Insights from the IMBA Europe Summit 2025 – Boltaña, Spain

Connected by Trails: How Mountain Biking Can Support Rural Development Through a Systemic Approach

Under the theme “Connected by Trails – How Mountain Biking Can Support Rural Development Through a Systemic Approach”, more than 160 delegates from 24 countries met in Boltaña, Spain for the 2025 IMBA Europe Summit. Over three days of keynotes, panel discussions, workshops, and outdoor sessions, participants explored how mountain biking can become a driver of environmental stewardship, community wellbeing, and sustainable rural economies.

This year’s programme deliberately linked environmental, social, and economic sustainability with the cultural dimension of mountain biking. This article highlights the key takeaways from this year’s Summit.

Trails as Stewards of Nature- Not Just Pathways Through It

From Sweden’s CO₂ cost comparison to Germany’s “Digitize the Planet” platform, speakers showed how mountain biking can be part of the solution to biodiversity loss rather than a threat. Well-planned trail systems were presented as low-impact, cost-effective sports facilities compared to skiing or indoor arenas. New data on carbon costs and operational expenses give advocacy groups a powerful evidence base to work with municipal planners and funding bodies.

Dr Tom Campbell’s keynote, “Seeing the Wood and the Trees”, added the human dimension of nature connection. Drawing on over 2000 open responses from the UK Trails Project, Campbell highlighted that mountain biking doesn’t just happen in nature – it actively shapes riders’ place attachment and place identity. Riders reported ownership, pride, and responsibility for the landscapes where they ride, correlating with pro-environmental behaviours such as volunteering and donating to trail maintenance. For land managers and trail associations, this offers a roadmap for turning casual users into committed stewards.

Long-Term Thinking Beats Short-Term Photo Ops

Multiple sessions underscored that mountain biking projects too often receive generous start-up funding but little support for upkeep. EU grants typically cover construction, not maintenance, leading to “boom and bust” cycles. Presenters advocated for quality over quantity, prioritize higher-quality trail centres with clear maintenance plans, transparent contracts, and diversified funding.

Examples ranged from revenue-sharing with landowners, to DIMB’s volunteer-driven bikepark model in Germany, to Dyfi Valley in Wales, where strong community buy-in has kept trails thriving despite changing land managers. All demonstrated that economic sustainability depends on planning for operations and stewardship from the outset. A recurring theme throughout multiple conference sessions highlighted a critical flaw in the funding model for mountain biking infrastructure: an over-reliance on substantial initial start-up funding with insufficient provisions for long-term maintenance and upkeep. This phenomenon is particularly prevalent in funding programs that typically cover only the construction phase of projects while offering little to no support for ongoing operational costs and maintenance. This creates a damaging “boom and bust” cycle in which initially impressive facilities rapidly deteriorate due to insufficient long-term funding.

To counteract this unsustainable trend, presenters strongly advocated for a paradigm shift. The consensus was to prioritize the development of significantly higher-quality trail centres, rather than just ‘more trail centres’. Crucially, these centres should be established with meticulously planned and transparent maintenance strategies embedded from the outset. Furthermore, the importance of diversified funding models and clear, equitable contracts was emphasized to ensure long-term economic viability.

Several compelling examples illustrated how different regions have successfully navigated these challenges, demonstrating that economic sustainability is achievable when operational and stewardship considerations are integrated into the planning process from the very beginning. Germany’s DIMB (Deutsche Initiative Mountain Bike) showcased their ‘community driven trails concept’- a robust, volunteer-driven bikepark model, demonstrating the power of community engagement in sustaining trail networks. Similarly, the Dyfi Valley in Wales stands as a testament to the strength of community buy-in, where strong local support has enabled trails to thrive even amidst changes in land management. These diverse examples collectively underscore the fundamental principle that the longevity and success of mountain biking projects are inextricably linked to comprehensive planning for both operations and long-term stewardship.

Communities as Partners, Not Audiences

Workshops with the focus on Mountain biking & local communities revealed that conflicts with landowners, hunters, and other user groups persist when benefits aren’t visible. Delegates discussed ways to embed mountain biking within local life: hiring local builders, aligning with schools and youth programmes, and designing a progression of trails so residents of all ages can participate. Getting kids on bikes was repeatedly cited as a way to shift perceptions of MTBers from outsiders to neighbours.

“How amazing would it be if, in the coming year, we work even more from this spirit of connection – bridging the worlds of guides & coaches, education & research, industry & trail building.” Evelien Elsinga

Campbell’s findings on place identity strengthen this point. When local riders feel a deep connection to their home trails, they are more likely to volunteer, donate, and act as ambassadors – amplifying both the social and economic returns on investment.

Inclusion, Representation and the Power of Programmes

Dr Fiona Spotswood’s “Gearing Up!” mixed a short research presentation with an interactive workshop. Drawing on Project FIAS, she showed how gender imbalance runs through mountain biking – from participation to leadership, coaching, media and sponsorship – while also highlighting positive shifts such as women-only communities, better athlete coverage and new conversations about topics like menopause and pay gaps.

The newly introduced 4Ps model -People, Practices, Presence, Participation –  invited all organisations in the MTB ecosystem to examine how women+ experience their group, product or trail network and whether hidden assumptions shape their “presence.” Participants then worked in small groups with worksheets to reflect on their own presence and identify opportunities for gender-progressive practice – a first taste of the upcoming Gearing Up! workbook.

Esther Walker’s Outride “Riding for Focus” programme showed how cycling in schools can boost physical and mental wellbeing, especially for neurodivergent and underserved youth, and create the next generation of riders, volunteers and advocates. Professional rider and coach Scotty Cornish built on this with a powerful personal story about neurodiversity and mountain biking, calling for inclusive trail design, mentoring and coaching pathways.

“Our session on the power of mountain biking for young people – especially those who are neuro-diverse -was humbling. MTBing is an exceptional place where we can help young people feel belonging.” Esther Walker

Together these sessions reframed inclusion not as an add-on but as a strategic investment for a more representative, healthier and larger mountain biking community.

Culture and Storytelling Differentiate Destinations

Infrastructure alone doesn’t create a standout mountain bike destination. As Vanesa Gorgal of ALLEGRA showed with her three-pillar model – trails, services and identity – the strongest places invest in all three. Locarno and Thusis (Switzerland) were cited as examples of how consistent investment turns mountain biking into part of a region’s identity, lifting both visitor numbers and local quality of life.

That message landed powerfully in Boltaña, the 2025 Summit host and heart of MTB Kingdoms. With its modern conference centre, wide choice of accommodation and a trail network built on centuries-old paths, the area embodies the theme of the summit: connection. The trails cleared by local riders since 2004 weren’t just a way to ride – they revived forgotten communication routes dating back to the Roman Empire, carrying with them stories of shepherds, traders and even the witches of Boltaña’s castle.

Delegates agreed that as rider demographics shift and gravel biking grows, authentic storytelling about heritage, culture and inclusivity can help destinations like MTB Kingdoms stand out, build loyalty and inspire investment. “We’re not just recovering trails; we’re rescuing pieces of history,” as one local put it – a reminder that culture is as important as kilometres of singletrack.

Collaboration Is the Systemic Approach

One of the strongest threads running through the Summit was that no single actor can shift mountain biking’s culture or infrastructure on their own. Trail groups, tourism bodies, brands, educators, researchers, local governments and riders all hold different pieces of the puzzle. When they work in isolation, progress is patchy and fragile; when they collaborate, change becomes systemic. This message resonated across sessions – from Dr Fiona Spotswood’s “Gearing Up!” on gender-progressive practice to Esther Walker’s Outride programme showing how schools, local trail networks and volunteer groups can work together to create a pipeline of young riders, and Scotty Cornish’s call to redesign coaching pathways so that under-represented groups feel genuinely welcome.

Benjamin Billet of ENOS framed it perfectly: mountain biking must move beyond merely “reducing harm” to actively shaping sustainable futures. By presenting a unified voice, the sector can position itself not just as a recreation group but as a partner in rural development, conservation and public health. The success of destinations like Locarno and MTB Kingdoms shows what happens when trail builders, service providers, marketers and councils invest simultaneously rather than sequentially. As one delegate put it, “We’ve moved from parallel efforts to a genuine ecosystem of partners. That’s how you go from one-off projects to a culture shift.”

Looking Ahead

The IMBA Europe Summit 2025 made it clear that mountain biking’s potential goes far beyond sport. Trails can connect landscapes, economies and communities – but only if planning is evidence-based, funding is long-term and participation is inclusive. The challenge now is to act on these insights. IMBA Europe will continue to support its members in building alliances, gathering data and developing tools to ensure that mountain biking strengthens rural regions, protects nature and welcomes all riders.

A big thank you to Edu from MTB Kingdoms for taking these photos – BlackMountainPhotography