Jalabert, Chiappucci to Moroccan MTB marathon

Former road star Laurent Jalabert continues to stay active in his retirement. The winner of two Tour de France green jerseys will tackle the third edition of the Titan Desert mountain bike stage race in Morocco from April 27 to May 1. Jalabert, who has run marathons and done triathlons since retiring in 2002, will join his contemporary, Italian Claudio Chiappucci, winner of the 1991 Milan Sanremo in the endurance off-road event.

The pair will follow upon the successes of two other former road professionals, Spaniards Melchior Mauri, winner of the Titan Desert 2007 edition, and Abraham Olano, who placed fifth last year.

The race will cover nearly 500 miles, including the marathon third stage, where riders will cover 130 kilometres without assistance. The event has already attracted more than 200 registrants in three categories: under-23, elite (23 to 39) and Masters (over 40), who hail from Spain, France, Italy, Belgium, Holland and Germany. The bulk of participants are amateurs.