The Origins of Royal Asport. From Borau to Le Tour.
The legacy of Joseph Habierre, the first Spanish rider in the Tour de France, lives on in every Royal Asport bike.
1892: Orosia's journey.
Our story begins not with a cyclist, but with a mother.
In 1892, Orosia Javierre left Jaca, in the Aragonese Pyrenees, and crossed the mountains on foot with her five children. Among them was a boy named Josemaria.
They settled in France, near Pau, where Josemaria would later take the name Joseph Habierre.
1909-1910: Tour de France pioneer.
By the age of 20, Joseph had become a remarkable cyclist - known for his strength and resilience.
He rode and finished the 1909 and 1910 editions of the Tour de France under the “Isolé” category (for independents, not sponsored riders).
He is recognized as the first Spanish-born cyclist to race the Tour.
But his ambitions didn’t end at the finish line.
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1911: The first workshop.
In 1911, Joseph turned down an invitation from Henri Desgrange to race the Tour again.
Why?
Because he had just opened a small bike shop in Oloron Sainte-Marie, Béarn — under the name Cycles Alcyon.
This shop would evolve into Royal Asport -
a new name for a growing workshop dedicated to mechanical innovation and rider experience.
1950s-60s: Racing pedigree.
Royal Asport became a supplier to the legendary KAS professional cycling team, whose bright yellow-blue jerseys dominated the Spanish peloton.
In 1961, the team even became KAS–Royal Asport, marking the golden years of the brand’s presence in elite cycling.
1964: Transition to Regina Sport.
After years of building frames, wheels, and entire bikes in Oloron, Royal Asport changed its name to Regina Sport.
Thousands of bikes left the Béarn factory over three decades, still inspired by the mechanical rigor of Joseph Habierre’s vision.
Today: Rebirth: Royal Asport Cycleworks.
In the 2019, a new team revived the Royal Asport name - now bridging Béarn and Aragon, France and Spain, past and future.
Royal Asport Cycleworks is more than a brand: it is a living tribute to a pioneering rider, a Pyrenean mother, and the timeless idea that a bicycle can carry the weight of a legacy - and the joy of the present.
Want to see how the story continues?
