15/10/2020

REGISTRATION DAY: BIKES, BEER AND BACKPACKS IN VALLE DE BRAVO

Valle de Bravo turned on the sunshine for the opening day of the 2020 Haute Route Mexico. Riders collected their rider packs and had a cold beer thanks to BMW on the Thursday afternoon. After the final stage briefing in the evening, there was nothing left for riders to do but rest up before conquering the picturesque mountains of Valle de Bravo tomorrow.

STAGE ONE: FROM MAGICAL VALLE

As the sun rose over Valle de Bravo this morning, the peloton headed for the hills. While the riders tried to conserve as much energy as possible as they left the village, there was little to prepare them for the challenging gradients ahead.

The windy climb to Arco Donato Guerra proved a punishing start to the day, with gradients up to a brutal 20% keeping riders on their toes. But spirits remained high, with riders tempted with dramatic glimpses of the surrounding mountains through breaks in the forest.

The leading group kept a high pace, working the flat sections to try and catch the race leader as the temperature rose throughout the day.

Having navigated the technical road conditions with finesse, riders were rewarded for their efforts with a stunning ride back down to Valle de Bravo and breathtaking views of the lake.

Best of all, there was not a single victim of the broom wagon, with every single competitor finishing the stage.

STAGE TWO: ONE FOR THE AGES

From lush rainforests, to the foot of Nevado de Toluca, through rugged highlands and sleepy villages, Stage Two of Haute Route Mexico was all-time.

Accumulating 2735m over 145km, the Queen Stage brought together a world-class selection of climbs through some of Mexico’s most beautiful landscapes and colourful villages.

After yesterday’s adventure around the secret backroads of Valle de Bravo, the classic ascent to the Nevado de Toluca volcano on some outstanding velvety roads - plus a few cobbles, of course - was the perfect second stage in great conditions.