Thousands of pilgrims they go up every year to Monserrate, one of the hills of Bogota, Colombia, an ascent of more than a thousand steps that this Saturday, February 6, 2021, became the ‘downhill’ plus throughout the world, in a race of vertigo in which the French Adrien Loron he beat it by descending it in just 4 minutes and 31 seconds.
Without an audience for the coronavirus, the ten finalists of six nationalities of the ‘Monserrate Cerro Abajo 2021‘took their bicycles to descend this 2.4-kilometer route, which in addition to the steps has 27 obstacles at key points.
“It was great, we had perfect weather and the track was super well prepared,” said the Frenchman, who finished fourth in this same race in 2019, after winning the podium with which he exceeded 4 minutes and 42 seconds recorded by the Czech Tomas Slavik in the latest edition.
Behind him were the Colombian champion of Enduro Jhonny Betancurt, with 4:32, which was the best in the qualifying round, and the Ecuadorian Rafael Gutiérrez, with 4:35, who finished second in the 2019 race.
The Ecuadorian cyclist Rafael Gutiérrez makes his route in a downhill competition this February 6, 2021, on the Monserrate hill in Bogotá. Photo: EFE
Most of the tour is made up of uneven steps of stones that make up the climb to Monserrate, at 3,150 meters above sea level, a path of more than an hour that many penitents do on their knees or barefoot to visit Fallen Lord, and that this year, due to covid-19, it has been closed for several weeks.
“I think it will be a great challenge for all of us, first of all because we are in height Bogota and it feels; second because we are 21 runners from different countries of super good level, and third because it is the longest urban race in the world, which is a challenge for everyone, “the Chilean told EFE before the race. Pedro Burns, who at 23, is among the 20 best Enduro riders in the world, and was seventh today.
The winding route includes very sharp curves, marked by the railing wall of this iconic Bogota site, and artificial obstacles that go from “simple” jumps of one and a half meters to a dry waterfall of five meters, to end up overcoming the “turnstile jump”, seven meters high, which gave way to the final sprint.
Cyclist Steven Ceballos makes his route in a downhill competition today, on the Monserrate hill in Bogotá. Photo: EFE
“It’s a bit scary, obviously adrenalin, but that’s what makes this sport be so cute, “said the Chilean Burns, before a journey that two colleagues have not been able to finish due to falls and problems.
To the Argentine Jerónimo Páez the rear wheel came off on the first flight of stairs, twenty seconds after starting, and the first runner, the Colombian David jaramillo, was left out of the competition after suffering a fall in the middle of the journey, which did not cause any damage.
“We are not so used to urban races, because there are not many that are done, but they are quite important and they are a challenge for everyone,” explained Burns, who was happy to compete, in a year in which many of the races have been canceled by the pandemic.
The French cyclist Adrien Loron makes his journey in a downhill competition, on the Monserrate hill in Bogotá (Colombia). Photo: EFE
Previously, this Saturday 21 runners, chosen by the organizer Red Bull Among “the future promises of the discipline”, they tried to qualify for the grand final. All of them men, although the organization assured that the competition “is not closed to men”, and that they have tried to invite a runner.
The trail was closed yesterday to prepare it for the competition, and Red Bull ensures that they will leave the place “better than they received it” so that Monserrate can return to welcome pilgrims and tourists without noticing any change.