Changes are afoot at that endurance cycling event gone mondo called the Race Across America.
For starters, RAAM begins in Oceanside, CA, this year, instead of its usual base of San Diego. The cyclists will take a leisurely 7-mile ride along the San Luis Rey River bike path before turning onto the highway for the nine-day, 3,052-mile, sleep-deprived haul to Atlantic City.
The 25th annual race also features a new division, in addition to the male and female solo cyclists, tandems, and the 2-, 4,-, and 8-person cycling teams.
A new Solo Enduro category requires cyclists to take 40 hours off their bikes between Oceanside and Atlantic City. Solo Enduro riders are required to stop for at least two hours at five Control Points set up at 500-mile intervals across the US. At other control points (there are 20 to 30 total), solo enduro riders are encouraged to stop if they need it. At the end of the race, the rest time at the control points will be subtracted from the total.
The Solo Traditional category allows cyclists to go all-out and stop whenever they want, which is often miles after they've begun hallucinating or suffered debilitating injuries from riding in the tuck position for so many days.
The focus of the solo enduro cyclists will be cycling speed, rather than sleep-deprivation, which is the best way to win the traditional race. It's expected to be less harmful to the cyclists' health and to require a new set of tactics.
Explaining the race and the changes, race director Jim Pitrie says at the RAAM website:
“It's format will not resemble a cycling road race, like the Tour de France. If you are looking for a model, it will more resemble the Paris-Dakar automobile race. Even with the mandatory 40 hours of breaks, RAAM will continue to be one of the most difficult tests of human endurance in the world.”
The 25th annual race begins at 7 a.m. June 11 for solo (enduro and traditional) cyclists and 2 p.m. June 13 for the 2-, 4-, and 8-person cycling teams. Racers will climb nearly 110,000 feet while crossing 14 states in the summer heat.
I always find it interesting that the solo cross-country record was set in 1986, four years after the first RAAM. How many endurance sports records have stood for more than 25 years? Pete Penseyres bicycled 3,107 miles in 8 days, 9 hours and 47 minutes for an average 15.4 mph. He employed speed and sleep deprivation. His quote:
“Stay on the bike. A steady pace wins the race.”
NBC-TV is expected to broadcast a two-hour special at the conclusion of this year's event and real-time updates will be available at the RAAM website. Each cyclist carries a GPS device that allows their location to be plotted on a map at the website.
Currently there are 17 cyclists competing in the men's solo division and two in the women's solo. There are 13 teams listed so far on the RAAM roster.
Winner of the 2005 RAAM was Jure Robic, 39, of Slovenia, who averaged 13.58 mph. I don't see him on this year's roster, although there's still time to register. Other records and times, like the sizzling 20.7 mph time for tandem recumbents, are available at RAAM – So Much More than a Race.
Recent Comments