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From 16 to 18 September, Boltaña will host the IMBA Europe Summit 2025, the continent’s most important mountain biking event. Over three days, researchers, trail builders, companies, cycling destination managers and cyclists from all over the world will discuss how cycling can contribute to rural development and the conservation of the natural environment. However, not everyone is familiar with the abbreviation MTB: it comes from the English mountain bike, a discipline practised off-road, on tracks and trails, and which in Aragon has become a powerful tool for bringing together sport, tourism and nature.
The event is organised by MTB Kingdoms, the network that brings together five major regions in the north of Huesca: BGuara, Reino de los Mallos Bike, Zona Zero Pirineos, Pirineos Alto Gállego and Puro Pirineo.
This year’s edition of this event is being held under the theme “Connected along the trails: How mountain biking can support rural development, through rural development, via a plan a19> rural development, through a systemic approach”. The aim is clear: to demonstrate how the practice of MTB can generate benefits social, economic and environmental benefits in areas rural, always based on sustainability.
The programme combines presentations by international experts, panel discussions and hands-on workshops with outdoor activities: bike rides, nature walks and guided tours. The aim is to bring theory and practice together.
- Tuesday 16: the event opens with talks on gender and MTB, rural resilience, and science applied to cycling. In the afternoon, there will be parallel sessions on the cycling economy, e-bikes, and the return on investment in MTB projects.
- Wednesday 17: main round-table discussion with experts in economics, conservation and tourism, as well as workshops on funding for trails, accessibility and design with a focus on gender issues.
- Thursday 18: enduro routes along Sobrarbe’s most iconic trails or a guided tour of the Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park. On that day, the results of the European DIRTT 2.0 programme on trail-building training will also be presented.
As a prelude, from 13 to 15 September, there will be a intensive trail-building course led by Mark McClure, an international trainer with IMBA Europe.
The Sierra de Guara on two wheels
The choice of Boltaña as the venue is no coincidence, as the municipality is situated right in the heart of the Sierra y Cañones de Guara Natural Park, an area that has been promoting mountain biking as a resource for tourism and local development for years. In this context, the Espacio BTT Guara has established itself as one of the most ambitious cycling projects in Aragon, with 34 official routes covering various disciplines —rally, enduro, challenge, family, road and cycle touring— linking villages such as Alquézar, Radiquero and Bierge and allowing cyclists to ride along historic paths, through ravines and vineyards.
The area also offers support services such as bike hire, specialist accommodation, and bike wash and repair points, making it easy for both experienced cyclists and occasional visitors to plan their route without any hassle.
One of its greatest strengths is that it isn’t limited to a single type of user, but offers routes tailored to different tastes and levels of experience. Those who want to cycle through the Sierra de Guara will find rally routes; adrenaline seekers have enduro trails; the fittest can put themselves to the test on the challenge routes; families have gentle routes; and there is no shortage of options for those who prefer road cycling or cultural cycle tourism.
An opportunity for the region
The hosting of the IMBA Europe Summit in Aragón highlights the potential of the province of Huesca as an international cycle tourism destination. At the same time, it serves as a reminder that in the Sierra de Guara there is an established network — the Espacio BTT Guara — which allows cyclists to enjoy the great outdoors, with the peace of mind that comes from riding on well-maintained and clearly signposted trails.
