Ben Sonntag is almost at the finish as the stage 1 winner.(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
Louise Kobin crosses the finish line in second.(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
The lead moto crosses a stream(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Alex Grant(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Sam Schultz at the head of the lead group.(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
A temporary drop in pace by the leaders(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
The leaders on a dirt road(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Sam Schultz takes a pull(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Staying hydrated was important(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Sam Schultz sits on the Cannondale train.(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Sitting in was helpful with long road stretches during stage 1(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
The men's lead group was whittled down by attrition.(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
There was plenty of gravel jeep trails and roads in today's stage(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
The leaders ask the moto-train for info on their whereabouts relative to the finish.(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Crossing a wooden bridge(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Cannondale racers run the stream crossing(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Rebecca Rusch out on course during stage 1(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Two riders finish together.(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Sometimes it was better for the drivetrain to get off and run the stream crossings(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
The lead moto at a stream crossing(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Ismael Ventura Sanchez runs with his bike(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Feed zone time at the aid station(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Ismael Ventura Sanchez came all the way from Spain.(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Ben Sonntag at the front of the lead group(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Alex Grant (Cannondale)(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Rebecca Rusch(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Rebecca Rusch was happy to race her own pace during stage 1(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Rebecca Rusch(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Rebecca Rusch racing in stage 1(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Louise Kobin racing at La Ruta(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Angela Parra after winning(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Louise Kobin after stage 1(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Rebecca Rusch rode her own pace in stage 1(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Rebecca Rusch was happy with her stage 1 ride(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Rebecca Rusch after stage 1(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Rebecca Rusch on a road section of La Ruta stage 1(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Rebecca Rusch(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Rebecca Rusch has won the 24-hour solo Worlds three times.(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Alex Grant coped well with the tropical heat despite coming from Utah(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Luis Mejia Sanchez rode a strong race.(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
La Ruta groupies followed the men's leaders(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Ben Sonntag leads Alex Grant(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Alex Grant gives Sam Schultz a bath.(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Sam Schultz racing during stage 1(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Sam Schultz (Subaru - Trek)(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Blake Harlan (Jamis)(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Javier Lanzuela Sanchez(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Louise Kobin races toward second place.(Image credit: Lead Adventure Media)
Luis Mejia Sanchez chases Ben Sonntag(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
Alex Grant struggled to fend off the cramps near the end of stage 1(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
Luis Mejia Sanchez blazes downhill(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
Ben Sonntag looks back after a counterattack that sprung him loose off the front.(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
The three leaders: Luis Mejia Sanchez, Ben Sonntag and Alex Grant after Sam Schultz got a flat.(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
The leaders on a long climb mid-race.(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
The media caravan(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
Alex Grant holds a bottle(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
The leaders(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
A typical Costa Rican house en route(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
A view from the long climb to checkpoint #4.(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
Luis Mejia Sanchez looked to be in good shape on the climbs and often set the pace.(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
Past winner Federico Ramirez looks down at his soft, rear tire.(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
Ben Sonntag looks over his shoulder to size up his advantage near the end of the stage.(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
Louise Kobin after the finish.(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
Angela Parra after winning stage 1(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
The final kilometer of the stage looked like this. Yes, racers had to negotiate this kind of traffic, but sprint finishes weren't an issue.(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
Blake Harlan rides toward the finish.(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
Louise Kobin within 12km of the finish.(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
Louise Kobin rode strongly and steadily to second place.(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
La Ruta race veteran Louise Kobin(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
Colombian Angela Parra en route to victory(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
Unlike the men's leaders, the lead woman rode virtually on her own, with just one lead moto and often no media caravan.(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
Angela Parra climbs(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
Colombian Angela Parra out of the saddle on a steep section.(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
Angela Parra (Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
Alex Grant at the finish, in third place.(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
Ben Sonntag rides solo, almost at the finish.(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
Luis Mejia Sanchez set the pace most of the way up a long paved climb en route to checkpoint #4, but the Cannondale riders didn't let him get any advantage.(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
Some riders rode up this steep, slippery grade.(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
Others had to walk.(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
Ironbike winner Ismael Ventura Sanchez(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
Alex Grant pushes up a steep grade.(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
Federico Ramirez and Luis Mejia Sanchez at the front of the men's lead group before checkpoint two(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
ATVs were the way to get around.(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)