Portugal’s Luis Leao Pinto (Skotiabank) won the opening stage of La Ruta held on Thursday from Jaco to UTN Atenas in Costa Rica. He won the race ahead of Colombia’s Luis Mejía (Coopenae Movistar) and Spain’s Joseph Betalú (Constructora ARPO Specialized).
Attacks between two riders continued between San Pablo and San Pedro de Turrubares until Mejia fell off pace. At Escobal, Leao Pinto had built a lead of nine minutes.
"I put effort on the climbs but did not expect to have this advantage and I hope it stays. Mejia is a great rider. My legs hurt today but Costa Rica is a country where I feel great and I love it,” Leao Pinto said.
Despite the convincing victory, Leao Pinto said he has not won the race yet, "the race has just begun, it's mountain biking, it is unpredictable, you can be forward today and tomorrow many things that can happen to leave you out of the race, then every day we are trying recover well.”
Brief Results
| # | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Luis Leao Pinto (POR) Skotiabank | 4:35:31 |
| 2 | Luis Mejía (COL) Coopenae Movistar | 0:10:27 |
| 3 | Joseph Betalú (ESP) Constructora ARPO Specialized | 0:14:28 |
| 4 | Héctor Riveros (COL) Constructora ARPO Specialized | 0:15:02 |
| 5 | Eddy Pérez (CRC) Seven Capital | 0:17:19 |
| 6 | Paolo Montoya (CRC) Specialized Team | 0:21:14 |
| 7 | Ibon Zugasti (ESP) Where is the limit ProBike | 0:26:11 |
| 8 | Diyer Rincón (COL) Constructora ARPO Specialized | 0:26:12 |
| 9 | Deiber Esquivel (CRC) ScotiabankDos PinosDeloitteCiclo Guilly | 1:04:42 |
| 10 | Todd Wells (USA) Specialized | 0:31:48 |
| # | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Angela Parra (COL) CoopenaeEconomyMovistar | 5:56:21 |
| 2 | Xiomara Guerrero (COL) Specialized Team | 0:28:32 |
| # | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rodney Burgos (CRC) BM | 5:33:22 |
| 2 | Carlos Trujillo (COL) Individual | 0:08:26 |
| # | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Willy Quirós (CRC) Individual | 5:56:21 |
| # | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pablo Leiva (CRC) Aerodiva | 5:47:21 |
-
Best gravel shoes 2026: All the best options for every kind of gravel cycling
The best gravel shoes on the market, from racy options through to hike-a-bike workhorses for bikepackers -
'Patrick Lefevere, you're a knucklehead' - Former Grand Tour winner Chris Horner reacts in video to recent comments by former Soudal-QuickStep boss and on development of Remco Evenepoel
'You guys haven't taught him tactically how to race his bike yet' retired US pro says about apparent lack of strategy used by Evenepoel in big road races against Pogačar -
'We learned from yesterday' - Nienke Veenhoven improves to podium on second day at UAE Tour Women to reaffirm her sprint pedigree
21-year-old Dutch rider says team adjusted tactics, 'it’s better to be safe at the back than in the mess in the peloton' -
'Let's just hope it doesn't snow for three weeks' – Wout van Aert on track to start at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad as poor weather hits Visma's altitude camp
Dutch team delighted with star Belgian's progress after ankle fracture in January, but stress he isn't ready just yet
