It is June 14, 08:00 h. and Gernika-Lumo wakes up with a different buzz: that of more than a thousand bicycles lined up, ready to ride through the heart of Urdaibai. From the porch of Astei, the sky is clear and cool. The coffee is steaming. On the local radio the names of the day are already ringing out: Oiz, Gaztelugatxe, Lekeitio… The Oiz Erronka Challenge has begun… and that’s the 15th edition.
A challenge that unites sport, landscape and heart
This 2025, the event exceeded 1,000 participants, a milestone for a march that is growing year by year. And it’s not a race: there are no winners or medals. Just the desire to share effort, beauty and community on wheels.
Starting and finishing in Gernika-Lumo, the challenge offered three options:
🟢 Fondo route (72 km): gentle, ideal for those who want to discover Urdaibai without excesses.
🟡 Medio Fondo (128 km): a route that connects coast and inland with views of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe.
🔴 Gran Fondo (164 km): for the brave. A final ascent to Monte Oiz with ramps of 24% and breathtaking views.
A walk between the sea and the mountains
Each stretch had its own magic:
- Between the reeds of the Urdaibai estuary, the morning mist still hovered over Laida and Laga.
- Coastal villages such as Bermeo, Ea or Elantxobe greeted the cyclists from balconies full of life.
- And at the end, the ascent to Oiz, solitary, demanding, culminating, with beautiful landscapes all around.
During the route there were three refreshment posts, medical and mechanical assistance and an impeccable organisation with more than 100 volunteers.
Much more than just pedalling
The spirit of the Challenge is not only in the kilometres. It is in the companions you didn’t know when you started. In the conversations that arise between bends. In the ovation for the most veteran cyclist. In the tribute to the greats of Basque cycling: Pello Bilbao, Astarloa, Eneritz Iturriaga, among others.
The arrival was a party: applause, showers in Santanape, hot food, local music and shared stories.
Live Urdaibai on two wheels, also without a bib number
Did you miss it this year? No problem. The Oiz Erronka Challenge is a celebration, but the landscape, the roads and the love of cycling are there all year round. The options are still open. The forests, green. The slopes, just as challenging.
At Las Casas Rurales de Ea Astei, we can help you plan your route. We offer you rest, maps, silence and a hot shower on your return in an idyllic place. You don’t need a bib number to feel part of the challenge.
Useful information about cycling and the Oiz Erronka Challenge:
You can find more information about this cycling event on the following websites:
Plan your next cycling trip in Urdaibai
Are you a cyclist? Bring your bike (or rent it here), set off from our doorstep and venture out on mythical stretches.
Are you coming as a couple or in a group? We’ll help you prepare a tailor-made getaway, with gentle stages, good food and landscapes to fall in love with.
Would you like to do it next year? The next edition will be in June 2026. Book early… and experience it from Las Casas de Ea Astei!
