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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