2026 Gran Fondo Maryland - Register NOW!
United States | Midwest | Ohio >> UCI Gravel Pro Julen Zubero hit head on by car whilst training in Spain

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.

 
Tag: bikesafety
 
Aug 29 2026 - NEWS: VIDEO: Unhinged Santa Monica Truck Driver Turns Protected Bike Lane Into His Personal Bowling Alley
Aug 27 2026 - NEWS: Milligan Cycling Crash Suspect Back in Custody After Bond Violation
Aug 25 2026 - NEWS: VIDEO: Armed Driver Fires Shots and Terrorises Miami-Dade Cycling Group
Aug 20 2026 - NEWS: Two Milligan University Cyclists Killed in a Horror Homicide That Shattered a Team
Aug 14 2026 - NEWS: Finlay Tarling killed in head-on collision on eighth stage of 2026 Volta a Portugal
Aug 13 2026 - NEWS: Heartbreaking Tragedy as 18-Year-Old Cyclist Dies After High-Speed Crash in Austria
Aug 11 2026 - NEWS: Italian Road Rage Turns Into Horror as Driver Twice Rams Group of Cyclists
Aug 09 2026 - NEWS: Romain Bardet’s Gravel Worlds Dreams Shattered after Brutal Mont Ventoux Crash
Jul 23 2026 - NEWS: Drunk Driver Plows Into Group of Cyclists in Colorado
Jul 15 2026 - NEWS: Heartbreaking Tragedy as Cyclist Laura Viktoria Härtig Dies Following Honeymoon Crash
Jul 17 2026 - NEWS: Rohan Dennis’ world unravels as disqualified rider admits driving again
Jun 19 2026 - NEWS: UCI Gravel Pro Julen Zubero hit head on by car whilst training in Spain
Jun 16 2026 - NEWS: VIDEO: Pensioner on Mobility Scooter Causes Major Crash at Germany’s LVM Saarland Trofeo
May 23 2026 - NEWS: Injured Cyclist airlifted to hospital at 2026 Steina's Paydirt Gravel Race
May 23 2026 - NEWS: Italian Cyclist Slams Into Guard Rail and Dies during 2026 Gran Fondo Bra Bra Fenix
 
2026-27 Gran Fondo Calendar
2026-27 Gravel Fondo Calendar
2026-27 Cycling Events Series Worldwide
Build Your Own Bucket List of Cycling Events