 points. Canet moves up to fifth with 58 points.
The Spaniard’s victory does not immediately change the championship picture, but it gives KTM another serious contender.
The manufacturer no longer has to rely solely on its established stars to fight for victories. It now has a third rider who has proved he can win at World Championship level.
The Rallye du Maroc is an important benchmark ahead of the Dakar, but winning in Zagora offers no guarantees in Saudi Arabia.
The Dakar demands sustained speed, concentration and reliability over a much longer event, where a single mistake can undo several days of hard work.
What Canet has demonstrated, however, is that he has the ability to compete against the leading contenders.
For me, the most significant aspect of this victory is that Canet is no longer just a promising young rider. Until now, much of the attention has focused on his age, his talent and his potential. In Morocco, he has shown that he can beat riders who have been competing at the highest level for years. To do so on the final stage, under the pressure of fighting for the overall win, makes his achievement even more impressive.
That does not automatically make him the favourite for the next Dakar. Sanders, Brabec, Benavides and Schareina all have the experience and ability to fight for victory.
But the result in Morocco adds another serious contender to that battle.
Edgar Canet no longer needs to prove that he belongs among rally-raid’s elite. In Morocco, he has shown that he can beat them.
And that may be the most important takeaway from his victory.
