Vuelta al Cotopaxi
Getting High In Ecuador
Rebecca Rusch / 08.12.2008
The race is a 2 day stage race of approximately 140 km. It circumnavigates the high volcano of Cotopaxi and offers some of the most intense, high altitude riding I have ever experienced. The entire race took place above 10,000 ft and topped out at around 14,000 ft. The air was extremely thin, the high mountain weather changed from intense sun to freezing rain in minutes and the course was some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen.
The best cyclists in Ecuador take part in this race and the mixed division was extremely competitive. Greg and I were hosted in Quito by one of Ecuador’s best adventure racers and we spent the week before the race riding and sightseeing around Quito. The altitude in Quito is around 7000 ft and goes up to about 10,000 ft, so it was a little bit of acclimatization for us, but it proved to not be enough. The local Specialized distributor and dealer, Daniel took us on a new riding adventure each day and we met a bunch of the local cyclists. Everyone here seems to know each other and for a city of 2 million people, the cycling community feels like a very close-knit family.
On Friday evening, we headed towards Cotopaxi, which is only an hour’s drive from the city of Quito. It is amazing to me that in such a short time, you can leave the city and be in the most pristine country environment. The Pan American highway that runs north/south in Ecuador is appropriately called the Avenue of the Volcanoes. It is lined either side by the most fantastic, snow capped volcanoes, many of which are non-technical and can be climbed by anyone who can deal with the thin air. Our caravan of approximately 12 racers all met at a hacienda near the race start. We were all hosted by a very friendly family and fed wonderful potato cheese soup and chicken. All of the food was grown on their farm and prepared fresh that day.
The morning of the race dawned clear and crisp with Cotopaxi looming overhead. The weather in the mountains can be very unpredictable, so deciding what to wear for the race was a challenge. The race registration was held inside the Cotopaxi Park and 400 people were lined up under the Red Bull tent signing waivers and getting race numbers. Since the race is a giant circle, we would be camping out between the two stages. Our giant bag of camping gear, race food and extra clothing was loaded onto a big truck that would meet us at the end of the first stage.
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