For those who managed to survive long enough to reach the third and final stage of La Ruta had "only" the easiest day of riding left. Thankfully, the weather was a bit kinder to racers than it had been the previous two days. While temperatures were over 90°, the sun was behind cloud cover the entire race providing necessary relief.

The morning was filled with still more steep and challenging peaks to conquer. The final climb meanders through villages, consisting of no more than seven houses and a single bar, serving as watering hole, convenient store and post office. Local children provided a welcomed lift as they rode alongside racers. This was a needed mental break, as the final long ascent was on a road unlike anything most "gringos" have ever witnessed. Racers and souped-up 4X4 support vehicles alike had a difficult time managing the terrain, as the entire road consisted of various sized boulders, making each crank a significant strained effort.

The racers at the front, local Jose Adrian Bonilla and American Tinker Juarez, maintained a blistering pace. Both riders pushed at an incredible pace. One member of the support team commented, "We were in trucks and couldn't keep up with these guys. On downhills they'd just disappear...even on the flats Bonilla and Tinker were passing cars."

Following an eight-mile paved downhill, the mind games began. Race organizers seemed to take great pleasure in having beat on racers physically for two days straight. Then, Day 3... time to see how they could last psychologically. Just when riders thought it was time to enjoy the Costa Rican countryside, they discovered that race developer Roman Urbina was playing a game as they were forced to endure miles of uneven railroad ties and crossings on ancient suspension bridges that crossed high above alligator-infested rivers.

Reaching the finish at the Coast, Bonilla and Tinker crossed the line just seconds apart, with Bonilla just slightly ahead and locking in the win in front of a huge crowd.

The day's biggest cheer came later that day as American racer Brett Wolfe became the first single crank (one-legged) rider to ever complete this grueling event. Hundreds of supporters saved their biggest roar for Wolfe as he crossed the line in an almost deafening sign of support.

— Courtesy, Back to the Earth Group