Costa Rica News – “La Ruta de los Conquistadores,” means “the route of the conquerors” and is also the name of an upcoming race. La Ruta is both a physical and mental journey that will have participants learning about themselves and Tico culture. The registration fee for international participants is $1650 and for locals is $550.
La Ruta started 20 years ago when Roman Urbina read about three Spanish conquerors who took a 20-year journey through Costa Rica’s beaches and mountains in the 1560s. They started on the Pacific and made it to the Caribbean. Urbina decided to put his athletic adventurous spirit to work by staging a challenge to bring awareness to Costa Rica’s endangered animals. He retraced the steps of the conquerors by mountain bike. Now you have the opportunity to do the same.
October 23 is “Day 0,” when participants can register between noon and 5pm in Jaco. The first day entails a climb from Jaco Beach to El Rodeo. Transportation to your hotel will be provided and everyone will stay in San Jose for the night. The 2nd day’s course begins at Terramall and climbs two volcanoes, Irazú and Turrialba.
The overnight stay will be in Turrialba. On October 26, the last day of the competition, racers will start in Catie and make it all the way to Playa Bonita in Limon. The race starts on the Pacific Coast and ends at the Caribbean Sea! It covers 310km of gravel, jeep roads, singletrack, and asphalt. It passes through jungles, farms, coffee fields, cities, and small villages. Racers will have to face high humidity and cold mountaintop weather.
For participants’ safety each day ends at a certain time. If they are unable to finish by that time an official vehicle will pick them up. They will be allowed to participate the following day, without appearing as a finisher.
