The Beginning of Dreams: 4 Stage Wins and the Overall Victory at the Andalucía Bike Race The season kicked off in Spain with the Andalucía Bike Race, a UCI SHC event and the first stage race of 2025. Initially intended as a preparation race for the Cape Epic, it turned into a full display of dominance for the Torpado Kenda FSA team. Over six days of racing, the team claimed four stage victories and captured the overall classification—a testament to the strength and unity of the squad assembled for this important 2025 season.

The team fielded two men’s duos: a younger pair featuring Jakob Dorigoni and Gioele De Cosmo, and a more experienced pair composed of Casey South and Italian Champion Fabian Rabensteiner. Alongside them was a strong women’s team led by Katazina Sosna. From the very first day, February 24th, these athletes shaped every stage with their presence.

The opening two stages were controlled by some of the most cunning and fastest marathon racers in the field. De Cosmo and Dorigoni delivered an incredible start, winning both Stage 1—narrowly in a sprint—and Stage 2, ahead of teammates Fabian and Casey. Their success earned them the leader’s jersey, which they held for the first three days.

However, a stroke of bad luck in Stage 3 sidelined their general classification hopes. That’s when Casey and Fabian stepped up, taking control of the race and setting the tone for the remainder of the event.

From the third day of the race, the baton passed to the more powerful pair of South and Rabensteiner, who, on two stages featuring high technical difficulty and significant elevation gain, began to create important time gaps by winning stages 3 and 4. Rabensteiner and South wore the leader’s jersey, inherited from their teammates, during the third stage and crossed the final arch in Córdoba wearing green, under a shower of confetti and the cheers of the Spanish fans.

In the fifth and sixth stages, the Italian-Swiss duo controlled the race, focusing on maintaining their position in the general classification while still achieving two third-place finishes in the final stages.

The youngest pair finished fifth in the overall standings, completing a splendid collective performance marked by general progress and a strong lead-in to the next event.

Katazina Sosna also had an excellent start to the races, forming a women’s duo with Irina Lutselschwab. The pair secured two podium finishes, claiming third place in the first two stages. Unfortunately, a bad fall forced Irina out of the competition and ended their pursuit of the general classification.

Katazina’s return to racing in such strong form is a promising sign for the upcoming rounds. More importantly, it was the collective effort of every team member that painted an extremely positive picture. We dreamed of starting the season on a high note—and we did, showcasing the caliber of a truly valuable project. Next appointment: the legendary Absa Cape Epic in South Africa.