The third round of the 2018 National Intense Enduro series took place in the mountains not far from Oaxaca city on Saturday, 5 May 2018. The race was held in three stages, using some of the nearby trails popular with local riders. The first stage utilized the Veredita trail, which begins at the summit of a logging road 3.2 miles (5.1 kms) above the village of Guacamaya 23 miles (37 kms) north of Oaxaca city in the Sierra Norte range. With the starting gate at an altitude of 9051 feet (2758 meters), this was the highest point of the race circuit. This trail runs downhill 8.6 miles (13.8 kms), ending near the town of San Miguel Etla, a descent of 4998 feet (1523 meters). From that point, race contestants had to either shuttle or pedal back up the mountain to the ecotourism camp of Cieneguillas, where they then rode the single track Cieneguillas trail 3.9 miles (5.2 kms) down to San Agustin Etla, losing 2240 feet (683 meters) along the way. Then it was back up the mountainside to catch a short portion of the Carroñera race course trail, which drops 2.0 miles (3.2 kms) back to San Agustin, generally following the aqueduct that carries water into the village. This last section was the mildest, dropping just 863 feet (263 meters). The race concluded at the Casa de las Artes in San Agustin, a very impressive structure that once housed a large textile mill, now converted into a center which displays traveling exhibits of art from Mexico and other countries of Central America.
Map of the Veredita trail:
Map of the Cieneguillas trail:
Map of San Agustin Etla Aqueduct trail:
