The 2025 WES UCI E-MTB XC World Cup season was a showcase of global talent. While the overall General Classification saw fierce competition, we were immensely proud to see the Bafang-supported team secure a solid 5th place in both the Women’s and Men’s standings—a testament to consistent performance among the world’s best. The season culminated on a spectacular high in Massa Marittima, where rider Adrián Cuellar powered to a 2nd-place finish, proving the team’s relentless progress.
From Romania, Monaco, and finally Italy, every finish line crossed this season felt significant. But for us at Bafang, these moments represented more than race results; they were the flowering of a partnership that began two years ago with a simple, powerful dream.
The Spark: Where an Engineer’s Vision Met Our Technology
It started with an application in 2023. “My goal is to win the eBike World Cup,” wrote Albert Faixeda from Girona, Spain. This wasn’t just ambition; it was an engineer’s conviction. An award-winning automotive professional, Albert had an expert eye for potential. “When I first got my hands on a Bafang motor in 2020, I knew it had enormous potential,” he recalls. What he saw was a robust, tunable system built to last—a perfect match for his own technical values and our commitment to durability.
From the first conversations, a true partnership was born. Albert shared detailed technical feedback from the trails, and our engineering team listened intently. We shared the same goal: to prove that high performance and unwavering reliability could go hand-in-hand.
That trust was soon validated on the terrain. Since 2023, we’ve watched Albert triumph in demanding races like La Cavallera, Romànic Bike Extrem, La Cabronada and so on. One defining moment was at “La Salamandra 2023” in Llagostera: through 41km of relentless rain and slippery, 1100m+ elevation, Albert and his M510 emerged victorious. Race after race, he demonstrated what our motors are built for.
Throughout the journey, the Bafang M510 motor became a reliable partner. “Its balance of power, weight, and reliability lets us compete without fear,” Albert explains. “That consistency allows us to focus on tactics, not mechanical worries.”
The Legacy: From a Solo Rider to a Leader
Albert’s journey evolved from personal pursuit to collective mission. “The impact and learning multiply when you share the experience,” he realized. Where there was once a solo rider, a true team leader emerged.
Bafang Factory Artesana team’s spirit is forged on lots of training rides, like their 45km, 2000m ascent of Balandrau. Every rider pushing limits, every Bafang motor delivering smooth, reliable power. It’s a team built on trust: between riders, and between rider and machine.
The team’s harmony was perfected at the WES in Romania this June—a race Albert calls his most memorable. “Getting everyone and everything there was incredibly difficult,” Albert remembers. “But we made it. That podium wasn’t just a win; it was proof that our preparation, teamwork, and technology were in perfect sync.”
The Partnership: A Cycle of Growth
This collaboration has transformed more than race results. “Feeling that a global brand trusts you motivates you to always give your best,” Albert reflects. That growth has now blossomed into ARTESANA, Albert’s own bike brand, born from “the idea of creating bicycles that fulfill unmet needs.”
As we look to next seasons, we’re reminded that we’re not just building better motors—we’re supporting the dreamers who bring them to life. In Albert’s journey from rider to mentor, from technician to visionary, we see the purest expression of what we can achieve together.
Bafang — Powering Dreams, Building Legacies.
