Manuel “Manny” Prado takes Costa Rican XCO National Championships
6/5/09- Sho-Air/Specialized's Manuel Prado took the Costa Rica National XCO Championship last Sunday against all local favorites. The California based racer came forward from 3rd place with only one lap to go and defeated the local favorite Federico “Lico” Ramírez (BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS) who has won 6 National tittles, including the past two titles in a row and was holding a consistent lead of 50 seconds at that point. Nevertheless, “Manny” managed to overcome Ramírez and Carballo after battling with them for more than two hours on the very technical trails of the old National Horse Race Track, located at the province of Cartago, “Lico’s" Hometown, some 20 kilometers east from the capital city of San José.

“Lico”, the 34 years old “veteran” best known for his unmatched record of five victories at the most famed Costa Rican race La Ruta de los Conquistadores, finally finished third after being passed by Jonathan Carballo (CitiBank-Economy Rent a Car-Blue) as well, 5Km before the finish line.

Manny Prado on his way to winning the Costa Rican XCO National Championships.

“I dreamed of this so many times and now it is true!”, exclaimed Prado. “I thought I would need at least two more years to win my country’s National Championship it certainly was on my “things to achieve” list; it is just that I wasn’t expecting to get it this soon”, he said. Prado put special emphasis on the fact of having beaten a rider considered as a Costa Rican legend and one of his personal idols.

“I respect ‘Lico’ Ramirez so much. He is not only my colleague but my friend as well; this is so unexplainable. What I’m feeling right now is something I can’t describe”, added this 27 year’s old from Mission Viejo, who will be turning 28 next Thursday.

This triumph reminded him the old times when he was a BMX Freestyle rider and first went to the United States following his own star.

“There was this ‘flatland’ rider that I admired a lot and always tried to follow his steps. When I left Costa Rica to enter the X-Games in the States I faced him at the finals and I won that race and the sense was pretty similar”, he remembered.

“I can’t let this pass without thanking my team manager Ty Kady and Company owner of Sho-Air International, Scott Tedro. He has helped the sport out a lot, specially my goals and dreams, he simply does it because he loves the sport. Now Sho-Air is also supporting the US Cup and that’s something we all have to thank Scott for”.

Podium: 1st Manuel Prado (Sho Air-Specialized), 2nd Jonathan Carballo
(CitiBank-Economy Rent a Car-Blue), 3rd Federico Ramírez (BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS)

“Besides, I would like to send a big kiss and a huge hug to my wife Amalia for all the comprehension, support and the love she gives me”.

This victory will definitely push Manny to aim higher for the rest of the season and for the upcoming years. Next boxes to check on his list are a podium at the US Cup and to achieve another dream he has had since he started racing mountain bike races five years ago: get the title of La Ruta de los Conquistadores for his own.

This is something that we might consider pretty achievable at this point taking in account that his career has been closely related to the history of this event. Manuel was 37th at his first La Ruta; then he climbed to the 21st place; 11th the year after; and finally step up to the podium with his 5th position last year. However, as a pro racer and a dedicated athlete who has nothing but a promising future, Manuel has no doubt to point to what he considers as his major goal before finishing his cycling career: Representing Costa Rica at the Olympics.

Costa Rica XCO National Championships
1- Manuel Prado (Sho Air-Specialized) 2:37:51
2- Jonathan Carballo (CitiBank-Economy Rent a Car-Blue) @ 1:30
3- Federico Ramírez (BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS) @ 3:20