Race Across America (RAAM)Portland, OR, USA, June 18-?, 2000Days 1-3 Days 4-6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9 Day 10 Day 7 - June 24: Heat and humidity take their tollThe high heat and humidity of the Oklahoma plains are blanketing the lead cyclists as they Race Across America. Austria's Wolfgang Fasching is still holding a very strong lead, with almost 140 miles between him and the 2nd place riders. Defending RAAM champion Danny Chew of Pittsburgh is edging out the other second place contenders at the moment, but the three way battle continues between Chew, Fabio Biasiolo of Italy and Tom Buckley of Iowa. Pockets of severe thunderstorms are also threatening cyclists in Oklahoma, as they race the 2,898 miles from Portland, Oregon to Pensacola, Florida. Race official Ron Warren says the temperatures are in the 90's and it's incredibly humid. The two man relay team of William Maida & Dwight Bishop are in their own division and ahead of all other riders. They are keeping a rapid pace, despite the weather conditions. The tandem team of George Thomas and Katie Lindquist were in good spirits leaving Trinidad, Colorado after a difficult night of riding. Jeff Welsch of the Gazette-Times in Corvallis, Oregon reports that the 34-year old Lindquist thought she was coming down with a virus. "She's afraid she'll get sick and won't be able to finish the race and she'll let everybody down," said Marlene Lindquist, Katie's mother. The irony is that it was Lindquist who has been the stronger rider for the past two days. It was Lindquist who piloted the tandem up an 8,300-foot grade between Yampa and Edwards in the wee hours Friday despite struggling to stay awake. Crew chief Rick Anderson reassured Lindquist that she wasn't getting sick. At 1:30am she took a break and gave up the lead to partner Thomas and the two went on in their quest to set a mixed-tandem record in RAAM. England's Team Royal Air Force is leading the way through the Colorado mountains in the Team RAAM competition, which began on June 21st. But the Kern Wheelmen of California are within grabbing distance. Race observers are getting to see what the Greenspeed recumbent racing trike is made of. Team iXL-Greenspeed racers report reaching speeds up to about 70 miles an hour on the downhills, and up to 40 miles an hour on flat ground. The fairing and the low recumbent design make it faster than the upright bikes on the flats and downhills, but the added weight of the trike and fairing can make it painfully slow on the climbs. Team iXL-Greenspeed is trailing in the race, but close to catching Team Heart. This 4-man relay team says the advantage of their cycles won't kick in until the descent from Tennessee Pass near Leadville, Colorado... then watch out! Day 7 Standings Name Station # and name Miles covered mph
Men solo rider
1 Wolfgang Fasching 36 Stuart, OK 2156.5 15.04
2 Danny Chew 34 Stillwater, OK 2020.0 13.96
3 Fabio Biasiolo 33 Lahoma, OK 1945.0 13.83
4 Tom Buckley 33 Lahoma, OK 1945.0 13.67
5 Martin Lorenz 32 Mooreland, OK 1880.5 13.24
6 Mark Patten 31 Slapout, OK 1824.8 12.84
7 Rob Kish 31 Slapout, OK 1824.8 12.78
8 Reed Finfrock 31 Slapout, OK 1824.8 12.55
9 Rich Kondzielaski 30 Guyman, OK 1746.8 12.59
10 Rob Morlock 30 Guyman, OK 1746.8 12.37
11 Harold Trease 29 Boise City, OK 1685.7 11.74
12 Terry Lansdell 28 Clayton, NM 1642.1 11.45
13 Rieks Koning 27 Des Moines, NM 1598.9 11.11
14 Michael Henriksson 27 Des Moines, NM 1598.9 11.06
15 Fredi Virag 26 Trinidad, CO 1525.7 11.17
16 Keith Krombel 26 Trinidad, CO 1525.7 10.78
17 Hansjoerg Franz 26 Trinidad, CO 1525.7 10.78
18 Andrew Otto 22 Leadville, CO 1326.2 DNF
19 Herbert Meneweger 21 Wolcott, CO 1278.7 DNF
20 Pete Bajema 19 Craig, CO 1165.6 DNF
21 Byron Rieper 8 Grand View, ID 501.6 DNF
Female Sole Rider
1 Cassie Lowe 30 Guyman, OK 1746.8 12.14
Two Person Teams
1 Bishop & Maida 36 Stuart, OK 2156.5 15.33
Four Person Teams
1 Team Royal Air Force 25 Walsenburg, CO 1488.4 21.83
2 Team Kern Wheelmen 24 Westcliff, CO 1431.1 21.13
3 Team Alaska 21 Wolcott, CO 1278.7 18.85
4 Team Heart 19 Craig, CO 1165.6 17.42
Tandem Mixed
1 Lindquist & Thomas 26 Trinidad, CO 1525.7 11.08
HPV Trike
1 Team IXL Greenspeed 19 Craig, CO 1165.6 17.30
60+ division
160 Jim Pitre 26 Trinidad, CO 1525.7 9.27
Day 8 - June 25: Wolfgang going strong"Wolfgang is running away with it," say race officials as Austrian cyclist Wolfgang Fasching heads into the last 500 mile stretch of the Race Across America. The non-stop bicycle race, which began on June 18th in Portland, Oregon, ends in Pensacola, Florida. Fasching is holding about a 250 mile lead over the 2nd place pack as he pedals through Arkansas. Fasching, who is partial to climbing, described the miles across Oklahoma as "pure monotony," but says he stays motivated, especially at night, by listening to his favorite music by Gianna Nannini and Bruce Springsteen. Fasching's crew reports that the cyclist doesn't know how the race is going except that he is in the lead. Wolfgang Fasching says he doesn't want to know how many hours of a lead he has, and who might pose a threat to him. "What counts for me is only my own race.. tactics don't belong here," says Fasching. Behind Fasching is the current RAAM champion, Danny Chew of Pittsburgh, PA. The tables have turned from last year's race, when Fasching was 4 hours behind Chew at the halfway point in the race, and the Austrian was unable to gain the lead. The race is tight for second place, with three riders within 90 minutes of each other. Danny Chew had just over an hour lead on Italy's Fabio Biasiolo with Iowa's Tom Buckley just 7 minutes behind Biasiolo as they crossed into Arkansas this morning. With another day of 90 degree temperatures and high humidity, race official Rob Warren says, "It's a contest to see who can hold up best in the heat." Meanwhile, the Team RAAM competition is heating up again. Joe Peterson of the Kern Wheelmen injured his shoulder during a crash early in the race, which set his team back, but his shoulder is recovering and so is the team speed. Kern Wheelmen are now within minutes of catching the first place team, England's Team Royal Air Force as the team race presses through Oklahoma. Day 8 StandingsName Time Station # Name Miles Mph Men Solo Rider 1 Wolfgang Fasching 42 Monticello, AR 2461.3 14.92 2 Danny Chew 37 Yanush, OK 2213.0 13.47 3 Fabio Biasiolo 37 Yanush, OK 2213.0 13.37 4 Tom Buckley 37 Yanush, OK 2213.0 13.36 5 Martin Lorenz 36 Stuart, OK 2156.5 13.11 6 Mark Patten 35 Bristow, OK 2076.8 12.62 7 Rob Kish 35 Bristow, OK 2076.8 12.57 8 Reed Finfrock 34 Stillwater, OK 2020.0 12.41 9 Rob Morlock 33 Lahoma, OK 1945.0 12.52 10 Rich Kondzielaski 33 Lahoma, OK 1945.0 12.42 11 Harold Trease 32 Mooreland, OK 1880.5 11.45 12 Rieks Koning 31 Slapout, OK 1824.8 11.03 13 Terry Lansdell 31 Slapout, OK 1824.8 10.04 14 Keith Krombel 30 Guyman, OK 1746.8 11.05 15 Hansjoerg Franz 30 Guyman, OK 1746.8 10.86 16 Fredi Virag 30 Guyman, OK 1746.8 9.61 17 Michael Henriksson 29 Boise City, OK 1685.7 11.18 18 Andrew Otto 22 Leadville, CO 1326.2 DNF 19 Herbert Meneweger 21 Wolcott, CO 1278.7 DNF 20 Pete Bajema 19 Craig, CO 1165.6 DNF 21 Byron Rieper 8 Grand View, ID 501.6 DNF Female Sole Rider 1 Cassie Lowe 33 Lahoma, OK 1945.0 12.28 Two Person Teams 1 Bishop& Maida 43 Parkgate, AR 2514.3 15.41 Four Person Teams 1 Team Royal Air Force 32 Mooreland, OK 1880.5 21.79 2 Team Kern Wheelmen 32 Mooreland, OK 1880.5 21.70 3 Team Alaska 28 Clayton, NM 1642.1 18.63 4 Team Heart 25 Walsenburg, CO 1488.4 16.88 Tandem Mixed 1 Lindquist&Thomas 30 Guyman, OK 1746.8 11.02 HPV Trike 1 Team IXL Greenspeed 26 Trinidad, CO 1525.7 17.29 RAAM 2000 60+ 160 Jim Pitre 27 Des Moines, NM 1598.9 Day 9 - June 26: First Finishers - Team E-Caps sets record Day 9 - June 26: First Finishers - Team E-Caps sets recordThe two-man team of Dwight Bishop (44, Butte, MT) and William Maida (49, San Jose,CA) reached the RAAM Finish Line in Gulf Breeze (Pensacola) Florida around noon today, setting a new record for a two-man team in their age division. They started with the pack in Portland, Oregon on June 18th and relayed all the way to Gulf Breeze in a record 8 days, 2 hours, 55 minutes. The previous record was 8 1/2 days. A driving rain storm drenched the two cyclists as they crossed into Florida to the finish line. They were cheered by a rain soaked crowd at the Holiday Inn Beach Bay in Gulf Breeze. Dwight Bishop insisted that the RAAM victory is a team effort. He thanked his crew, and particularly crew captain Andrew Denton of England, who kept the riders fresh and healthy by having them ride two hour shifts during the day, then 6 hours at night. That, Bishop said, gave each rider a chance to eat a real meal and get some quality sleep. Austrian cyclist Wolfgang Fasching pedals through Florida rain showers, approaching the Gulf Breeze finish line. Race officials predict Fasching will win the men's solo division, and will cross the finish line at: Approximately 6:30pm CST Holiday Inn Beach Bay, 51 Gulf Breeze Parkway, Gulf Breeze, Florida This would bring Fasching's race time to approximately 8 days, 8 hours, which would not be a RAAM record. The Men's Solo record stands at 8 days, 3 hours, 11 minutes. It was set it 1992 by Rob Kish, who is riding in this year's race as his 16th consecutive RAAM. Fasching still holds the Rookie Men's record of 8 days 14 hours 8 minutes for his first RAAM in 1996. Fasching is still some 250 miles ahead of Danny Chew, who is followed by Fabio Biasiolo and Tom Buckley. Day 9 StandingsName Time Station # Name Miles Left 1 Bishop & Maida 54 Gulf Breeze Island, FL 2975.1 Finish 2 Wolfgang Fasching 51 Megarel, AL 2889.6 85.5 3 Danny Chew 45 Goodman, MS 2617.5 357.6 4 Fabio Biasiolo 45 Goodman, MS 2617.5 357.6 5 Tom Buckley 44 Belzoni, MS 2568.4 406.7 6 Martin Lorenz 43 Parkgate, AR 2514.3 460.8 7 Rob Kish 41 Fordyce, AR 2412.7 562.4 8 Mark Patten 40 Arkadelphia, AR 2363.4 611.7 9 Cassie Lowe 40 Arkadelphia, AR 2363.4 611.7 10 Rob Morlock 40 Arkadelphia, AR 2363.4 611.7 11 Reed Finfrock 40 Arkadelphia, AR 2363.4 611.7 12 Rich Kondzielaski 37 Yanush, OK 2213.0 762.1 13 Terry Lansdell 37 Yanush, OK 2213.0 762.1 14 Harold Trease 36 Stuart, OK 2156.5 818.6 15 Rieks Koning 36 Stuart, OK 2156.5 818.6 16 Hansjoerg Franz 35 Bristow, OK 2076.8 898.3 17 Keith Krombel 35 Bristow, OK 2076.8 898.3 18 Fredi Virag 35 Bristow, OK 2076.8 898.3 19 Lindquist&Thomas 35 Bristow, OK 2076.8 898.3 20 Michael Henriksson 34 Stillwater, OK 2020.0 955.1 21 Andrew Otto 22 Leadville, CO 1326.2 DNF 22 Herbert Meneweger 21 Wolcott, CO 1278.7 DNF 23 Pete Bajema 19 Craig, CO 1165.6 DNF 24 Byron Rieper 8 Grand View, ID 501.6 DNF TEAM RAAM 2000 1 Team Royal Air Force 45 Goodman, MS 2617.5 357.6 2 Team Kern Wheelmen 44 Belzoni, MS 2568.4 406.7 3 Team Alaska 36 Stuart, OK 2156.5 818.6 4 Team IXL Greenspeed 36 Stuart, OK 2156.5 818.6 5 Team Heart 34 Stillwater, OK 2020.0 955.1 RAAM 2000 60+ 1 Jim Pitre 30 Guyman, OK 1746.8 1228.3 Day 10 - June 27: Highs and lowsJust like the Race Across America, this day has brought some riders to the highest highs and others to the lowest lows. It was victory for England's Team Royal Air Force. After racing 2,989 miles from Portland, Oregon, Team RAF crossed the finish line in Gulf Breeze, Florida in 5 days, 16 hours and 18 minutes on the official Festina time clock. Just 2 hours later, they were followed by Team Kern Wheelmen of California, who clocked in at 5 days, 18 hours and 19 minutes. The Kern Wheelmen did win their age group, the 30+ division, in this year's Team RAAM. It's Joe Peterson's Kern Wheelmen who hold the current Team RAAM record of 5 days, 6 hour, 4 minutes, set back in 1996, but this mountainous route was apparently not the course to break that record. After Wolfgang Fasching's first place finish yesterday evening, with a time of 8 days, 10 hours, 19 minutes, the second place rider has yet to cross the finish line early this afternoon. It was Fasching's 5th RAAM, and his second RAAM win. Pittsburgh's Danny Chew is following in second place but is said to have taken a long break and may not cross the finish line until this evening. Fabio Biasiolo, Martin Loenz and Tom Buckley are still in hot pursuit of the second place finisher. The Race Across America took its toll on three RAAM racers in the past day. Arizona's Jim Pitre in the 60 year old division quit the race Monday evening in Oklahoma. 31 year old Fredi Virag of Slovenia dropped out of the race today, also in Oklahoma. And after riding more than 2000 miles, Sweden's Michael Henriksson called it quits. Many of the riders have apparently taken breaks in Arkansas, where there are reports of bad weather.
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