La Ruta de los Conquistadores
San Jose, CR ⋅ Nov, 11 2009 - Nov 14 2009 | Coverage created by Colt From Cyclingdirt
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The La Ruta de los Conquistadores takes place over four stages across the jungles of Costa Rica. They say it's the hardest bike race on the planet. They say an American can't win it. Cyclingdirt will be on-site this year to find out for ourselves.
17th years ago Roman Urbina read about the Spanish Explorer Juan de Cavallón and his 20 years journey through the treacherous mountains of Costa Rica, in his attempt to explore the area. This expedition started on the Pacific Coast and finished on the Caribbean. Urbina, a recognized Costa Rican athlete and adventurer, decided to retrace that long voyage.
Captivated by the history of the Spanish Explorer, Roman -and 34 other brave journeyman- started the trip across Costa Rica's rugged terrain, an adventure that led them to cross several lavish rain forests, majestic active volcanoes, spectacular mountain ranges and roaring rivers. This adventure turned into an epic annual event, known to all as La Ruta de los Conquistadores. To date, more than one decade later, “La Ruta” is considered to be the most difficult Mountain Bike multi-day race on the planet.
For 12 years this primal event's title stayed within Costa Rican borders, only local riders had conquered the challenge, yet in November of 2005, one of the world's most renowned racers, Thomas Frischknecht, took the crown and the first triumph for an international mountain biker. One year later Colombian Leonardo Páez won the race.
"It's not about making it to the finish line, it's about working with what you've got, giving it all your might and surviving the adversities that you might come upon along the way. Lending a hand to someone else, a sip of water, a spare tube, a word of encouragement, a friendly smile... while you compete against yourself... that's the true spirit of La Ruta." Said Román, "This will be an edition like no other, a true eulogy to mountain biking, in a location that hosts some of the most challenging terrains for this discipline, the rugged terrains of Costa Rica's vast mountain ranges. And like Urbina says, "...it's time to train hard, time to mount your bike with determination, motivated to conquer Costa Rica in your iron stallion."
RACE SCHEDULE 2009
NOVEMBER 10, 2009 - REGISTRATION DAY
|
Activity |
Start Time |
Finish Time |
Place |
|
? Official race registration |
11:00 a.m. |
06:00 p.m. |
Pacific Coast |
|
? Official race details briefing |
06:00 p.m. |
07:00 p.m. |
Pacific Coast |
NOVEMBER 11, 2009 - STAGE 1
|
Activity |
Start Time |
Finish Time |
Place |
|
? Start line control |
04:00 a.m. |
. |
Pacific Coast |
|
? Race take-off |
05:00 a.m. |
. |
Pacific Coast |
|
? Shuttles to San José Hotels |
01:00 p.m. |
07:00 p.m. |
San José |
|
? Closing time |
05:30 p.m. |
. |
San José |
NOVEMBER 12, 2009 - STAGE 2
|
Activity |
Start Time |
Finish Time |
Place |
|
? Breakfast |
04:45 a.m. |
. |
San José Hotels |
|
? Bike Tent open |
05:00 a.m. |
. |
San José |
|
? Start line control |
06:00 a.m. |
. |
San José |
|
? Race take-off |
07:00 a.m. |
. |
San José |
|
? Shuttles to San José Hotels |
01:00 p.m. |
07:00 p.m. |
San José |
|
? Closing time |
05:30 p.m. |
. |
San José |
NOVEMBER 13, 2009 - STAGE 3
|
Activity |
Start Time |
Finish Time |
Place |
|
? Breakfast |
04:45 a.m. |
. |
San José Hotels |
|
? Bus departure |
05:30 a.m. |
. |
San José Hotels |
|
? Bike Tent open |
05:00 a.m. |
. |
San José |
|
? Start line control |
05:30 a.m. |
. |
San José |
|
? Race take-off |
06:00 a.m. |
. |
San José |
|
? Shuttles to hotels |
01:00 p.m. |
07:00 p.m. |
CATIE |
|
? Closing time |
05:30 p.m. |
. |
CATIE |
NOVEMBER 14, 2009 - STAGE 4/AWARD CEREMONY
|
Activity |
Start Time |
Finish Time |
Place |
|
? Breakfast |
04:45 a.m. |
. |
Turrialba Hotels |
|
? Bus departure |
05:15 a.m. |
. |
Turrialba Hotels |
|
? Bike Tent open |
05:00 a.m. |
. |
CATIE |
|
? Start line control |
06:00 a.m. |
. |
CATIE |
|
? Race take-off |
07:00 a.m. |
. |
CATIE |
|
? Closing time |
05:30 p.m. |
. |
Bonita Beach |
|
? Award ceremony (Open category) |
01:00 p.m. |
01:30 p.m. |
Bonita Beach |
|
? Award ceremony (other categories) |
03:00 p.m. |
03:30 p.m. |
Bonita Beach |
|
? Closing party |
04:30 p.m. |
. |
Bonita Beach |
LA RUTA INFO BOARD
Past Results:
'08 | '07 | '06 | '05
Stage 1 Race Report
Stage 2 Race Report
Stage 3 Race Report
Stage 4 Race Report
Results
+ Videos (76)
Races
 | La Ruta de los Conquistadores Stage 4 |
 | La Ruta de los Conquistadores Stage 3 |
 | La Ruta De Los Conquistadores Stage 2 |
 | La Ruta de los Conquistadores Stage 1 |
Previews
 | La Ruta Race Preview |
 | Costa Ricans Banned From La Ruta |
 | One Final Mountain Bike Race |
Highlights
 | Ben Sonntag Sit Up Challenge La Ruta |
 | Ben Bostrom & Manny Prado Stage 3 |
 | Lead Chase Group Hike-A-Bike Stage 3 |
 | Jungle Hike Stage 3 |
 | Tinker Hike-A-Bike Stage 3 |
 | Ben Sontagg Mechanicl Stage 2 |
 | Bart Gilipse Mid Race Interview Stage 2 |
 | Ben Sonntag Post Race Massage |
 | J. Bishop and A. Grant Mid Race Interview Stage 1 |
 | J. Bishop and A. Grant Dirt Road Stage 1 |
 | Manny Prado Leads Stage 1 |
 | Visit To Children's Cancer Shelter |
Recaps
 | La Ruta Stage Four Recap |
 | La Ruta Stage Three Recap |
 | La Ruta Stage Two Recap |
 | La Ruta Stage One Recap |
Pre Race Interviews
 | Jeremiah Bishop Breakfast Stage 1 |
 | Bart Gillespie Breafast Stage 1 |
 | Bryan Alders Pre Race La Ruta |
 | Alex Grant Pre Race La Ruta |
 | Ben Sontagg Pre Race La Ruta |
 | Matt Ohran Pre Race La Ruta |
 | Bart Gillespie Pre Race La Ruta |
 | Jeremiah Bishop Monday Morning Pre La Ruta |
Post Race Interviews
 | Tinker Post La Ruta Stage 4 |
 | Alex Grant Post La Ruta Stage 4 |
 | Manny Prado Post La Ruta Stage 4 |
 | Matt Ohran Post La Ruta Stage 4 |
 | Ben Bostrom Post La Ruta Stage 4 |
 | Bart Gillespie Post La Ruta Stage 4 |
 | Bryan Alders Post La Ruta Stage 4 |
 | Ben Sonntag Post La Ruta Stage 4 |
 | Jeremiaj Bishop Post La Ruta Stage 3 |
 | Bart Gillespie Post La Ruta Stage 3 |
 | Ben Bostrom Post La Ruta Stage 3 |
 | Ben Sonntag Post La Ruta Stage 3 |
 | Manny Prado Post La Ruta Stage 3 |
 | Alex Grant Post La Ruta Stage 3 |
 | Bryan Alders Post La Ruta Stage 3 |
 | Ben Bostrom Post La Ruta Stage 2 |
 | Alex Grant Post La Ruta Stage 2 |
 | Jeremiah Bishop Post La Ruta Stage 2 |
 | Roberto Heras Post La Ruta Stage 2 |
 | Ben Sontagg Post La Ruta Stage 2 |
 | Manny Prado Post La Ruta Stage 2 |
 | Jeremiah Bishop Post La Ruta Stage 1 |
 | Manny Prado Post La Ruta Stage 1 |
 | Tinker Juarez Post La Ruta Stage 1 |
 | Ben Sontagg Post La Ruta Stage 1 |
 | Ben Bostrom Post La Ruta Stage 1 |
 | Bryan Alders Post La Ruta Stage 1 |
 | Bart Gillespie Post La Ruta Stage 1 |
 | Alex Grant Post La Ruta Stage 1 |
 | Matt Ohran Post La Ruta Stage 1 |
Helmet Cams
 | First Time At La Ruta Stage 2 |
 | Concrete Climb Stage 2 |
 | School Kids Go Nuts Stage 2 |
 | The Finish Line Stage 2 |
 | 30% Climb Stage 2 |
 | Colt On The Roof Stage 2 |
 | Clay Down Hill Stage 2 |
 | Coffe Plantation Stage 2 |
 | Clay Down Hill II Stage 2 |
 | Aid Station Stage 2 |
 | Farm Lands Stage 1 |
 | Jungle Mud II Stage 1 |
 | Local Village Stage 1 |
 | Pure Clay Stage 1 |
 | Jungle Mud Stage 1 |
+ User Videos (8)
 | Cross_#2 |
 | 2008 La Ruta de los Conquistadores Etapa 1 Jaco 2 |
 | 2008 La Ruta de los Conquistadores Day 3 |
 | 2006 La ruta de los conquistadores |
 | 2007 Ruta des Conquistadores |
 | 2008 La Ruta de los Conquistadores |
 | La Ruta de los Conquistadores - Press Conference 2009 |
 | 2008 La Ruta de los Conquistadores |
Men top 10, stage 1:
1) Manny Prado
2) Heinz Zorweg
3) Mark Trayter
4} Heras
5) Milton Ramos
6) Jeremiah Bishop
7) Alex Grant
8) Ben Bostrom
9) Tinker
10) Santos Corea
...12) Ben Sontagg
Full results coming soon.