Atacama Challenger MTB — San Pedro de Atacama

Atacama Challenger will start on Thursday, May 21, in San Pedro de Atacama, with organizers billing the 2026 edition as a four-day, four-stage mountain-bike race and host venue for the Iberoamericano de Mountain Bike Maratón in elite and amateur categories. The event runs through Sunday, May 24, across desert routes in northern Chile, according to the race’s official website and local coverage. Organizers say the race, founded in 2013 in El Loa province, has become one of the best-known desert stage events in the region. This year’s edition adds continental weight because the opening day also serves as the Ibero-American Cross Country Marathon championship. ### Why is this year’s edition drawing more attention than a normal race weekend? The 2026 race is being staged as the Iberoamericano XCM Chile 2026 for elite and amateur riders, a role highlighted by both the organizers and Chilean local media. That means the Atacama Challenger is not only running its usual multi-stage format but also carrying an official championship event inside the program. Antofagasta Noticias reported on May 13 that San Pedro de Atacama was preparing for one of the year’s biggest sports events in the area, with the race bringing high-profile riders to the desert. (atacamachallenger.cl) Separate local reports published in April and May said competitors from roughly 15 countries in the Americas and the Iberian Peninsula were expected to take part. ### What exactly is on the schedule from May 21 to 24? The official event site says the 2026 edition has expanded to four days and four stages, running from May 21 through May 24. Ticketing information published through Welcu says the first stage will be the Iberoamericano de Ciclismo Cross Country Maratón for elite and amateur riders under the event program. Welcu’s event page also says the four-day federated-rider package covers the full competition and lists separate purchase options by category. (antofagastanoticias.cl) Organizers have not, in the material reviewed, published a full stage-by-stage route breakdown in the snippets available through search, but they consistently describe the format as four stages over the long holiday weekend. (atacamachallenger.cl) ### How big is the race field and how hard is the course? Local reports published in April and May said the race would cover about 230 kilometers over the four stages. Chillan Online reported that the 2026 field would include 700 riders, while other local coverage emphasized the mix of desert sand, trails and high-altitude terrain around San Pedro de Atacama. (welcu.com) San Pedro de Atacama gives the race a distinctive setting because the course runs through one of the driest desert regions in the world and at elevation. The official event site describes the draw as a combination of natural formations, desert scenery and local Indigenous Likan culture, while also presenting the race as an internationally recognized endurance event. ### Which riders and countries are expected in San Pedro de Atacama? (chillanonline.cl) Antofagasta Noticias and other Chilean local outlets said the event would bring riders from American and Iberian countries, including Portugal and Spain. The reports available through search results do not provide a complete confirmed start list in the preview material, but they consistently frame the field as international rather than primarily Chilean. (atacamachallenger.cl) The official site says the race has drawn cyclists from around the world since 2013. That history, combined with the championship designation this year, is the basis for organizer claims that the 2026 edition is a world-class event. ### Where can riders and spectators track details before the start? The official Atacama Challenger website is carrying the core event information, including dates, the championship designation and stage references for the 2026 edition. (antofagastanoticias.cl) Antofagasta Noticias has published local preview coverage, and Welcu is carrying registration information tied to categories and event access. Thursday, May 21, is the next key date because organizers say Stage 1 will double as the Iberoamericano XCM race day. (atacamachallenger.cl) The event then continues through Sunday, May 24, in San Pedro de Atacama.