I Have a Dream...
A DREAM THAT WAS BORN IN A SMALL COUNTRY...
NAMED COSTA RICA.
THE DREAM WAS TO BECOME ONE OF THE BEST BICYCLE RIDERS IN THE WORLD.
Sponsors
Even The Impossible Is Possible
GOALS ACCOMPLISHED
- La Ruta de los Conquistadores Champion 2009
- California State Champion Pro 2008
- Costa Rica National XCO Champion 2009
- California State Champion Pro 2008
- 8th Overall NORBA-NMBS National XC Series Pro/Elite Class
- 3rd Overall Leadville 100 Right behind Lance Armstrong
- 6 Time Finisher La Ruta de los Conquistadores 1st Overall in 2009
- 2 Time Winner of the Vision Quest Marathon race, considered one of the top 3 hardest races in the USA
- #1 Semi Pro in the United States 2006-2007 Season
- California State Champion Semi-Pro 2006-2007
- 14th Place Overall BMX X-Games, earning top 20 in the world rankings
- “Life is hard, and if you want something you need to get out there and go get it ”
MY PASSION
I have been riding BMX and MTB for many years and I will always remember how I got to where I am today, the journey I took from a farm worker in Costa Rica, to top 10 in the USA Pro ranks.
The moment my tires touch the starting line, I remember who I am and where I am going. My passion is leading the way.
After making the american dream a reality I started to think big, to become one of the best riders in the world. It all started after I made the 2003 X-Games, only the top 20 riders in the world can qualify for the event and after making the cut I realized that dreams can come true.
Join me on my journey to the top of the Mountain Bike racing world.
Twitter Updates
Latest Racing News:
12/02/09:La Ruta detailed race report with full image gallery Click here to read more
11/11/09:Manuel manny Prado wins Stage one of the 2009 La Ruta de los Conquistadores, a dream come true! Click here for top 7 results
11/10/09: Race starts tomorrow, we will give you something to read in the mean time: 2009 La Ruta Pre-Ride Day 3 Report Click here for full story and image gallery
11/8/09: 2009 La Ruta Pre-Ride Day 2 Report Click here for full story and image gallery
11/6/09: 2009 La Ruta Pre-Ride Day 1 Report Click here for full story and image gallery
11/4/09: 2009 La Ruta Pre-Race Report Click here to read story
9/9/09: Check out the latest Newsletter with a brand new Photo Gallery from last years La Ruta and much more Click here to read more
9/3/09: Over the Hump local race report from Oakley.com Click here to read more
8/20/09: Leadville Trail 100 Race Report, Race or Survival. Leadville Race Report
8/4/09: A major mechanical took away my chances of a top 50 finish at the UCI World Cup race in Bromont, lost both my brakes due to the muddy conditions, after the dirt and grim wore out my pads and destryed my disc rotors, at that point all I could do was to ride the climbs and run de descents. 81st finish after all of that. Pictures coming soon.
7/29/09: Manuel Prado's first UCI World Cup Experience.
Click here for Report with details and pictures
5/25/09: Manuel Prado wins Costa Rica National XCO Championships and brings to the USA the Costa Rica Colors to represent his country at all the US Cup and the Pro XCT Races.
Click here for PDF with Race report and pictures
5/20/09: Saris Cycling News letter featured an articule about Manuel Prado and the Traverse Race.
Click here for PDF with story and Power data analysis
5/12/09: The Traverse Race, Prado takes first place to defend his title .
Click here for PDF with story and write up
5/2/09: Prado and Taberlay finish 1-2 at the Idyllwild Spring Challenge taking home more than $2000 in cash purse, a day later Prado decided to race the San Luis Rey 90mile road race in San Diego.
Click here for PDF with story and pictures
4/26/09: Prado finished 7th at the Kenda Cup West and holds on to 3rd Place Overall in the Series, with 2 more races to go the Costa Rican has a chance to better his overall result.
4/8/09: Saris Cycling Group Featured Manuel Prado in the latest CycleOps Power News Article.
Click here for PDF story and pictures
4/5/09: Epic Racing in San Diego, Prado takes 5th Place at the 3rd Stop of the Kenda Cup West.
Click here for PDF with story and pictures
3/22/09: 14th Place in the Continent for Manuel Prado at the Pan-American Championships, race took place in Santiago Chile.
Click here for PDF with story and pictures
3/22/09: 14vo Lugar para Prado en el Continente, despues de los juegos Panamericanos los cuales se llevaron a cabo en Santiago Chile.
Hacer click aca para bajar PDF con historia y fotos
3/10/09: Manuel Prado featured in the Orange County Register after winning the 2009 Vision Quest.
More Media Coverage can be found here
3/5/09: Manuel Prado to attend the Pan American Games to represent Costa Rica, the XC Race will take place in Santiago Chile this Sunday March 22nd.
Spanish website with more info can be found here
3/5/09: Manuel Prado fue electo para representar a Costa Rica en el Campeonato Panamericano de MTB, el evento de Cross Country se llevará a cabo en Santiago Chile el 22 de Marzo, para Manuel su elección es todo un honor y un sueño hecho realidad.
Pagina web en Español con mas información la puedes encontrar acá
Comunicado de prensa PDF hacer click aca
3/4/09: Team Sho-Air/Specialized to race at the 2009 BC Bike race, the duo Manuel Prado and Sam Jurekovic will be at the multy day Epic Singletrack race to battle at the front of the pack.
PDF with more info and pictures can be found here
3/1/09: The first run of the Kenda Cup West hosted over 680 riders, the Pro Class had over 35 top local, national and international riders fighting to get a top finish, Prado end up in the Podium in 5th place with team mates Sid and Sam in 1st and 2nd.
Cyclingnews online article can be found here
PDF Press release can be found here
2/26/09: The Sea Otter Classic Featured Manuel Prado on their latest press release "Spokespeople for the Sea Otter Classic".
Click here to read the online related story
2/20/09: Official US Cup website is up and running.
Click here to visit the website
2/06/09: The U.S. Cup presented by Specialized has announced that it will be pulling out all the stops at the opening round of the Kenda Cup West series by hiring the In N Out cook out trailer to feed five hundred racers at the March 1st event..
Click here to read full details
2/5/09: MBaction magazine featured a picture of Manuel Prado on a article titled "10 Tips to ride away winter fat".
Visit the Media Coverage for Pictures and related story
1/25/09: La Ruta to remain with 4 day format, but with some new free features like the mechanic service and more.
1/25/09: La Ruta mantendrá formato de 4 dìas para la edición 2009, en el 2010 se veran los cambios anticipados.
Comunicado de prensa con detalles acá
1/15/09: El equipo Sho-Air se convierte en Sho-Air/Specialized USA Factory, Sam Jurecovik, Sid Taberlay y Manuel Prado representaran la escuadra en la categoria Elite-Pro, agradecimientos especiales para Luis Rueda por el comunicado.
Hacer click aca pare leer el comunicado de prensa
1/12/09: Sho-Air becomes Specialized Factory USA team, Sam Jurecovik, Sid Taberlay and Manuel Prado will represent the two companies in the Pro-Elite categorie.
Velonews article with the details can be found here
1/10/09: Still really early on the season for racing, but give me a start and a finish line and I will be there to race, the Fontana Winter Series #1 was fun and really windy too.
Click here for full results and pictures
1/05/09: La Revista Española Solobici publico un articulo de 8 paginas en el cual encontraras una buena historia y muchas fotos de la Ruta de los Conquistadores. Agradecimientos especiales a Jose Lopez Guillen por la revista.
Hacer click aca para ver la revista
1/03/09: The Spanish Magazine Solobici published an 8 page article about the la Ruta de los Conquistadores race, lots of cool pictures and a great story.
12/23/08: Mountain Bike Action featured a article named "survival tips" by Manuel Prado.
Check it out the article here, it may save you from having to walk home some day!
12/17/08: Saris Cycling group published Prado's La Ruta article, click on the link below to read more.
12/10/08: 2009 Pro Cross Country Mountain Bike Tour and US Cup unveiled, Scott Tedro from Sho-Air International along with sponsors and USA Cycling worked very hard to make this series happened, click below for all the details
12/07/08: Como street one of the biggest group rides in Orange County hosted the annual memorial Roger's cup this past Sunday. Typically a fast group ride, this time a race to make riders aware of respecting traffic signals and to be careful when on the road. Sho-Air showed complete domination at the front of the race, Prado was there to support the team acting as a domestique on the climbs to make sure no one will attack or get away.
12/04/08: Superbike star Ben Bostron joints team Sho-Air, after joining we took him to the local trails at Aliso Woods, he showed superb skills and top notch fitness.
Click here for Velonews article
11/30/08: Wonder how La Ruta went down this year? Check out the race report to find out what happened at the front of the race, on it you can find some tips and pointers on how to improve your endurance race preparation.
11/20/08: After 5 years of hard work, dedication and great support from Team Sho-Air Prado was able to stand on the podium of the toughest race in the world
Click here for full results after the final stage
11/12/08: As expected day 1 of La Ruta was really hard, broken chain in the first 40k, after that it was a 3 hour battle to close the 5 minute gap to Roberto Heras and Thomas Dietsch at the end I felt strong and end up ahead of both of them with Heras just 3 seconds back and third place in the horizon at less than 2 minutes Click here for full results
11/10/08: Everything is ready for Prado to start his journey accross Costa Rica with his new sub 20 pounds race machine at the famous La Ruta de los Conquistadores race Pictures and story here
10/19/08: Tuning up the engine Prado wins the Baja Ultra Endurance, but not without a battle with the Turbo team riders. Full race report here
10/17/08: La Ruta de los Conquistadores reveals top contenders for the 2008 edition, Prado is consodered a factor in the toughest MTB Stage Race in the world. Check out the details here
10/14/08: Prado takes the Pro-Elite California State Series title, with a win at the final race in Big Bear he closed his 2008 Cross Country Calendar with a great victory Check out the race report here
10/1/08: Prado has the California State Series wrapped up, at the final race in Big Bear in 2 weeks he will be crowned the Pro-Elite Califonia State Champion California State Series
Standings
9/3/08: In his first Pro-Elite Season Manuel Prado finishes 8th Overal in the NMBS (NORBA) Series National Moutnain Bike Series
Standings 2008
8/09/08: Manuel Prado 3rd Overall in Leadville Trail 100 right behind 7 time Tour de France winner Lance
Armstrong
Leadville Trail 100 Video, Pictures and Results
8/1/08: Toyota FJ Cruiser Magazine featured Manuel Prado driving the car, riding on steep terrain at Aliso Woods and more....
Click here to check out the magazine with full photos
5/29/08: Learn how to pace yourself, winning the Idyllwild spring challenge. Cyclops Power, Saris Cycling Group
The Idyllwild Spring Challenge
2008 Sea Otter Classic