"I will keep riding until the end": David Valero will return to the World Cup in 2026

The end of the season brought one of the most important announcements in Spanish MTB in recent years. David Valero concluded his time in the XCO World Cup and with the BH Coloma Team after a decade as the great national reference in the Olympic discipline. We spoke with him about his farewell, the moments that have marked his career, the evolution of mountain biking worldwide, and a future that, far from retirement, is full of new challenges and excitement.

We spoke with David Valero, and he tells us how he is handling the start of his new chapter, his view on the current World Cup, whether he already has a team, where he will compete next year, and much more.

The March of La Nucía was your last race with the team. What went through your mind when you got off the bike knowing it was your last official act with the BH Coloma Team?

It was a bit of a farewell, and I felt somewhat nostalgic seeing that a chapter was coming to an end. The year was ending, and so was my journey with the team, which made me feel a bit sad.

But at the same time, we have to look forward and see that new projects are emerging. I have to move on with my journey and everything that excites me right now.

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It has been a decade full of successes. If you had to choose just one moment, which would it be and why?

If I had to choose just one moment, I am clear: the Tokyo Olympic Games.

After that, the victory in Snowshoe was incredible, but I think the moment of the Olympic Games is hard to surpass.

Is there something you take away from this team that isn't visible from the outside?

I take away, apart from the memories, having met many people, all the experiences I have lived with them, and many beautiful moments that I have enjoyed a lot.

These are memories that often aren't seen or expressed, but for me, they have been very, very special moments, both personally and for mountain biking.

Initially, we believe you had a contract with BH until 2026. At what point did you decide it was the end of this chapter? Was it a difficult decision, or did you already feel it was time to turn the page?

I had a contract until 2026, but seeing that I wasn't performing at the level I should have, that the races were becoming overwhelming, that I was struggling in competition, and that I wasn't enjoying it, I had a talk with Carlos (Coloma).

We discussed it together, and he also saw that I wasn't being my best version and that I wasn't enjoying it either. In the end, we decided to take that step: to step back a bit, let the team continue functioning, and, above all, to enjoy cycling again as I believe I still can.

This meant stepping away from the Olympic discipline, which demands a lot. Nowadays, riders are very young, the level has risen significantly, and being at 100% to not even make it into the top 20 no longer fulfilled me. In the end, it was time to say "that's it," turn the page, and start a new chapter.

You have had some of the best seasons of a Spanish biker in the last decade. Are you aware of the impact you have had on national MTB?

I think it has been ten years being a very solid rider, being among the best in the world, and making history both nationally and internationally.

Nowadays, it is difficult to stay at the top for so many years, and that is something I have achieved. The truth is that it makes me especially happy to say that I have been one of the most consistent riders in recent years.

I think everything that has been achieved for mountain biking, both nationally and internationally, is beautiful.

How do you see the level of the World Cup today compared to when you entered? And what do you think of the changes the competition has undergone since Warner became the organizer?

The races have changed a lot. They are now much more spectacular to watch, with more rivalry from start to finish and more riders at the front.

The circuits have also changed: they are faster and allow for more group riding, where no mistakes can be made, and the viewer is always hooked to the television.

I believe that the mentality and the steps being taken are very good for continuing to work and improve the World Cup and the mountain bike World Championship.

Things are being done very well. We will have to see how it evolves, but it is clear that there is no longer a dominant rider or a fixed favorite: whoever is there that day to win, wins the race. Personally, I prefer it this way because it engages the audience much more.

As for Spanish MTB, how do you see it? What do you think could be done to ensure that the talent pool continues to grow?

I believe that national mountain biking is in a good moment. There is a Sub-23 and junior talent pool that is improving and growing internationally.

In Sub-23, there are four or five very, very good riders who, in two or three years, should be at the front in elite races.

In the elite category, with Jofre and David Campos, the future is also secured. The next few years will be crucial for the Olympic Games. It will be important to see how they adapt and how they take over the space I have left, because in the end, that is also fundamental: to see them increasingly as representatives at the national level in major international races.

Regarding your immediate future, from your explanations, we understand that you will continue competing but in other modalities. What motivates you the most now? Will we see you in the XCM World Cup?

The truth is that this change excites me a lot. Continuing to race internationally and doing so, as you say, in the Marathon World Cup, which will be one of the major objectives for 2026. Also competing in stage races like the Cape and doing some gravel racing.

I think a different year awaits me, with new challenges, new venues, and new places to compete, and that is something that particularly motivates me, especially to change things up a bit.

I am very, very happy with this change and with the idea of continuing to fight and give my best version. I hope mountain biking continues to thrive, and in this stage, I can do it from the marathon modality.

Are you already working with any team for 2026, or are you still evaluating options?

I already have the team secured for 2026 and 2027, and the truth is that I am very excited about the change and the project. Especially because they are 100% marathon teams, which will help me progress and make the jump to bike marathon easier, surrounded by top-level riders worldwide.

I believe it will be, if not the best, one of the best bike marathon teams of 2026, and I am convinced it will generate a lot of buzz.

All of this generates a lot of excitement, a lot of desire, and new challenges for me to face.

How do you approach motivation in a transitional moment like this? Has your training method changed over the years?

The motivation feels like I am starting my sports career anew, like a junior moving up to professionals.

The truth is that it excites me a lot. I am working very well, having a very calm winter at home, enjoying family and training.

The way I train has changed a bit. I haven't started to increase my volume much yet, but I have slightly modified the training dynamics, thinking about longer races, stage races, and what is expected for 2026.

What would you like to say to the young people who see you as a reference?

In the end, the message for young people is to seek their own challenges, never give up, and keep fighting to achieve their dreams.

Nothing is easy in this life, but if you persist and achieve it, everything is handled differently. No one is going to give you anything, so you have to work and fight for what truly excites you.

We hope it will be many seasons from now, but what do you dream of doing the day you decide to hang up your number?

You make it complicated for me because I don't know when I will hang up my number. In the short term, right now, I don't know.

With how much I love competition, I think I will keep racing until they bury me, but the truth is that I don't know what I will do.

I really like the kids' school, and being linked to the world of mountain biking excites me, but I really don't know what awaits me in the coming years.

I don't know when I will retire completely or where I will go.

As you have read, David Valero is in full evolution. With new goals, new motivations, and the same passion for competition, the Granadian begins a different chapter, but with cycling still very present in his life.