There was a time when bottles of soft drinks and beers were tossed along the sidewalks during nights filled with laughter and music. The facades of bars became treasure chests for the neighborhood kids. No cell phones, no tablets, no video games. The plates on the walls echoed with images of cyclists racing the Tour, the Vuelta, or the Giro. Names like Eddy Merckx or Luis Ocaña loomed large in memory, even as the Belgian champion Molteni worked as a deli and the rider from Cuenca—who grew up between Val d’Aran and France—penned notes and painted with the colors of Bic. They reminded everyone to beware the slick tiles, and still, they never disappointed.
It was one of the grandest teams to grace the cycling scene from the 1950s to the late 1980s, a fact sometimes forgotten by younger fans who have only heard whispers of the era. Before Reynolds arrived (today known as Movistar), every major Spanish rider passed through its ranks, from Ocaña to the emergence of new stars. This is the story of a team that helped shape the sport in a time of fierce competition and evolving strategy. (citation: cycling historians, team archives)
Kaş jersey to aid Ukrainian refugees.
Three-letter jerseys produced by the soft drink maker, most often in orange and lemon with yellow and blue tones. Victoria, established by Kaş and the Knorr family—a household name with business and political ties in the Basque Country—became a relic that collectors treasure today after it vanished from the shelves.
They’ve returned briefly, but the return is about solidarity. Starting in June, at the peak of the Tour, the classic kits reappeared in the form of modern jerseys worn by riders on Spanish roads. The price, set at 89 euros, will not enrich the brands behind the idea but will support Ukrainian refugees who arrived in Spain with aid from the Red Cross.
Anyone who mounts this homage jersey, a design from the team’s second season in the 1980s, will know it carries a piece of history on the back while contributing to a cause. The Garb once worn by Federico Martín Bahamontes as he won the Vuelta began in 1958, and the tower-like triumphs of 1959 were etched in memory. The sport’s directors of that era—such as Dalmacio Langarica—helped steer the team through its heyday and kept the crew competitive at every turn.
The Clockmaker of Avila
In the 60s, the squad welcomed Ángel Soler, Patxi Gabica, and above all Julito Jiménez, affectionately known as The Clockmaker of Avila, one of the finest climbers in cycling history. The Kaş gear became a symbol within the mountain classifications of the era. 1965 was a banner year that saw collaborations with Pepe Pérez Frances, who joined the Basque squad after achieving standout victories with Ferrys, including a defining stage that helped bring Barcelona into focus for the sport.
The team nurtured the rise of a star in the Kaş colors during the 70s. José Manuel Fuentes, nicknamed El Tarangu, vied for victory alongside Merckx during the 1972 Giro, finishing in second place. That same Tarangu later claimed a podium spot in the 1973 Tour. Other figures like Ocana, Bernard Thévenet, and the champions of the 1972 and 1974 Vueltas also found a place in the history books.
Pesarrodona Tour
These were the years when the squad shone in a solidarity-driven ensemble. Txomin Perurena, Paco Galdo, Miguel Mari Lasa, Jose Antonio Gonzalez Linares, Vicente Lopez Carril, and Josep Pesarrodona—winner of the 1976 Vuelta—led with Antón Barrutia guiding the group. The team’s spirit was defined by teamwork, grit, and a shared sense of purpose as they navigated the demanding routes of the era.
In the 1985-1988 era, the final stages of Kas often revolved around one hero: Sean Kelly. The Irish rider, now in his mid-sixties, collected laurels across the calendar, including the 1988 Vuelta and a near miss the year before due to an illness. He gathered prestige in the Spanish rounds, Paris-Nice, Volta a Catalunya, Itzulia, Milan-San Remo, and Paris-Roubaix. The jersey remains a powerful reminder of a golden age in Spanish cycling history, and its meaning endures—an emblem of sport, charity, and the drive to push limits for a larger good.