The World’s Fastest Downhill Mountain Bike Ride in the Atacama desert

The World’s Fastest Downhill Mountain Bike Ride in the Atacama desert

Chile, south-america

Length

167 km

Elevation

3,972 m

Difficulty

moderate

Best Season

Year-round

Okay, picture this: you're carving down a mountain in the Chilean desert, wind screaming past you, scenery blurring... pure adrenaline! This isn't your average Sunday cruise; we're talking about the very slope where Austrian daredevil Max Stöckl smashed the world speed record on a stock mountain bike.

We’re at Cerro "El Flaco", peaking at almost 4,000 meters. The initial slope is a heart-stopping 45 degrees, and the run is a nail-biting 1.2km blast from top to bottom. Stöckl himself said it was an exhausting 20 seconds of pure exhilaration! While I wouldn't advise trying to hit 167 km/h yourself, just imagine the view and the rush – definitely a trip for the adventurous soul.

Where is it?

The World’s Fastest Downhill Mountain Bike Ride in the Atacama desert is located in Chile (south-america). Coordinates: -34.1772, -73.0510

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Road Details

Country
Chile
Continent
south-america
Length
167 km
Max Elevation
3,972 m
Difficulty
moderate
Coordinates
-34.1772, -73.0510

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