Press and Media Center

XTERRA World Tour in Mexico

Stop number eight on the XTERRA World Tour takes us to a new venue at Tapalpa for the XTERRA Mexico Championship on Saturday.  A handful of pros have made a run for the border to take part in the event including Seth Wealing, Branden Rakita, Will Kelsay, young Canadian Karsten Madsen, and reigning XTERRA World Champ Shonny Vanlandingham (her main competition will come from former Olympian Fabiola Corona).

XTERRA managing director “Kahuna Dave” Nicholas also made the trip, and brings us this preview after his first day on the ground…

The new venue is the village of Tapalpa in Valle de Lago, an easy 90-minute commute from the Guadalajara airport in rural Mexico.  The village has a classic air about it – an old church from the 1700’s and a “new” church from 1908, cobblestone streets, a beautiful tree lined town square, and raised sidewalks with wood roofs.  There are loads of vendors and neat small shops, hotels and restaurants.  As you leave the square, one of the main streets is nicknamed “Hungry Street” as there are at least a dozen Taco grills going that serve unbelievably tasty tacos, enchiladas, beans and tamales.

Valle de Lago is about 6-kilometers away from town and is home to the first private lake in Mexico and a very lovely housing area.  The lake and land are next to a geological phenomenon known as Las Piedrotas.  Huge volcanic boulders that just popped out of the land and sit there.  There are a million stories about them – from aliens putting them there to the Gods had a fight and threw them at each other.  Regardless of how they arrived, they are something to see.  As you drive into Valle de Lago you also pass a big Jesuit Monastery.  Everywhere you go is just beautiful.  The elevation is just over 6,000’ so the weather is cool in the evening and mornings. The countryside is very green with tall forests of pine and eucalyptus and mountains everywhere.

The race has two transitions.  Start and T1 at Valle de Lago and T2 and the finish in the town square at Tapalpa.  I expect lots of spectators, food vendors, mariachis and more at T2 and the finish.  Here it is called Fiesta and they will celebrate with fireworks, and cowboys doing those fabulous rope tricks.

The bike start is tight and goes around the lake.  About 1K in athletes will have a short, steep downhill that rides directly into an old cable and wood bridge.  This thing sways and moves far worse than what we have experienced on the footbridge in Richmond.  I cannot imagine what it will be like with three or four bikes crossing.

This quick 1K tight start is followed by another 1K of road that completes the turn around the lake and then goes into the mountains.  Total climbing is not bad, about 600-meters.  How technical depends on a riders skill level, but locals are saying it is lots of fun but not difficult.  Athletes will finish the bike on the cobblestones of Tapalpa riding into the town square next to the best outdoor bar in town.  Friends and family can reserve a table outside, and right across the street from T2 and the finish they can buy a bottle of excellent Jalisco Tequila!  Honest, I am not kidding.  If you want a table; you buy the Tequila.

Now, if any athletes out there reading this did not come here because you heard about drug cartels shooting everyone or civil problems, you are paying way too much attention to a media that thrives on sensationalism and tragedy.  Guadalajara is a vibrant, successful town.  Construction is going on everywhere, there are good roads, parks and everything you would want from a foreign capital.  Tapalpa is stunning in its simplistic beauty -  farms, horses, cattle, sheep.  An old, old village that knows who it is and keeps to its traditions.  Walking in town at night is romantic and fun as the locals are also out strolling, old trucks rolling by with Mexican music playing.  It is a wonderful experience.