All cyclists have to cycle across the Andes Cordillera with high passes above 4,000 metres (13,000 ft) on remote andean tracks and random road conditions.
[3] It is an ultra bikepacking race where riders must strategically choose how much time to devote to riding, resting, and refueling each day.
The organizer provides a survival map[4] with basic information on the route (recommended route, paved and unpaved sections), a GPS tracking system to control progression and potential cheating and a road book to learn the basics of the local culture of Ecuador and Peru.
The race's founder and main organizer is Axel Carion, who owns the world record of cycling the whole length of South America by bicycle.
A media car, during the race, is dedicated to share live content from the racers' experience in the Andes and produces images and videos of their performance.
The high altitude of the Andes Cordillera, the weather conditions with important temperature variations (from −5 °C (23 °F) to 40 °C (104 °F)), the remoteness of several sections and its natural wilderness of the IncaDivide makes it a supreme challenge for experienced athletes.
The 2017 route implied to battle the Andes Cordillera of Ecuador and the avenue of the volcanoes and the Amazon rainforest difficult climate.
They had to cycle through the Canyon del Pato (37 tunnels), along the Cordillera Bianca to reach the Yanashalla pass at 4,710 metres (15,450 ft).
Huaraz (CP3) is the capital city of Ancash region and is famous around the world for its Cordillera Blanca and its peaks above 6,000 metres (20,000 ft) in the Huascarán National Park.
A bonus loop suggested by the organization, in the inaugural edition, was to ride up to Punta Olimpica pass at 4,736 metres (15,538 ft).
Huancayo (CP4), situated in the Mantaro Valley, at an altitude of 3,271 metres (10,732 ft) was a central stop on the Inca Camino Real.