Can Frischy repeat at La Ruta?
A year ago Thomas Frischknecht ended one of cycling's longest streaks, becoming the first foreign rider to triumph at Costa Rica's famed La Ruta de los Conquistadores mountain bike race.

Fast forward 12 months, and the Swiss legend will try to make it two in a row in November when he returns to defend his title at one of the world's toughest stage races.

Among the Swisspower rider's chief challengers at La Ruta's 14th rendition will be Colombian Leonardo Páez and American Jeremiah Bishop (Trek-Volkswagen).

Páez is currently No. 1 in the UCI's marathon rankings, while Bishop is coming off a stellar performance at the world championships, where he finished 8th in the men's cross-country. Páez and Frischknecht were fifth and sixth respectively in that same race.

Famed mountain bike pioneer Tom Ritchey has also registered for the race.

The three-day trek across the country commences November 3 at the Best Western Jacó Beach Hotel, a stones throw from the Pacific Ocean. November 5's finish is at the port of Moín just a few blocks from Caribbean Sea. In between a mix of professionals and weekend warriors will cover 176 miles and approximately 30,000 feet of climbing. The high point comes beneath the looming shadow of Volcan Irazu. Here the race tops out nearly 9900 feet above sea level -- and the starting line a day earlier.

Despite these impressive numbers, La Ruta is not solely the realm of the world's top mountain bikers. Each year a mix of local of international amateurs contest the event, taking on a challenge that has few equals in the world of endurance sport. All told, 27 nations were represented at the 2005 event, which had nearly 400 riders lined up at the start.

"More than a race, La Ruta is a personal growth journey," explained event founder and race director Roman Urbina. "That's the difference from the traditional mountain bike competitions. There are some segments that cannot be traveled even in 4X4 vehicles or motorcycles. The competitors will not always have access to external support and must trust in his their own tenacity."

Besides the distance and elevation gain, La Ruta also serves up a vast array of climate and topography changes. Searing tropical temperatures will be most prominent, but riders may also have to bust out their winter wear as the race heads up into the country's high mountains.

The course is equally diverse, with sections of serene paved road interspersed with plenty of off-road terrain that ranges from smooth ox-cart path to rock-strewn double track. There's also an extended stay on the old north-south railway tracks on the Atlantic side, taking riders down a bumpy and bruising path as they head toward the finish.

Among the changes on tap for this year's race is a more remote course. This has been done in part to cut the local's chances of getting illegal support from relatives, friends or team members. In the past this has tipped the playing field against foreign riders, but now everyone will compete under equal conditions.

As in year's past, day one's course will head through the Carara National Park's thick jungle. This humid, muddy and breathtaking pass has been traditionally one of the race's toughest obstacles. After the third checkpoint, located in San Pedro de Turrubares, racers will face the grueling Grifoalto region with its muddy trail up across the mountains. This replaces last year's long asphalt ascent.

The race got its start 14 years ago, when Urbina first read about Spanish conqueror Juan de Caballón and his 20-year journey up and over Costa Rica's sky-scraping mountains. Caballón's expedition started at the Pacific Coast and finished at the Caribbean Sea.

Urbina, a recognized Costa Rican athlete and adventurer himself, decided to emulate the harrowing voyage. Captivated by the trek of the Spanish general, he and 34 companions crossed nine of Costa Rica's 12 microclimates during an adventure that led them through rain forests, up majestic volcanoes, and across shimmering rivers. It was then that Urbina decided the trip should be turned into an annual competition, and La Ruta de los Conquistadores was born.

Today La Ruta is considered one of the most difficult mountain bike races on the planet. It is also the most important fat tire race in Costa Rica, and the only one that attracts top-flight foreign riders and the attention of the international media.