With less than three days before the 14th edition of La Ruta de los Conquistadores commences, organizers of the three-day mountain bike race across Costa Rica unveiled final 2006 course details on Tuesday. As usual the numbers are mind numbing.Total distance: 176.4 miles.Total climbing: 28,858 feet.Total maximum finish time: 35 hours.“It’s going to be an interesting three days,” said American Adam Craig, who was joined by Jeremiah Bishop and Colombian Leonardo Paez at the pre-race press conference held at the San Jose Hampton Inn on the outskirts of the Central American country’s sprawling capital. “It’s a fun way to end the season. I’m excited to finally check out the legend that is La Ruta.”

Craig (Giant) may have changed his tune after watching a power point presentation outlining the race’s three stages, which kick off at 5:15 a.m. Friday in the Pacific Ocean beach town of Jáco. Other notable numbers included the percentage of the first day course on mud (48.51) and the amount of train track on day 3 (15 miles).

“This is one of the biggest adventures of my season,” said Bishop who finished fifth a year ago in his first La Ruta attempt. Asked what he learned in his first go round, the Trek-Volkswagen rider didn’t hesitate. “This time I brought a hard tail and some mud tires.”

Bishop’s equipment choices may well be moot if Paez (Full Dynamix) rides as well as he did at the recent Pan American Championships in Brazil. The thin Colombian won going away, finishing 5:01 ahead of second place finisher Mathieu Toulouse. Bishop was fourth at 5:40.

“The guy outclassed all of us,” said Bishop, who was part of a U.S. contingent in Brazil that also included Craig, and 2004 Olympians Todd Wells and Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski. “He probably would have won marathon world’s too if his descending skills were better. The guy can flat out climb.”

Indeed, Paez is an emerging star in the mountain bike world. Already this year he’s won the overall World Cup marathon crown, placed second at marathon world’s, and was fifth in the cross-country race at the world championships in New Zealand.

Filling out the best men’s pro field in La Ruta’s history will be defending champion Thomas Frischknecht (Swisspower), former Trans Rockies winner Andreas Hestler (Rocky Mountain) and endurance racing legend Tinker Juarez (Cannondale). Of course there will also be a strong contingent of Ticos.

“The Costa Ricans can’t be counted out,” added Bishop, noting that until last year the locals had never been beaten here. “This thing plays out like a road race. They ride as a very cohesive unit and use every trick in the book.”

Here's a breakdown of each stage. Check back to VeloNews.com throughout the race for stage reports, photos and results.