- By Jamie Bate
- Published 4 hours ago
Todd Wells crosses one of many rivers on his way to winning his first La Ruta in 2011. Photo: J. Andres Vargas | Lead Adventure Media
Racers cross one of the several infamous railroad trestles on the final stage of La Ruta in 2010. Photo: J. Andres Vargas | Lead Adventure Media
Ben Sonntag en route to winning the 2010 La Ruta de los Conquistadores. Photo: J. Andres Vargas | Lead Adventure Media
La Ruta offers up various styles of mountain biking, including dirt-road sections where staying in a group is beneficial. Photo: J. Andres Vargas | Lead Adventure Media
On the way from the Pacific coast to the Caribbean Sea, riders encounter many different Costa Rican ecosystems — and killer vistas. Photo: J. Andres Vargas | Lead Adventure Media
Tinker Juarez taking on La Ruta in 2009. Photo: J. Andres Vargas | Lead Adventure Media
JACO, Costa Rica (VN) — When the notion of racing a mountain bike across Costa Rica was conjured up 20 years ago it was about more than riding a bike; it was about the adventure to be had between the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea.
Adventure and then some is exactly what 500 riders will have in store starting Thursday when they set out from the Pacific coast town of Jaco en route to Limon on the Caribbean three days later during the 20th running of La Ruta de los Conquistadores.
“I feel La Ruta is like the Paris Dakar (rally) on a bike,” said Roman Urbina, the race founder. “It is held in a developing nation, which will not stop because of a race — no matter how important. So riders have to adapt and
To read the whole story, visit here: http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/10/news/la-ruta-de-los-conquistadores-serves-up-adventure-aplenty_263022
