Red Bull Challenge in the Mine
Have you ever imagined going down 120 meters - equivalent to a 30-story building - on a bicycle? What about doing that inside a goldmine? Well, then, prepare your emotions because that is going to happen. It is the Red Bull Challenge in the Goldmine.
For the first time, the miners' workplace is going to stage an adventure on two wheels. The event will take place between March 24th and 26th.
Among the twenty athletes from all over the world, are Markolf Berchtold (Santa Catarina – Brazil) – Brazilian biker best ranked in international competitions -, Nathan Rennie (Santa Cruz Syndicate/SRAM/RockShox) (Australia) and Gee Atherton (England), both among the UCI top 10 ranking, and Kyle Strait (USA). Competitors might reach a speed of up to 60km/h while following the same path that miners used to take in their adventures while searching for gold. The gold is now a R$35 thousand-real award.
The place chosen for the Red Bull Challenge in the Goldmine is "Mina da Passagem" (the Passage Mine) located in Mariana (State of Minas Gerais), a historical city. The mine was deactivated 20 years ago but it still contains the precious metal. Extraction was interrupted because the method used there was very outdated, which would result in loss rather than profit.
This mine is a fantastic place. It has got many galleries and lakes with crystal clear water. It is the biggest goldmine open for public visitation in the world and also a favourite spot for adventure sports.
The competition starts outside the mine. In these stretch bikers will come across eight artificial obstacles to be overcome and natural challenges such as rocks and depressions. At the entrance of the mine the great slope is a completely new scenery in downhill competitions: without sunlight bikers will go 120 meters deep
."The entrance of the mine and the second curve that gives access to the galleries are the most difficult parts of the competition", says Tadeu Monteiro, the competition's technical director. For him this is a c ompetition with a high degree of difficulty. "Athletes will have to prepare to travel the final stretch. It is 60 meters long, which is not common in downhill biking."
The circuit's full length is 650 meters. On Thursday, March 23rd, athletes will map out the route on foot. On Friday there will be open free practice. Qualifying rounds will be held on Saturday – the ten best bikers will go to the finals on Sunday, March 26th. The judging criterion for all rounds will be the fastest down-hill time. Awards amount to $35 thousand reais ( equivalent a U$15,000 dollars)
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