As I took part in Sahara Gravel, in the deep heart of Morocco, it felt like a return to something else. An experience that extends far beyond the race itself.

After arriving in Marrakech, with a small group of participants, we decided to skip the shuttle to Ouarzazate, where the race starts, and ride over the Atlas Mountains over two days.

As we left the city, the landscape became vast and quiet, almost disorienting at first, and the riding became part of something bigger. You're not just following a route, you're moving through a place with its own rhythm, its own culture, its own people. That connection is what makes the difference. After a day of rest, it was finally time to pin a number, take a deep breath and start a four-stage race in some of the most stunning landscapes of the northern part of Africa.

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The connections between riders feel different, too. The field is diverse. Not just in nationality and background, but mostly in intention. You ride alongside competitive athletes, but also cyclists who are there for entirely different reasons. Different generations, different approaches to the same event, all coexisting in the same space for a little while. The conversations that come out of that are as meaningful as the riding itself.