The seesaw battle for the lead in the Race Across America finally landed in Dani Wyss's favor Thursday evening as defending champion Jure Robic had to stop to serve 60 minutes of penalties just 55 miles from the finish line in Annapolis, Maryland.
Instead of serving his time at the Mt. Airy, Maryland, time station, however, Robic and his crew decided to quit. Wyss, who is recorded as arriving at that time station at the same time, proceeded down the road to victory in Annapolis.
Robic's action is explained on his website:
“Jure was the fastest cyclist on this years RAAM. On the last time check TS51, he came few minutes before Dani Wyss. Because of the penalties, issued controversially, because of the rules not aplied always in the same manner and because of not issuing penalties to others, Jure and his crew decided not to finish the race as 2nd, but step out of it on TS51.
“Today it was written the history of RAAM. Jure and Dani staged the toughest fight ever and on the end the fastest didn't won.
“Expect more in next days when we will be relaxing before traveling back home.”
It's a shame that the closest and possibly greatest RAAM ever had to end on a sour note. It's amazing to consider that a 3,100-mile race could come down to just minutes separating these two endurance athletes until one of them bailed out ….
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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/06/26/update-wyss-wins-raam-robic-bows-out/
The Mad as Hell Bike Ride Across the US was an aptly named endeavor.
Jim Gafney was a 65-year-old computer engineer from Chula Vista, California, who took off on a cross-country bike ride in April to collect signatures on a petition to protest the bailouts and encourage the President and Congress to act more responsibly in these tough economic times.
Family and friends say he was upset about the government's actions during the recession and was going to deliver the petition to lawmakers in Washington DC. He hoped to have 1,000 protesting cyclists accompany him into the nation's capital.
Gafney wasn't allowed to finish his bike ride, however. …
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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/06/25/tragic-end-to-cross-country-protest-bicycle-ride/
Update: The leading solo men in the Race Across America plowed across Ohio on Wednesday at times within sight of each other as they prepared to enter mountainous West Virginia.
After Jure Robic and Dani Wyss passed through the Chillicothe time station at the same time, a punctured tire briefly sidelined Robic who was passed by Wyss. According to the time station splits in Athens, Robic arrived 3 minutes ahead of Wyss.
With Robic's 60 minutes of accumulated penalities, however, the Slovenian is actually in second place with less than 450 miles to go …
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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/06/24/raam-is-a-horse-race-between-robic-and-wyss/
After 2,100 miles, Slovenian wonder-cyclist Jure Robic maintained his lead in the grueling Race Across America as he was first to pull into the Effingham, Illinois, time station Tuesday morning.
But something is different at this point in the race as four-time RAAM champion Robic defends his title; a 39-year-old cyclist named Daniel Wyss followed him into the time station by only 81 minutes.
It's probably one of the few times that anyone has been this close to Robic this late in the race during his wins in 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008.
Wyss, a 39-year-old cyclist from Switzerland, won the race in 2006. He might just be waiting for a chance to slip ahead of Robic during a sleep break or wrong turn over the last 1,000 miles. ..
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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/06/23/robic-controls-raam-but-wyss-is-still-close/
Lance Armstrong peers from the cover of the VeloNews Tour de France Guide: “7-time champ and his team of superstars defy all challengers.”
Alberto Contador looks out from Cycle Sport America: “Don't mess with the Spanish stage race superstar.”
It's only 1-1/2 weeks until the beginning of this year's Tour de France in Monaco on July 4, and it's still unclear whether Astana will start the race with an absolute team leader. If you were in charge of Astana and facing this decision, who would you pick? See the poll at right. …
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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/06/22/poll-who-is-going-to-lead-team-astana-at-tour-de-france/
Some 2,000 cyclists left the Seattle Center on Sunday for the LiveStrong Challenge ride through Seattle and the eastside cities of Mercer Island, Bellevue, Redmond, Newcastle and Renton.
Together with the runners, the group raised nearly $900,000 for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. The most money — $143,963 — was raised by blogger Elden Nelson's team — Team Fat Cyclist: Fighting for Susan.
The cyclists faced a grueling day. Although a partial cloud cover promised to keep temperatures lower, there were plenty of climbs the cyclists had to deal with.
Participants were even greeted by The Devil, above, on the first major climb of the day. Later on, the cyclists faced the toughest climb through the Monteaux neighborhood that connected to Lakemont Boulevard on Cougar Mountain …
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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/06/21/livestrong-challenge-bicycle-ride-is-no-easy-task/
Temperatures in the low 60s didn't deter painted bicyclists at Fremont Solstice Parade on Saturday.
Keeping warm under 8 ounces of body paint, the cyclists celebrated the first day of summer along with thousands of onlookers who jammed the parade route in the Seattle neighborhood of Fremont.
Although a few wore a strategically placed loincloth or pasty, most only wore their paint. While some just covered themselves in one color from head-to-toe, others painted themselves in elaborate wardrobes or costumes.
It's a lot of work, and many showed up at Hale's Ale for the painting to begin at 7 a.m. The parade didn't start until noon. …
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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/06/20/painted-bicyclists-ride-in-seattle-neighborhood/
Early arrivals for the LiveStrong Challenge bike ride check out the LiveStrong Village at the Seattle Center on Saturday.
Some 2,000 cyclists and runners have raised more than $700,000 for the Lance Armstrong Foundation.
They'll hit the streets Sunday morning for 5K runs or bike rides of up to 100 miles.
Those bike riders will pass through Seattle, cross the Lake Washington bridges and head into the hills on the Eastside before heading back to the Seattle Center finish line. …
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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/06/20/livestrong-village-opens/
I've seen some poorly paved bicycle paths, but this one is the worst.
Actually, the canyon the cyclists are pedaling into is a 3D sidewalk art creation intended to slow down bicycle riders on the Regents Canalway in Islington, north of London.
A spokesman for British Waterways told the BBC that the “canyon” was commissioned to remind bicyclists to slow down and avoid pedestrians…
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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/06/19/is-it-art-or-a-slow-down-warning-for-bicyclists/
As one string of endurance bicyclists heads east across the United States on skinny tire bicycles, another group is heading south along the Great Divide on fat tire bikes.
The first group are cyclists competing in the Race Across America (RAAM) that I wrote about Wednesday. They're racing 3,100 miles cross-country and will begin arriving in Annapolis late next week after 8 to 10 days in the saddle.
The mountain bicyclists on Tour Divide are going almost as far — 2,700 miles from Banff, Alberta, to Antelope Wells, New Mexico. They're traveling without support crews on mostly dirt roads, however, and must carry their own shelter, water and food.
Last year's Tour Divide winner, Matthew Lee, finished the route in an amazing 19 days and 12 hours …
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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/06/18/long-distance-cyclists-gather-on-great-divide-mountain-bike-route/
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