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UCI Gravel and MTB Pro Julen Zubero hit head on by car whilst training in Spain

The 44-year-old was struck head-on by a car near the Orue mountain area in Zeberio, Spain and was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries

UCI Gravel and MTB Pro Julen Zubero hit head on by car whilst training in Spain

On 16 June 2026, Zubero was hit head-on by a car while training on the BI-3524 road in Zeberio, the town where he grew up. He sustained multiple traumatic injuries and was airlifted to Cruces University Hospital, where he remains under close medical care. The incident has sent a shockwave through the Spanish and international gravel scene, where Zubero is widely admired for his longevity, professionalism and unwavering commitment to the sport.

His accident comes at a time when Zubero has been deeply involved in the rapidly growing world of elite gravel racing.

Despite being in his mid-forties, Julen Zubero spent the past decade establishing himself as one of Spain’s most durable and versatile off-road athletes, competing at a high level in both mountain bike marathon (XCM) and the UCI Gravel World Series.

His MTB career is the most extensively documented: he has raced multiple editions of the UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships and European Championships, and has been a consistent presence in major Spanish XCM events such as Tierra Estella Epic, 4 Islands Epic, Far West Race and the Green Series. His results include top-10 finishes in national-level marathons, strong performances in multi-day stage races and a long record of participation in elite-category events. He has also taken on some of the world’s toughest MTB stage races, including the Absa Cape Epic and the Titan Desert, where he has achieved podium finishes and stage wins.

A former professional with the Orbea team and the son of KAS legend Luis Zubero, he represents a direct link between the Basque Country’s historic cycling heritage and the modern, fast-evolving gravel movement.

Get well soon Julen.