The story of Julen Saenz de Ormijana: Overcoming challenges and passion for Trial

Discover the exciting journey of Julen Saenz de Ormijana, one of the most prominent figures in current trial riding. In this article, the rider from Vitoria opens the doors to his sports career to share how a boy fascinated by obstacles on the streets of his town managed to climb up to become the 2026 World Vice-Champion and Spanish Champion. This is not just the story of an elite athlete, but a tale about the importance of making tough decisions and staying consistent when the path is full of challenges.

Join Julen on a journey from his first pedals on a Monty 219 to the secrets of his physical preparation and muscle recovery in high-level competition. Through his experiences, you will understand that success in trial riding depends not only on balance on the bike but also on the mental ability to overcome injuries and learn that, in high-performance training, "less is more".

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Julen Saenz de Ormijana: My path from Spanish Champion to World Vice-Champion in Trial

I am Julen Saenz de Ormijana, UCI Trial rider, current 2026 World Vice-Champion and Spanish Champion.

Since I was little, I have been very connected to sports. I have always been a very active child passionate about trying different disciplines, both team and individual sports. I was especially drawn to sports that were different from the rest.

My father was a great motorcycle trial enthusiast, but of course, at 8 years old, a motorcycle was not the best option. So I had to make do with the bike we had at home. I started going up and down stairs around the town, trying wheelies and new tricks. I even remember removing the bike seat to make it look more like a real trial bike.

After seeing how much I loved two wheels, my father decided to take me to a regional competition in Oiartzun (Gipuzkoa). Riders of all levels competed there. It was the first time I saw with my own eyes what trial riding was and all that could be done with those bikes.

I cherish that memory very much because it was my first contact with what would become the sport of my life.

The competition was held in the middle of nature, in the mountains, next to a river. The sections were on the banks, and riders had to overcome obstacles like rocks, dirt, and even cross water with their bikes. That fascinated me. Without a doubt, I fell in love with this sport.

From that moment on, my father enrolled me in a trial school run by the Vitoria-Gasteiz city council. Every Saturday we went to train. During the first weeks, they lent me a bike to try because these bikes are quite special and expensive to buy without knowing if you will really like it.

In my case, there was no doubt. After a few weeks trying the bike, I was already sure I wanted my own. Seeing my enthusiasm, my parents gave me my first trial bike: a Monty 219.

That bike marked a before and after for me. With it, I took my first jumps, learned to turn, brake precisely, and lift the rear wheel. Those were my first pedals in trial riding.

As I mentioned before, I was a child with quite a bit of balance and skill for this sport, but at no point did I think I would get to where I am today.

The day I decided to take it seriously

I started practicing trial at 10 years old, but there was a problem: I was also practicing two other sports.

On one hand, there was trial, which I trained almost daily. I loved learning new tricks and pushing my limits. I also played pelota mano, where I was enrolled in extracurricular activities, and some Saturdays we had matches that conflicted with bike training. And, on top of that, I loved playing soccer with my friends, who were on a team and always tried to convince me to join.

There came a time when it was impossible to do everything. My parents told me I had to choose one of the three sports.

It was a difficult decision, but two wheels had always had something special for me. I chose trial, a decision that would undoubtedly mark a turning point in my sports career.

Trial is a niche sport, and not everyone is prepared to practice it. It’s not easy to get on a bike without a seat, with a very forward-leaning and quite unstable posture compared to a conventional bike.

Moreover, mastering the basic trial techniques — like pivoting, turning, maintaining balance, or descending obstacles — requires a lot of skill, coordination, and hours of training. But above all, it requires something fundamental: consistency.

Sports have been everything to me.

Since I was little, it was my way to disconnect from daily life. When I grabbed the trial bike, my mind forgot everything else. The moment I put on my helmet, gloves, and got on the bike, something changed inside me. I felt a mix of happiness and energy that’s hard to explain.

It was also a constant battle with myself: trying to surpass what I had done the day before, unlock new techniques, or jump increasingly bigger obstacles. But it hasn’t all been smooth sailing.

I have had to fall many times to achieve what I dreamed of. There were days when things didn’t go as I wanted or I couldn’t overcome certain obstacles. Still, I have always been clear about one thing:

If you don’t try, you’ll never succeed.

Over the years, I have had to fight many negative thoughts telling me to quit or that all the effort would be for nothing.

One of my greatest gifts has always been consistency. I especially remember when I was 17, in my first year in the Junior category. I achieved second place in the Spanish Championship, an incredible result for my first season. That year, the top three riders were taken to the World Championship, but I was not selected.

The following year was my big chance, but the Spanish Championship didn’t go as expected, and I finished fifth, missing out on the World Championship again. Those were very tough years because I felt I had the level to fight for the top positions, but the results didn’t come.

After the Junior stage, I moved up to Elite, the highest trial category. The first two years were very difficult. The level was extremely high, and getting a spot for the World Championship seemed almost impossible.

Then came a key moment: the pandemic. I decided to change category and move from 20” to 26”, meaning changing the bike’s wheel diameter. That year there were no competitions, so I focused on training and adapting to the new bike. At first, it was very complicated because the measurements are very different and the riding style changes a lot. But little by little, I started to notice great progress. In 2021, one of the best years of my career arrived: I joined an official team and managed to compete in the World Championship. But not only that: I won my first two medals:

• Individual silver
• Team gold

It was a dream come true. But after that great moment, new problems arose. I started having discomfort in my left knee. One of the menisci was cracked, and I had to have surgery. The recovery was long and complicated, and there were moments when I thought I would never return to my best level.

Thanks to hard work and consistency, I managed to return to training and qualify for the 2022 World Championship. However, when it seemed everything was going well again, on the last lap of the race I broke my elbow and had to withdraw. Those were very tough years, both physically and mentally. But if I have learned anything on this journey, it is that after every fall, you can always come back stronger.

Why training less can make you perform better

A few years ago, I used to train many hours a day on the trial bike. The problem was that not all sessions were quality training. Sometimes a session that was supposed to last an hour ended up being three hours of training, but with a lot of fatigue and much lower performance. Over time, I realized something important:

Sometimes, less is more.

We think that training more hours means improving faster, but that’s not always the case. Now I work with sessions planned by my coach. I try to give 100% during the scheduled time, aiming for intense and effective training. This allows me to recover better and arrive in better condition for gym sessions. Also, something that helps me a lot is taking care of muscle recovery.

After intense training or before a competition, I always do a small stretching and mobility routine. This helps me wake up the next day with a looser, more prepared body. One of my usual companions on competition trips is the massage roller. Before going to bed, I usually do several exercises to relax my muscles and sleep better.

This year, I also have the support of SIZEN, which helps me recover my lower body after training or before competing. The first sensations with the boots have been incredible. The feeling is very similar to the roller sessions I usually do before sleeping: they help relax the muscles and stimulate circulation to improve recovery. Without a doubt, I will make great use of them this season.