Edgar Canet will race for KTM at Dakar 2027 after adding a major rally-raid victory to his record. At the 2026 Rallye du Maroc, the 21-year-old started the final stage 1 minute and 26 seconds behind Daniel Sanders and went on to win. The result made him the youngest winner in the history of both the Rallye du Maroc and the W2RC.

The achievement matters because it came in a one-week rally, while the Dakar demands a very different level of management. Its 12 stages, thousands of kilometres and roughly two-week duration leave little room for sustained aggression without control. Speed has to be matched by stamina, clear thinking and the avoidance of mistakes. KTM describes Canet as a rider with “fire” and inexhaustible energy; those qualities now come with a major result to support them.

The route into KTM

Canet’s progress has been shaped by two important figures from rally-raid. Joan “Nani” Roma served as his mentor, while Jordi Viladoms helped mould his development as a rider. A combination of outright pace, adaptability and results has taken Canet into KTM’s Dakar 2027 team.

The arrival of such a young winner gives KTM another competitive factor to manage. Canet is not entering the event simply as a prospect; he has already won a major rally-raid event. His next task is to transfer that performance to a much longer race, although the Morocco victory cannot by itself predict how Dakar 2027 will unfold.