Ramírez adds Costa Rican national title to his collection

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Local icon Federico "Lico" Ramírez (Grupo Orosi-Specialized) came from behind to win the fifth and final round of Costa Rica's "AMPM" XCO National Cup, which also served as the 2011's National Championship, while pre-race favorite Adriana Rojas didn't disappoint and added two trophies more to her personal collection.

Ramírez overcame an uncertain start and amazed the crowd with a dramatic last-kilometer demonstration. He performed a "kamikaze strategy" despite a technical final downhill seasoned with lots of mud and half-meter deep puddles.

Surprising indeed, since it was Marconi Durán (Citi-Economy-Blue) who easily took the lead ahead of Ramírez and GT-Italy's Paolo Montoya after the whistle sounded. Durán managed to maintain the leading position over four of the five laps of the 4.3-kilometers course that was designed in the trails that surround the campus of the Instituto Tecnológico University, in Cartago.

Durán actually crossed the line alone and solid with only one lap to go. "Lico" and Montoya seemed to be destined to struggle for the second place at almost one minute behind.

However, Ramírez speeded-up with a half of the course still to complete and not only left Montoya in the back but also reached Durán in the final descent.

"I just forgot about the dangerous conditions. I watched him (Durán) getting off the bike and hike on that muddy segment, so I decided to stay on mine and try to get him," said Ramírez.

"It was the same for all the prior laps, so I knew he wasn't strong enough to last for another hike like that. I managed to pass him and kicked hard to let him behind on the little climb to the finish".

Ramírez stopped the clock on a time of one hour, 53 minutes and 52 seconds, while Durán came in second at 1:08. Paolo Montoya filled out the podium.

This result not only gave Ramírez his fifth cross country national crown but also meant another National Cup title for the 35-year-old legend. He has won 10 National Cup editions, the last eight in a row, after 21 years of a prolific career.

In the women's event, it was another exhibition of supremacy for CR Specialized Team's Adriana Rojas who's not too far off "Lico" Ramírez's totals. She has achieved five Cup trophies and four National Championships in seven years of elite racing.

"I'm pretty happy about this new accomplishment. It always feels like the first time," said the current Costa Rican mountain bike queen. "I enjoyed this as if it would have been my first."

And the first it was for a cyclist who nobody mentioned in the betting posts. The U23 victory went to a quite unknown young talent recently signed by the Citi-Economy squad.

Eddie Ramírez defeated a few racers that were better known and scored a first place for the first time in his career. The Cup's title however went to Dennis Porras who finished fourth.

Full Results