At the break of dawn, 120 starters — nearly 80 fewer than Friday's field of 200 due to attrition —
set off on day two of this 2000 La Ruta de los Conquistadores here in Costa Rica.
Friday's tropical heat was replaced with frigid temperatures and horizontal rains, as La Ruta's competitors ground their way up the 10,000-foot ascent of Volcán Irazú and its sister crater of Turrialba, at 8,000 feet. As the riders gained elevation they were greeted with strong winds, heavy mist and then — finally at the peak — torrential downpours which wreaked havoc on some riders for several hours.
During the storm's apex, the field was winding its way through the highest checkpoint where at least two American racers began to experience the first stages of hypothermia and had to take refuge in a lodge, at the edge of the volcano, to raise their bodies' core temperature. Others, wearing nothing more then a garbage bag over their riding clothes for protection, grinned and bore it as best they could, knowing that between checkpoints they were on their own — and that quitting meant losing all the emotional momentum they had gained the past two days.
| ...the terrain is so extreme that no vehicles can access the trail... |
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The extreme contrast of Saturday's stage compared to Friday's demonstrates why this race is so challenging, and why this race may best be described as an adventure race on wheels. Riders had to carry foul-weather gear on their bikes, along with all the tools they would need should they break down. With all the hiking, portaging, water crossing and sheer fortitude needed to navigate over this sparsely marked course, it is becoming a challenge for some just to stay within the race's cut-off times.
On some of the sections, the terrain is so extreme that no vehicles can access the trail, meaning that rescue is impossible much of the time. Two ambulances are on patrol along with several motorcycles, but that is the extent of the safety net surrounding the competitors as they battle remote sections of Costa Rica's wilderness.
We were able to track down the names of the two leaders from yesterday, as well as the winners of today's stage. Melissa Thomas (Colorado — Red Hook
Brewery) is leading the women's overall standings, after finishing 12th
overall and beating Christina Begy (Colorado — Handlebar and Grill) by more
than an hour on Friday. Saturday Thomas increased her lead by nearly an hour and a half, again beating Begy and finishing 20th overall — an unbelievable accomplishment considering this field, and that she just began racing mountain bikes this past season as an expert.
| How many riders will finish this epic journey, and will it prove to truly be the world's toughest mountain bike race? |
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The men's overall leader is Costa Rica's own Edgar Zumbado, who beat the other men by 28 minutes Friday, and on Saturday raced neck-and-neck with two other Costa Ricans and an American named Henry Scott — all four of them finishing within five minutes of each other — after nearly five hours of
racing. Zumbado is a 24-year-old pro racer who typifies many of these local
riders. He's probably fast enough to race on an international circuit, but
sticks with the national series here due to limited sponsorship money (some clever team manager is going to come down here and hire some serious talent
at a bargain).
Sunday's final leg will begin here in this small coffee-producing town at the edge of the volcano, where the black soil is ideal for growing just about anything. Racers will then finish at the Atlantic Coast in the Limon region,
having completed 400km of racing.
Will the American women maintain their stranglehold on the competition, marking a big win for the charming newcomer Melissa Thomas? How many riders will finish this epic journey, and will it prove to truly be the world's toughest mountain bike race? Check back and find out — this spectacular event is no where near over.
– Ari Cheren, pushing back the date of his return flight, for MountainZone.com
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