Who are the people behind basqueMTB? Why do we have so many repeat visitors? What is the thinking behind our holidays and why do we get so many great reviews (blush) all over the web? Hopefully this page will go some way towards answering. If it doesn’t then please drop us a mail and ask!
We are rider owned and guided and we only offer trips in our local area. We all live, ride and build trails here. That is reflected in the love you will see in all the details of what we do. It can also mean that we take a couple of days to answer emails because we are guiding, trail-building or scouting new areas, but we always answer!
The Basque MTB Story
basqueMTB started offering mountain bike holidays in Spain and the Pyrenees back in 2008. It has been a long and interesting journey. You can read all about it on our “10 Years of Mountain Bike Holidays” post.
Each week we run two small groups, allowing us to offer different options each day. Additionally we carefully screen our guests to make sure that the levels each week are as close as possible. Despite really high demand we choose to limit the number of people we guide each week to allow us to provide better holidays. Unfortunately this means we are normally fully booked and turn away some people each week, so if that is you then sorry!
We use our dedicated vans and trailers to offer uplift. This generally means up to 80% of the climbing done in the vans but we also offer the option of less uplift or of using the vans to do big backcountry point to points. The fact that the vans are dedicated to our groups and that we run with smaller groups means that we can really tailor the riding to how our groups feel in the morning.
What Makes basqueMTB Different?
At basqueMTB we do a few things differently and try to have a positive impact on the places we ride. It is something we are proud of.
Looking After Our Trails
1% For The Trails: At least 1% of our profits go the people who look after the trails we use. We also run a non-profit which supports our trail systems.
Looking After Where We Ride
Support The Local Economies: We use locally owned accommodation, restaurants and shuttle companies. That puts money back into the valleys we ride in.
Looking After Our Guides
Local guides can explain the culture, make sure that you get the best food and drinks and, very importantly take you to the best trails. Our guides are fairly paid, and are fully, legally employed. That means that they get contracted hours, sick pay, holidays, a pension and time off between trips.
For Riders, By Riders
We love what we do. We love riding bikes on the best trails, eating great food and staying in amazing places. We live and ride here all year round and that means we can give you the best mountain bike experience.
Guests not Customers
When you ride with us you become part of the basqueMTB family. Over 60% of the riders each year have been before, with many people returning every year. We appreciate that and we promise to look after you. Whether that means little extras like organising sky-diving on your 50th birthday, or just the best holiday we can possibly give you.
What We Expect Of You
We expect you to treat our guides, local partners, local people and the environment we ride in, with respect.
The BasqueMTB Team
Doug
Doug: “El Jefe”
Doug has been biking for as long as he can remember and has been helpless as the addiction has taken over his life. Doug met Amaia in a seedy club in Edinburgh and fell for her Basque charms and moved to the Basque Coast with her in 2008.
Doug is the founder of BasqueMTB and one of the main guides. He holds a SMBLA mountain bike leader guiding qualification and has been riding XC and DH around Scotland for years so will ensure that no matter what your level you are properly looked after and kept excited! He can also offer some coaching to help you get the most out of the challenging local terrain. Doug is also a keen photographer and snaps lots of photos during the trips ready to share with you.
When not biking he can often be found digging new trails in the hills behind his house.
Antonio
Antonio: “Silver Fox”
Antonio has been guiding for basqueMTB’s for several years now and holds a local guiding qualification and first aid certificate. Born and bred in the Pyrenees he has been biking since before mountain biking was mountain biking and his knowledge of the wider Pyrenees area is breathtaking. He has forgotten more trails that most people will ever know, however that might be due to his affection for red wine!
Antonio’s English is improving every day and he is always a fun and charismatic guide with a wealth of local knowledge.
When Antonio isn’t guiding, and once everyone is safely home, Antonio can be found hanging around bars eating red meat, drinking red wine and being right about everything.
Andoni
Andoni “Freeride”
Andoni brings a touch of freeride to the BasqueMTB team. He’s a blast to follow, with his bike either in the air or going sideways! Andoni is Basque for Antonio which is Spanish for Tony… so really we have two Tony´s on the team.
Andoni is from our home town, here in Northern Spain and has been a figure on rides and dig days for years. Finally we managed to convince him to join the team. With his smiley face, helpful nature and great English he is a firm favourite with guides and guests alike.
When Andoni isn’t riding he can be found working out, camping in his van or travelling.
Eñaut
Eñaut “Second Breakfast”
Eñaut came to work with us when he did the last stage of his Spanish guiding qualification with us back in 2018. He was absolutely fantastic and I spent the next two years offering him a job. Finally at the end of 2019 he accepted!
Eñaut, (“enyaut”) is a very Basque name, so you wont be surprised to find out that he is from the Basque Highlands, near our base in Hondarribia. He has always been involved in some kind of sport, after many years playing rugby, he got into cycling due to an injury. Eñaut has been working for years in the Pyrenees as a white water guide and know the mountains really well. He has also been working on the TransNomad enduro race in the Pyrenees as bike patrol.
When Eñaut is not riding, he is either climbing or running in the mountains, but never with an empty stomach.
Zumai
Zumai
Zumai is another rider from our local town. We need to get him a nickname, it is a work in progress. He has been riding with us for years and is a regular on the trail dig days. He is also one of the smoothest riders I have ever seen. It is incredible how he can ride so fast and be so smooth.
Zumai has been guiding with us since 2021 and if you have had a problem on one of our trips then probably Zumai has been the one who has worked out how to fix it. That comes from years of working in bike shops!
When Zumai isn’t riding he is trail building, or helping out at his families croft. But seriously, he is always riding!
Amaia
Amaia: “The Real Boss”
Amaia is a local Basque girl who grew up in San Sebastian. After studying business in San Sebastian she visited Scotland, planning to stay a few months to improve her English. She stayed for several years until she hooked a good Scottish boy and dragged him home! Amaia is our advisor for all things cultural, the more refined things about the Basque Country.
From 2020 Amaia has given up her proper job and has joined the basqueMTB team full time. As our business has grown and got more professional there is a lot more paperwork and we need to make sure we are doing things correctly. She will be doing our accounts, handling accommodation booking and trying to make sure that we do everything as properly as possible. This frees up Doug to ride his bike more with our guests.
Amaia doesn´t bike, so when not biking she loves visiting the local towns, cities and shops.
You won’t find our guides racing down the hill leaving all the guests behind, we will be looking after you and helping you get the most out of your holiday and, if you want, develop your riding.
Our guides are fully trained, both in guiding and in first aid, and we have properly thought out procedures for any emergencies that should arise.
