A total distance of 108 kilometers were ridden today by 225 racers from 17 different countries in a terrain as defying as the untamed tropics can hide deep within its foliage.
Heinz Soerweg, Manuel Prado, Marc Trayter. Photo by: J. Andrés Vargas - Lead Adventure Media
An early lead out of the Carara National Park by three-time Vuelta a España winner Roberto Heras, one of the favorites for the race, was short-lived when apparently a beverage he drank the night before affected his stomach.
Manuel Prado from Costa Rica, Heinz Soerweg from Austria and Marc Trayter from Spain initiated a rapid ascent towards the Central Valley, leaving behind Roberto Heras and Milton Ramos from Spain, the compact group of five that had made it out of the mud bath in Carara first.
Roberto Heras, Milton Ramos, Manuel Prado, Marc Trayter and Heinz Soerweg. Photo by: J. Andrés Vargas - Lead Adventure Media
The steady, grueling pace at which Manuel and Heinz where cruising by was enough to get them to the finish line with a difference of one second from each other. Manuel wins his first La Ruta stage ever, stage which he dedicates to his brother who passed away three years ago.
The Spaniard Marc Trayter came in third and showed an amazing performance that was applauded by everyone.
Team Monavie-Cannondale’s Jeremiah Bishop reappears at La Ruta to fight for a title. Bishop he believes he craved the title too bad in 2007 when he had an unfortunate accident back in 2007 which sent him to the hospital during Stage 3 and says, "a boxer that fights with anger will lose, a boxer that fights with tactic will most likely win…"
Jeremiah finished fifth at Stage 1, he had mechanical problems towards the beginning of the race which forced him to an outstanding effort throughout the muddy section of Carara.
A 75-kilometer Stage 2 awaits riders tomorrow at 06:00. With an initial ascent of 1000 meter within 5 kilometers this will be a great warm up for Stage 3 which will see them climb to the top of the Irazú Volcano.
LA RUTA DE CONQUISTADORE STAGE 1 STANDINGS:
Men:
1 - Manuel Prado - ShoAir - Costa Rica - 05:43:35
2 - Heinz Zoerweg - KTM - Austria - 05:43:36
3 - Marc Trayter - Spain - 05:50:20
Women:
1 - Adriana Rojas - Costa Rica - 07:17:23
2 - Louis Kobin - USA - 07:27:54
3 - Yesennia Villalta - Costa Rica - 09:11:26
Feel free to visit our website for final standings: www.AdventureRace.com