Saturday 19 December 2009
The World's Most Dangerous Road (?)
Although it feels as though I've been riding on the world's most dangerous road for much of the last 29,744 miles, in 1995 the road from La Cumbra to Coroico in Bolivia was named as the most dangerous. Known as the road of death its a single track dirt road that clings to the side of a mountain with drop-offs of up to 600m, with an estimated 200 to 300 fatalities a year.
In 2006 a new road was opened which now takes most of the traffic, leaving the old road to be used mainly by mountain bikers and television presenters.
Although its undoubtedly no longer the world's most dangerous road it has still claimed the lives of 11 cyclists.
For more on the road of death click here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/6136268.stm