Costa Rica's premier mountain bike event is considered to be one of the most difficult athletic challenges in the world. The La Ruta course runs the general paths that Juan de Cabalton's army took crossing the land between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. It covers 225 miles and over 40,000 feet vertical gain in four stages over as many days. Competitors experience nine different microclimates as they conquer high humidity, 100 degree temps, rain and bottomless mud.
2007 LA RUTA TOP 10
1. Federico Ramirez Mendez (CRc)...BCR-Pizza Hut-Powerade-
KHS...17:40:21
2. Paolo Montoya (CRc)...Macosta Lee Cougan Santa Ana BCT...+28:28
3. Thomas Dietsch (Fra)...Gewiss-Bianchi...44:36
4. Deiber Esquivel (CRc)...IBP Pensiones...1:03:07
5. David Juarez...Cannondale...1:05:39
6. Juan Alberto Solis (CRc)...BCR-Pizza Hut-Powerade-KHS...1:09:23
7. Thomas Zahnd (Swi)...Stoeckli-Craft...1:40:33
8. Jason Sager...MonaVie-Cannondale...1:58:11
9. Kris Sneddon (Can)...Kona...2:09:46
10. Enrique Artavia (CRc)...Super Pro Banco BCT SantaAna...2:14:18
WOMEN
1. Susan Haywood...Trek-Volkswagen...22:50:02
2. Louise Kobin...Sho Air-Rock N' Road...+43:19
3. Maria Brenes (CRc)...BCR-Pizza Hut-Powerade-KHS...2:41:56
4. Trish Grajczyk (Can)...Deadgoat Racing...4:38:20
5. Angela Parra Sierra (Col)...Hammer Nutrition...4:51:09
6. Rebeca Hidalgo Vargas (CRc)...Powerade...5:41:36
7. Tamara Goeppel (Can)...Leki BikeXtreme...5:48:33
8. Jennifer Sica...Schampa Racing...6:33:11
9. Fanny Paquette (Can)...Mountain Biking-Rocky Mountain...7:46:46
10. Caroline Pinard (Can)...Corazon-CBRS...+7:58:46