Photos: Alfredo Escobar, Marcelo Maragni, Red Bull Photofiles

Tackling some of the most difficult terrain in the world -- Chile's Andes Mountains -- the Red Bull Los Andes enduro also produces some of the most stunning photos. Here's our favorites, details of the race below.
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Cyril Depres crowned champion at Red Bull Los Andes

At 2,600 meters above sea level, over 100 riders took on the CORDILLERA

for a grueling test of endurance in front of over 5,000 enthusiastic

spectators. Enduro World Champion Cyril Depres came in first in front

of Chilean Riders Nicolas Urrutia and Francisco Chaleco Lopez.

At 12:01 The Halcones flying squadron flew over the starting line,

giving signal for the riders to start the race. The thundering sound of

the motorcycles and the adrenalin took over the center stage, the

riders speeding off to find the first obstacle only 250 meters from the

start: a steep 50-meter drop that only half of the riders drove through

unscathed.

"Mental strength is a critical success factor in a competition as

technical and demanding as this," explained Ignacio Fernandez,

President of CNE (Confederacion Nacional Enduro) and Race Director.

Later he added that another critical factor is attitude, which has a

definitive effect both on driver and machine.

The 30-kilometer route had it all: long ascents, steep descents, loose

gravel terrain, mud, river crossings and rock fields. The first lap was

tough, yet the second one was even tougher, because - as second-placed

Nicolas Urrutia pointed out - the riders were beginning to feel the

heat and sun.

Local hero Chaleco Lopez presented his fans with a great spectacle as

he fought for the lead against Champion Cyril Depres. "Cyril and me are

great friends and we have enjoyed many duels like this. Hopefully in

the future I will manage to finish in front of him," said Chaleco after

the race.

Red Bull Los Andes consisted of the four categories of Super Experts,

Experts, Intermediates and Women. Only two courageous women completed

this challenge: Maria Josefina Gardulski and Macarena Garreton. "I am

so happy to have completed the race, Macarena and I supported each

other throughout the course and we feel this is a shared triumph!" said

Gardulski.

The grand prize of the competition was a Honda 450x motorcycle, which

winner Cyril Depres decided to auction off in aid of the Wings for Life

Foundation dedicated to finding a cure for spinal cord injury.

Red Bull 


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