Lotto Dstny visits us at Orbea

Nature is in Orbea’s blood. We are part of the territory, near and far. The wild governs and teaches us. Out there, unbreakable and eternal relationships exist: the oxpecker bird lives and feeds on the black rhinoceros. This fearsome animal is nearly blind and survives its environment thanks to the alarm calls of its small companion. Without one another, they would be weaker—or they wouldn’t exist at all.
The same symbiosis exists between Orbea and its teams. We need their feedback, their opinions. We need them to push our bikes to the limit and shed light on the path we chart. Likewise, they wouldn’t be the riders they are without our bikes. That’s why we invited Maxim Van Gils, Mieke Docx, and Niko Maes from Lotto-Dstny to visit our factory.

It was amazing to see their constant awe at every step after they crossed our doors. Niko, the sports director of the Belgian team, admitted he never would have imagined it like this:
“I have to admit I’m quite impressed by how big everything is—how professional, how clean, new… It leaves a mark on me.”

They learned that when they push the material to its limits, face the unexpected, and race fiercely to claim the victory their lives depend on, there’s already been an entire process—astonishing to them—that ensures the lightest frame possible is also the strongest.

After understanding the journey, those few tubes with a pair of wheels and a handlebar are enjoyed in an entirely different way. The three riders couldn’t wait to muddy up that masterpiece of detail and engineering, so we joined them with their Terras at the starting line of the Orbea Gravel Rioja Alavesa.

After so much mud, laughter, and fun, we realized just how much we’ll miss Maxim. It’s been an incredible year with you and Lotto-Dstny, you’ve given us so many unforgettable moments: the victories, the tension, and the goosebumps. We will never forget them. You’ve learned, grown, and become an excellent rider. We don’t want to let you go, but we’re happy to see you move forward. It’s a beautiful thing to open our hands and watch you fly.

We’ll carry on. This first year of Orbea with Lotto-Dstny has given both families so much. And, like Niko Maes, we share the hope that this is just the beginning of a long partnership between two forces of nature, growing together for many years to come.