La Leyenda del Dorado 2018 will be the third edition of Colombia’s most prestigious mountain bike stage race. Open to professional and amateur cyclists, and starting and finishing in Manizales, Caldas, the route includes seven stages, over 450km of challenging off road trails and singletracks, and more than 16,000m of vertical ascent. La Leyenda has been widely referred to as one of the toughest mountain biking events in the world and is accredited by the UCI with S1 category, being one of a select group of cross-country marathon races around the globe to be able to guarantee a world class experience, both on and off the bike.

The mighty Colombian Andes form the backbone of the seven stage route, each day challenging racers to climb several thousand vertical meters, with tricky descents to follow. Raced in pairs (teams of two), teamwork will be vital for riders with exhausting days and tired legs meaning just to finish La Leyenda will be an accomplishment for all involved.

Along the way racers will be able to experience the best of Colombia’s incredible natural biodiversity with altitudes of up to 4,000m and extreme temperatures as they ride through a variety of spectacular landscapes. Coffee plantations, cloud forests and mystical high altitude Paramo all await riders, each one home to different tropical fruits, vivid coloured plants and exotic wildlife.

As well as thrilling cycling during the day, the three host towns of Caldas provide the stunning backdrop to relax away from the race and enthusiastic fans along the route. As well as accommodation, the race villages in La Rochela, Salamina and Termales del Otoño are the bases for technical, massage and media zones where racers and staff come together for meal times and the daily evening award ceremony. Freshly brewed coffee from local farms will be on the breakfast tables, together with tropical fruit that hangs over some of the quaint country roads the route follows, giving all racers a true taste of magical Colombia and the Leyenda experience.

2018 Route details to be released closer to event date.
2017 Route here: https://en.la-leyenda.com/route/2017

https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/la-leyenda-del-dorado-2017-xc-stage-race

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJmY72S0zG0&t=21s

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