9 februari, 2023

Wine Paths

Many people spend their lives searching for a job or occupation for which they were born to do.
Many others experiment with different hobbies, looking for a new pastime that makes their hair stand on end and shakes up the monotony of every day.

The red soil of his native Rioja Alavesa. The ocher, burgundy, purple and vibrant colors of Rioja Alavesa.

Javier San Pedro is lucky. His passion was written when he was born. His family’s wine runs through his veins and he works hard so that his lineage is chronicled here on earth.

This chameleon-like landscape, full of winding paths created by the area’s wine production, also introduced him to his hobby.

Touching the earth and shaping it with his hands was not enough; pedaling on it became a good way to honor the soil where he was born.

Not so many years ago, the vines in this region were irrelevant, they grew on farms where grains did not grow, which was the main crop in the area.

It was the same with gravel biking, which until very recently was not only irrelevant, but was rather non-existent; an obscure discipline for which there was no need for a bike.

Now Javier travels through the Rioja Alavesa on his Orbea Terra. Up, down, flat.

The undulating countryside is full of vines and steep terrain, with abrupt grades and long, flat plateaus that punish the legs and require a bike that rolls smoothly across the rocky ground.

Las jornadas se alargan en la bodega y a menudo le toca salir cuando el día ya pierde su nombre, cuando la tierra en llamas se apaga y los ocres, granates y púrpuras funden a negro.

As Javier says, Rioja Alavesa was a buried treasure.

But for the most discerning palates, those who know how to enjoy the pleasures of life—wine, air, bikes and land—this region has already been discovered, and no one is ready to forget it.

Get to know the bike from this Pachamama

Terra M20I Team

A carbon frame, SRAM Rival 1 Dub Wide 40t single chainring, Zipp 303s wheels and G40 XPLR tires from the same brand accompany Javier after a demanding day of work as he paves his legacy.