Biking in the blood: U.S. champion mountain biker Marla Streb tears through the Costa Rican jungle, where she will be offering skills camps starting in June.

Photo courtesy of Marla Streb

Professional mountain biker Marla Streb has won world and U.S. national championships, taken gold in the extreme-action-sport X Games, and biked professionally across the globe. Now she's ready to tackle the jungles of Costa Rica, and is inviting beginner and advanced bikers along for the ride.

This year, Streb debuts her mountain bike skills camp in the jungle around Montezuma, a Pacific beach community on the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula. Her three-day, four-night camp aims to help bikers of all abilities improve their riding skills and techniques, while allowing them to enjoy Costa Rica's myriad other attractions.

Streb, 43, says she chose Costa Rica as the site for her camp after racing La Ruta de Conquistadores five years ago with her pro team, Luna. The world-class, four-day race starts in Jacó, on the central Pacific coast, and ends in the Caribbean port of Limón.

“After I raced (La Ruta) the first time, I stayed with a friend in Montezuma,” Streb says. “I loved the town and its relative remoteness. After exploring the country further, I found the Nicoya Peninsula to be a good place for trails, because it doesn't get as much rain as many other areas.”

Adventures with Streb and her camp will include morning skills clinics in which participants will work with Streb and her team of other pro coaches to learn about the mechanics of biking, tricks and jumps, as well as proper balance and bailout techniques. Afternoons will give the bikers the opportunity for yoga, surfing, ziplining and snorkeling.

Participants don't have to worry about getting their bikes down to Costa Rica, as Streb provides the bikes for the camp. This year, participants will have the use of 10 Orbea Occams, high-end mountain bikes that retail for about $4,000 each, Streb says.

“Participants can literally bring only a helmet and shoes,” Streb says. “We'll take care of the rest.”

See the Weekend section of this week's Tico Times print or digital edition for the full article on Streb and the camp.