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Race Across America - NE
USA, June 19-July 1, 2005
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Day 5 - June 23
Tragedy hits RAAM
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Tragedy hit the Race Across America today around 12.15 - 12.30 p.m. EDT, when Bob Breedlove, competitor #188, collided with a westbound pickup truck 28 miles west of Trinidad, Colorado. When paramedics arrived on the scene they pronounced him dead.
The accident took place on a section of road that sloped very gently downhill for cyclists in the race. According to the driver of the pickup truck, Bob Breedlove appeared to slump on his bicycle and swerved into the path of the oncoming vehicle.
The driver attempted to avoid Bob Breedlove, but the significant impact was made at the lower left part of the windshield.
At the time of the accident, Bob Breedlove was leading the 50+ category, and was 12th overall in the race.
Jim Pitre, the race director, decided after consultation with Bob Breedlove's brother, Bill, to continue the race. Bill Breedlove considered that his brother would have wished this. If a rider or team decides to pull out of the race, the management and officials will provide assistance wherever practicable.
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Talking about Bob Breedlove, Jim Pitre said: "This is a terrible tragedy, just terrible. We all stand in awe of the memory of Bob Breedlove, who was a supreme cycle racer, an outstanding surgeon, and just a great human being. Speaking both personally, and on behalf of the entire management and all those associated with the race, I extend my most sincere sympathy to the family of Bob Breedlove."
The support vehicle was providing leapfrog support to Bob Breedlove at the time of the accident. Bob Breedlove was last seen by his crew members about a mile before the accident took place. They reported that he seemed fit to continue the race. "He seemed fine, we passed him a PowerBar and a Spizz (energy drink), and he went on his way," said one of the crew members.
Skidmarks leading off the road to the right suggest that the driver of the vehicle did what he could to avoid a collision. "It seemed like he must have passed out, he slumped on his bars. He just swerved right into our lane." Said the distraught driver of the vehicle, who hurried to the next town immediately after the accident and made the 911 call himself.
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From the evidence and accounts, the accident is thought to have happened very quickly. While it is unknown whether or not it would have made a difference if a support vehicle had been present for Bob Breedlove, as an additional precautionary measure, a directive was issued from race headquarters that safety continues to be a primary concern and that all crew members are required to pay special attention, and to continue to conduct the race in a safe manner.
Crew members and riders have been instructed that if they feel the need to do so, to pull off the course to process their thoughts and gather themselves to continue. A 15-minute time allowance is provided for this. Riders and crew members who require more time will be granted this on request.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Chris Milliman/www.chrismilliman.com
- The lonely road with only some cows to keep you company
- Riding the stairway to heaven or so it seems as the twilight filters through
- Christopher MacDonald
- Leader Jure' Robic rides in an energy efficient position
- Ben Robinson lies 14th and is dwarfed by the forest
- Mike Trevino is in second place but here he is alone
Standings
Men's Solo 1 Jure' Robic 1755.9 4.21.44 (14.91mph) 2 Mike Trevino 1570.4 4.15.15 (14.12mph) 3 Christopher MacDonald 1570.4 4.17.42 (13.81mph) 4 Marko Baloh 1570.4 4.20.58 (13.43mph) 5 Fabio Biasiolo 1570.4 4.21.44 (13.34mph) 6 Pius Achermann 1512.9 4.21.04 (12.92mph) 7 Valentin Zeller 1457.7 4.17.36 (12.83mph) 8 David Haase 1417.4 4.18.42 (12.36mph) 9 Benjamin Couturier 1356.1 4.19.18 (11.76mph) 10 Chris Hopkinson 1356.1 4.20.46 (11.61mph) 11 Alessandro Colo' 1305.5 4.17.42 (11.48mph) 12 Mark Metcalfe 1305.5 4.21.18 (11.13mph) 13 Alexander Gepp 1251.6 4.17.55 (10.99mph) 14 Ben Robinson 1183.1 4.10.28 (11.11mph) 15 Jim Trout 1183.1 4.13.08 (10.84mph) 16 Thomas Rodgers 1183.1 4.16.41 (10.50mph) 17 Karl Traunmueller 1112.5 4.10.52 (10.41mph) 18 Patrick Autissier 1112.5 4.12.17 (10.27mph) 19 Rob Kish 1047.0 4.05.16 (10.34mph) DNF Bob Breedlove 1047.0 3.22.17 (11.10mph) DNF Kevin Walsh (Medical) 941.7 4.06.04 (9.23mph) DNF Urs Koenig (Medical) 824.9 2.23.40 (11.51mph) DNF R. Arap (Missed cutoff) 635.2 2.06.17 (11.70mph) DNF John D'Elia (Exhaustion) 450.3 2.00.44 (9.24mph) DNF Dave Kees (Medical) 340.4 1.00.31 (13.88mph) Women's Solo 1 Anna Catharina Berge 1356.1 4.21.02 (11.59mph) Two Person Male 1 Team Lower Austria-Krems 1112.5 2.12.21 (18.43mph) 2 Crazy Gones 1047.0 2.11.56 (17.47mph) 3 Team 60+ 897.8 2.12.44 (14.78mph) 4 Team Wisconsin 824.9 2.11.44 (13.81mph) 5 Citta' Della Speranza 780.7 2.13.14 (12.75mph) Two Person Mixed 1 Grupo Guapo 897.8 2.09.59 (15.48mph) 2 Team Endorphins 897.8 2.13.10 (14.68mph) 3 Free Riders 824.9 2.09.03 (14.46mph) Four Person Male 1 Beaver Creek Team-Vail 1457.7 2.14.25 (23.35mph) 2 Kern Wheelmen / Advocare 1356.1 2.13.48 (21.94mph) 3 Team Schaffhausen 1305.5 2.12.17 (21.66mph) 4 Webcor Builders Endurance 1112.5 2.12.09 (18.50mph) 5 Team Inspiration GB 1112.5 2.12.33 (18.37mph) 6 Mucho Gusto Team 1112.5 2.14.05 (17.92mph) 7 Team 3V 1112.5 2.14.19 (17.85mph) 8 Team Give Life 988.2 2.11.57 (16.48mph) Four Person Female 1 Roaring Fork Volvo B2B Divas 1047.0 2.11.31 (17.59mph) Four Person Mixed 1 Landis Team Phoenix 1112.5 2.12.52 (18.28mph) 2 Team Cheniere's 1112.5 2.13.09 (18.19mph) Four Person HPV 1 ALS-Bacchetta 1251.6 2.13.17 (20.42mph) 2 Team JDRF VeloKraft 1112.5 2.12.01 (18.54mph) Corporate Challenge 1 Team Insight 1183.1 2.11.54 (19.75mph) 2 Team Donate Life 1112.5 2.11.27 (18.71mph) 3 The Vern's Inc. Team 1047.0 2.14.08 (16.85mph) 4 Team Dry Heat 1047.0 2.14.08 (16.85mph) Hour Corporate Challenge 1 Clif Bar Team 492.8 0.23.23 (21.07mph) 2 Swami's/Raceplan 492.8 1.01.26 (19.38mph) 3 Kaiser Permanente R2R 492.8 1.02.35 (18.54mph) 4 JMI Rookies 492.8 1.05.46 (16.56mph) 5 Team Bicycling San Diego 492.8 1.05.52 (16.50mph)
