Illes Balears Arabay Cycling

The only Spanish UCI Continental team

Illes Balears Arabay Cycling Team is a global cycling project that competes in road, MTB and track cycling disciplines. Their men’s and women’s teams are active at all levels of competition, ranging from beginners and amateurs up to professionals on the UCI Continental circuit.

The strength of this unique project in the Balearic Islands owes much to the personal and professional contribution of its leadership. The project is backed by Club President Toni Vallcaneras, CEO and owner of Bay Coffee Roasters – one of the team’s main sponsors, and an ardent fan of road and mountain cycling. On the technical and sporting side, former Team Movistar rider Lluís Mas is also part of this ambitious cycling project.

The origins of the team date back to 2007, when Toni Vallcaneras founded the Sporty + club. In 2010 the first cycling team emerged, and in 2012 Cafés Bay became the main sponsor. In 2016 the team was professionalised and it started to compete at a local level.

In 2017, a young Lluís Mas – then a professional rider with Caja Rural – joined the project as Sports Director. In 2019 other brands came onboard with the initiative, and in 2020, Arabay Coffee Roasters -a brand of specialty coffee from Cafés Bay- became the main sponsor of the team -a role it has not abandoned to date- and Arabay Team was born.

Currently, the team has more than fifty riders in the Elite (both male and female), U-23 and youth categories. In the professional section -UCI Continental- twelve riders make up the squad of this young, motivated, and eager team.

Illes Balears Arabay Cycling has the additional motivation of moving up to the next category in a few years, and this also serves as an incentive to the riders of lower categories. Above all, the team is proof that in the Balearic Islands, the sport of cycling continues on the right track. During this season the Continental team will race the Spanish calendar, except for the World Tour races, and also some races in France, Italy and Portugal, such as the Volta ao Alentejo.

In addition, Illes Balears – Arabay has a women’s team made up of 11 riders, who represent the team in the Master 40, U-23, junior and cadet categories. They have already confirmed their presence in all the events of the Women’s Spanish Cup and they also compete on the track, where they obtained great results last season.

This story is part of Nafent Magazine volume 10. Read the full story in our digital or paper magazine. Go to our webshop to get yours.