The 1st stage of the Vuelta a Murcia finished in Gobik. And we experienced it as it could only be experienced: together.
Last Friday was not just any day in Yecla. The 1st stage of the Vuelta a la Región de Murcia 2026 had something special: its finish line awaited in front of the Gobik factory.
The day, marked by wind and the tension of the asphalt, ended with a double win for UAE Team Emirates led by the Spaniard Marc Soler, who launched a decisive attack several kilometers from the finish. Behind him, Julius Johansen and Thomas Pidcock crossed the line in a demanding and spectacular stage. But for us, the truly unforgettable part began when the peloton rounded the final corner and headed down the finishing straight towards home.
The Gobik Zone: experiencing cycling from the inside
What was a stage finish for many, was a total experience for us.
The Gobik Zone transformed the Factory entrance into a vibrant space reserved for employees and their guests. Tents, flags, music, refreshments, gifts, and the sound of cowbells and clappers. Every detail was designed for something very simple: to live and feel cycling in the front row.
Each employee could bring a family member or friend, because we knew that such an experience deserved to be shared. The feeling was unanimous, many colleagues repeated the same thing: “I had never seen anything like this so close.”
And indeed, not every day can you feel the whip of the wind as the peloton passes, hear the effort in the final meters, live the real tension before crossing the finish, and see how the leader’s jerseys are ironed, live and direct, before the podium.
Yes, the podium truck was set up right there. We experienced the ceremony just a few meters away. Seeing how the jerseys are prepared, how every detail is coordinated, is to understand cycling from another dimension.
Yecla turned into a party
While the finish line was being prepared, another protagonist toured the streets: the Gobik car. From early in the morning, it accompanied the race through Yecla, spreading excitement and handing out items to cheer on the riders. The goal was clear: for the race passing through the city to be not just a competition... but a celebration.
We invited local cycling groups and kids’ clubs. For many boys and girls, it was the first time seeing professional cyclists up close. The excitement on their faces said it all. That day, Yecla didn’t just host a stage. Yecla breathed cycling.
When your idols share space with you
If the day was already magical, the presence of legends like Alejandro Valverde and several former professional cyclists, who spent time with us in the Gobik Zone, took it to another level. Informal chats, photos, and closeness. It wasn’t a protocol meet & greet; it was cycling shared.
More than a finish line. A way of understanding who we are.
At Gobik we design, develop, and produce technical gear, but above all: we live cycling.
What happened on Friday was not just the end of a stage, it was a way to bring this sport closer to those who make it possible from within every day. An initiative driven to reinforce something we deeply believe: cycling is not just our job, it is part of our identity. The response was unanimous: Pride.
There are days that remind you where you are. And why you are there. On Friday, when the podium was taken down, the music faded, and silence returned to the finish line, many of us went home thinking the same thing: How amazing it is to work at Gobik.
