Home of Gravel

Some races begin long before the starting line. Before dawn breaks on one of the most important events of the year, every athlete has already invested their entire life in the preparation. Before the mental challenge and physical pain come strategy, mechanical adjustments and a deep exercise in concentration.

A few weeks ago, all of that work came together once again in one place. The Traka was about to begin, and inside a large farmhouse near Girona, the Orbea Hub was born. The full professional strength of Orbea dedicated to supporting our athletes.

For several days, some of the international athletes representing Orbea lived under the same roof while prepping for one of the key events on the gravel calendar. Riders from different countries, disciplines and backgrounds sharing space, experience and a common vision of the sport.
Inside the Hub’s thick stone walls, every rider found a place to prepare, unwind and focus before the battle ahead.

There is something about gravel that’s hard to explain. Maybe it’s the blend of competition and adventure. Maybe it’s the high level of self-sufficiency it demands. Perhaps it’s the certainty that no two races are ever the same. What truly makes the discipline unique, though, is that even at the biggest events, there is still space for community.

During the last days of April, professionals from every Orbea department travelled to Girona to put their expertise at the service of the athletes’ performance.

While the riders reconned routes and refined strategies, life inside the Hub revolved around fine details: tyre pressures, bike setups, gearing choices and equipment. Feed zones were prepared and every last detail studied to ensure that both riders and machines were ready for The Traka challenge.

Orbea’s role matters. Beyond being a sporting structure, we are helping build something far more difficult to create artificially: a genuine human space.

We grow alongside our riders. We listen to them around a dinner table or at a finish line, we understand their concerns and we work to provide solutions.

Few disciplines reflect the personality of each rider as gravel clearly does. During the week in Girona, dozens of Terra and Terra Race bikes gradually evolved into completely different machines, and each one taught us something.

From Morgan, we learned how Terra’s tyre clearance influences her confidence on rough terrain. From Hannah and Lawrence, both coming from professional road cycling, we know their love for the stiffness and precision of Terra Race. Rares, who rode all the way from Innsbruck, reminded us of the importance of mounting points and adaptability when the adventure begins long before the race itself. Griffin Easter, Speed Company Racing, Arvo and many others voices, with thousands of kilometres in between them, share their experience every single day.

And then race day arrived, as it always does, and that is when everything begins to make sense. Still in darkness, dozens of Terra and Terra Race bikes rolled out from the house towards the adventure ahead, each one with its own setup, countless combinations of wheels, gearing and equipment. Just as countless were the finishes, the stories of success and the lessons learned.

Beyond the walls of the Hub, every rider faced their own race. Riders crossed forests and gravel tracks, climbed and descended near-impossible slopes while managing both their strength and the inner voices urging them to stop.
Meanwhile, another race was unfolding behind the scenes: our team following every route and waiting at feed zones, always alert and ready to solve any problem that could threaten the final goal.

And once the race ended, as it always does, everyone found themselves back together again at the Orbea Hub. Fatigue, mud-covered bikes, exhausted bodies and tangled emotions slowly settled around the dinner table. Perhaps this way of approaching competition also explains why gravel has managed to attract such a wide range of people.

After an intense and unforgettable week, everyone is back home with little energy left, but stronger and more resilient than when they arrived.

We continue to believe that Orbea’s role within gravel goes beyond bicycles or technical support. We believe in creating real spaces where the sport can continue to grow from within, places where riders can live together, learn from one another and feel part of something greater than a race.

This is a great team, but it feels a lot like a family.