La Ruta

An update on Manny Prado from Terry Best...

Chupacabras, just wanted to drop a note to tell everybody that Manuel 'Manny' Prado is currently leading in the grueling La Ruta de Los Conquistadores mountain bike stage race that crosses Costa Rica from the Pacific to Caribbean coast in 4 days. He came in 5 hours 43 minutes just ahead of 2nd place. To give you an idea of how brutal these stages are, the final packs of competitors, who are undoubtedly hardened mountain bike warriors themselves, came in around 12 hours.

Participants range from recreational mountain bikers looking to challenge themselves beyond their imagination to some of the most accomplished cyclists in the world vying for first place overall. Against a former Tour de France competitor who assisted Lance between 2001-2003 and known as the King of the Spanish Mountains (Roberto Heras), the most-successful 24 Hour Solo rider and mountain bike legend (Tinker Juarez), and a handful of UCI World Cup and Olympic Games contenders and champions, Manny is in first after the most difficult day of arguably the most challenging cycling event the world has to offer. Manny has been mountain biking since the inception of GeoLadders around 2004 - that I find truly amazing.

Fortunately today and tomorrow the mountain stages will become more technical with some slippery singletrack descents which should separate the maniac climbers from the maniac climbers who have impeccable downhill abilities.

La Ruta is the race that Manuel peaks for during the year and actually concludes his competition riding season. We're hoping to have him put on an exclusive riding clinic for us here in the next few weeks. Stay tuned...

Keep track of La Ruta events at www.adventurerace.com. Unofficial results for Stage 2 shows Manuel taking second position but holding 1st place overall by 5 or so minutes.

Things are looking good. Thanks for reading

-Terry Best

You can also get up to date La Ruta results here: http://larutadelosconquistadores.com/info/

Go Manny!