The Basajaun event gathers 250 cyclists in Vitoria-Gasteiz for a circular route of nearly 900 kilometers through stunning natural landscapes. Designed by Carlos Mazón, the path crosses the sierra de Urbasa, selva de Irati, desierto de las Bardenas Reales, sierra de la Demanda, and Montes de Vitoria, with 16,000 meters of positive elevation. Participants like Pedro Horrillo and Igor Miner share professional cycling stories during the trip.
In Vitoria-Gasteiz's Plaza del Machete, the txalaparta sound signals the start of Basajaun, an ultracycling event that in just four editions has become a global bikepacking reference. The 250 participants, equipped with panniers, begin a nearly 900-kilometer loop without booking accommodations, relying on self-sufficiency and pedaling only, within a time limit.
Carlos Mazón, the organizer and cartography enthusiast, crafts a route promising adventure and solitude, selecting riders via motivational letters. The path totals 16,000 meters of climb, passing through five natural wonders: sierra de Urbasa with its Tejo de Otsaportillo, selva de Irati, desierto de las Bardenas Reales, sierra de la Demanda, and Montes de Vitoria.
During the ride, the narrator joins Pedro Horrillo, a former pro cyclist and EL PAÍS contributor, and Igor Miner, an ex-amateur who missed professionalism. Horrillo recounts his 2009 Giro crash, suffering 27 fractures after falling 80 meters: “While trying to grab tree branches, I felt my fingers breaking”. In Bergamo's hospital, he met Felice Gimondi, who introduced Walter Bonatti, stating that “true heroes are not climbers, but cyclists”.
Horrillo also shares his cervical surgery choice despite risks: “If you don't operate your cervicals, one day you'll sneeze and become tetraplegic”. Miner recalls his under-23 wins but betrayal by an unreliable manager. Together, they remember Paris-Roubaix with Oscar Freire and Prudencio Induráin, defying odds.
Unlike winners sleeping just 45 minutes, the group chooses six hours nightly, favoring conversations amid unforgettable landscapes. Basajaun can be done in stages, enhancing unexpected encounters.
