When a trail disappears, someone has to rebuild it: how Olentzero was restored in Navarre

The Shimano Trail Born program already has visible results in Spain. In Basaburua, Navarra, the collaboration between the brand, trail construction professionals, and local volunteers has allowed for the recovery of Olentzero, a descent that disappeared in 2024 due to forestry work. Its reconstruction has involved nearly 1,000 hours of work and has resulted in a completely renewed trail.

Olentzero is reborn with 2 kilometers of technical descent among the forests of Navarra

The Olentzero trail was part of the Basaburua MTB network until forestry work carried out in 2024 on the slope it ran through caused its route to disappear.

Rather than just recovering the original route, the Basaburua MTB Sports Club took advantage of the funding from the Shimano Trail Born program to design a completely new trail, with special attention to safety, sustainability, and the cycling experience.

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The result is a red difficulty descent, with a length of 2 kilometers, 270 meters of negative elevation, and an average slope of 13.3%.

The route combines fast and flowing sections with technical areas, banked turns, jumps, and rock gardens. Its path crosses beech and fir forests, alternating elements specifically built for the trail with natural obstacles. It is designed for experienced cyclists with good bike handling skills. 

The name Olentzero also has a close relationship with local culture. It refers to a Basque Christmas tradition originally linked to the log that fed the home fire and is now represented by the figure of a coalman responsible for delivering gifts at Christmas.

More than 700 hours of professional work and 250 of volunteering

The recovery of the trail is also an example of the importance of local communities in the development of mountain biking.

The final design was completed at the end of January 2026, and during the first weekend of February, 40 people participated in a day of auzolan, a traditional form of community work, to begin the opening of the new route.

From that moment on, a team of eight professional trail builders took charge of the more specialized work.

In total, the construction required more than 700 hours of professional work and another 250 hours contributed by volunteers.

The new Olentzero was officially inaugurated on June 13, 2026, during a Social Ride organized by Basaburua MTB that allowed participants to experience the descent and see the results of the work. 

Trail Born, Shimano's project that invests 10 million dollars in trails

The recovery of Olentzero is part of a much more ambitious initiative.

Shimano launched Trail Born in 2024 with a commitment to invest 10 million dollars over ten years to promote the creation and recovery of MTB trails.

The program expanded in 2026 with 21 new international projects, including actions in Spain, and aims to support organizations and communities that build, recover, and maintain the necessary infrastructure for mountain biking.