International rider's profile: Josep Torner

International rider's profile: Josep Torner

In the Clubmember Profiles section, we highlight the people behind Cycle Capital. Our club is built on a diverse, international community of riders, entrepreneurs, professionals, and cycling enthusiasts, each connected to the bike—and to each other—in their own way.

From competitive racers to social riders, and from mechanics to business founders: every member brings a unique story, background, and perspective. It is this diversity that defines Cycle Capital.

Through these profiles, we offer a closer look at our community. Not only what someone does on the bike, but more importantly who they are beyond it, and what connects them to the sport and the club. In doing so, we continue to build an open, international cycling community where connection, inspiration, and shared ambition are at the core.

In this september edition we will introduce our clubmember with a Spanish background, Josep Torner, to you.

Who are you?
I'm Josep Torner, originally from Barcelona, Spain.

What do you do for work?
I work as a Supply Controlling Manager at Henkel, the German FMCG company. I sit on the finance side of Procurement — the department that buys the materials behind products like Persil, Schwarzkopf, and Loctite.
What brought you to Amsterdam? I've always been drawn to living in new cities and countries — Amsterdam is the fourth I've called home. Each move pushes me to grow, personally and professionally, and Amsterdam turned out to be a perfect match: a city where you can get anywhere by bike, meet people from all over the world, and happily get lost through the canals, bars, and restaurants.

What was your first cycling experience here?
Riding with friends who already had some experience under their belt. The first adjustment was realizing just how flat the Netherlands is — I'd come from Salzburg, Austria, where cycling means constant ups and downs through the mountains.
How is cycling here compared to your home country? Cycling has boomed in Spain, especially since Covid — a lot of people I know picked it up and never stopped. I've lived abroad since I started cycling myself, so I'm not fully plugged into the scene back home, but every time I visit, I see people out riding everywhere — around Barcelona and up in Girona and the Costa Brava.

What does cycling mean to you now?
Freedom. It's my time to connect with nature and put some structure back into my thoughts. Work and life get overwhelming sometimes, and cycling has become one of the tools that helps me manage that. It's also where I connect with like-minded people — that sense of belonging we all crave as humans.
How did you find Cycle Capital?
Through the website, and an ad in the building where my office is.

What makes this club special?
I'm still fairly new, so I'm testing the waters — but since joining, I've felt genuinely welcomed, and Arjen has been there to support from the start.
Fun
· Rain vs wind: Wind
· City bike vs road bike: Road bike
· Coffee stop vs keep riding: Coffee stop, with a good chat
· Group ride vs solo ride: 60% group, 40% solo
· Race vs social ride: Social ride — haven't caught the racing bug yet

Best cycling moment in Amsterdam?
A route this year from Castricum aan Zee up north to Den Helder, on a perfect sunny day. Stunning when the weather cooperates.

Worst Dutch cycling habit?
People merging onto a main road without looking — just expecting everyone else to slow down for them.

One word to describe cycling in Amsterdam?
Flat.

Beginners training, Why did you decide to do this training?
I'd never had any formal training before, so when I joined Cycle Capital, it felt like the perfect opportunity to finally get it.
What did you hope to get out of this training? More confidence cycling around the city, and the "hidden" tricks that make you more comfortable and more efficient with your energy.

What is the biggest thing you have got out of this training?
Meeting genuinely nice people I now ride with regularly. On top of that, I feel more comfortable and ready to take things to the next level.

Why would you recommend it to others?
When you're starting out, there's this self-sabotage voice telling you you're not good enough, that everyone else is so much better. This training helps you face that fear head-on and realize we all start from zero. Getting past that gives you a real sense of accomplishment — and makes you a far more confident cyclist.