Edgar Canet's prophecy: the barbamec who wants to turn the Dakar upside down

BarcelonaAge is just a number for Edgar Canet (La Garriga, 2005). "On the bike, I don't think about being the youngest; it doesn't impress or intimidate me. Being the youngest or the oldest makes no difference: we all do the same route," Canet told ARA during the presentation for the 2026 Dakar Rally.

The young man from Vallès Oriental has followed motocross for generations. At just 4 years old, he was already riding a 50cc KTM, and at 7, the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider decided that his future lay on a motorcycle, and what better place to start than in his grandfather's workshop? Over the years, Canet not only grew up riding motorcycles but also began to surround himself with key figures in the motorsport world.

His mentor in motorsports is Nani Roma. When he was 10, Roma saw him ride for the first time and wanted to help him become a better rider. At the last Dakar Rally, Roma's advice was clear: "Take it easy." But Canet ignored it and raced at a Rally GP pace, competing head-to-head with more experienced drivers. This allowed him to become the champion of the second category of the Dakar Rally and secure a place in the top category for 2026.

Jordi Viladoms, the KTM team director, also wanted to take things one step at a time: "The goal isn't to win the World Championship, but to learn. We shouldn't pressure Edgar because the results aren't important," he explained during the presentation. Edgar Canet, on the other hand, made his objectives clear, and quite ambitious: "I want to finish the Dakar, but also establish myself as a Rally GP driver," he told ARA.

The rider from Vallès also showed that the external pressure on the team doesn't weigh him down. "People put more pressure on me and ask me to be in higher positions in the standings, but I'm happy," he explained. However, Canet didn't hide his ambition: "In the future, I see myself winning the Dakar. We're taking the steps to be prepared, but not this year yet," he admitted.

The importance of mental health

To win the Dakar Rally, the rider from La Garriga is very aware that he must be 100% mentally prepared. "You can't fight for anything if you're not mentally well; it's just as important, if not more so, than being physically fit," he explained. He also admitted to the ARA interview about his most difficult moments: "I have very tough moments during races, but working with psychologists helps you overcome them. Now that I have more experience, I know I can't change what I've done wrong in the past. I've improved my confidence on the bike, I navigate better, and I waste less energy on things." Beyond this 2026 Dakar Rally, the 20-year-old rider is clear that he still has room for improvement, but he has great self-confidence: "I'm putting in everything I can to be the best in this sport, but talent is useless without hard work." "Every day I train to be the fastest." A commitment shared with LS2, the helmet brand that sponsors him. Its CEO, Giuseppe Corpu, who sees Canet as the team's captain in the future, also emphasized on the day of the presentation that "even at his age he has everything he needs to compete with the older drivers," and he will be able to prove it starting January 3rd, in what will be his second Dakar Rally.