Insight Race Across America - NE

USA, June 20-July 2, 2004

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Day 2 - June 21

RAAM 2004 gets underway

By Dan Chew

The 2004 Insight solo Race Across America began in San Diego on a cool cloudy Sunday morning sending 19 very brave men on their journey East to the Atlantic Ocean.

Pete and Jim Penseyres were among the many riders who accompanied the pack through the 13 mile parade route out to the real start where Jure Robic just took off. Soon the skies cleared and the temperatures soared as Slovenian Jure Robic hammered to the first time station (53 miles) 11 minutes ahead of rookie Mike Trevino, and 16 minutes faster than he took to get there last year, but he received a 15 minute penalty because his crew left their RV parked on the freeway after official Lon Haldeman gave them a warning to remove it. The last placed rider Alessandro Colo arrived 58 minutes after Robic did. Thanks to Mark Wolfe for manning this time station. Peter Holy earned a 15 minute penalty for riding (running) a stop sign. Dino Nico Valsesia got a 15 minute penalty because he didn't get off and get right back onto Interstate 8. A camera crew caught Tracy McKay cutting his fingernails on his bike. Robic arrived at the second time station in El Centro 43 minutes faster than his 2003 time, and 22 minutes before Trevino. Thanks to Barclay Brown for manning this time station. By the time the last rider (Colo again) got to El Central, he was 2:04 behind. While he was stopped for 15 minutes inside the store at the time station, James Rosar told me he had a slow speed crash while he was without his crew. Guus Moonen stopped at the time station inside his RV for 15 minutes.

The temperature in the shade peaked out at 106 degrees, but it was about 113 degrees on the black pavement. By time station #3 in Glamis, Robic increased his lead over Trevino to 32 minutes and was 1:29 faster than 2003 leader Baloh. Valsesia was in third 16 minutes behind Trevino. Making it well into AZ before sunset, Robic rode 243 miles in his first 12 hours - 40 more miles than 2003 leader Baloh covered. After this near Hope is where Larsen took the lead from Baloh last year and increased it most of the way across the country. I stopped for a few hours of sleep at time station # 6 in Congress which Robic got to 54 minutes ahead of Trevino. 1:11 behind Trevino, Valsesia was holding onto 3rd place. At Congress, Robic was 2:19 ahead of 2003 leader Larsen. We can only speculate where Larsen would have been this year.

I observed a fair amount of stopping activity at time station #7 at the county courthouse in Prescott. Leader Robic arrived just before sunrise 1:12 ahead of Trevino who was 1:36 ahead of Valsesia. The big news was that Kish came from as far back as 16th place early in the race and moved up to 4th. I talked to 6th place David Haase in Prescott where he stopped to eat breakfast. He slept for an hour overnight, and had a low speed crash on a turn just before he got to Prescott. Leading the over 50 division, Peter Holy arrived in Prescott in 8th place, and stopped for a 40 minute break in his RV.

Making it just short of time station #8 in Camp Verde, Robic rode a very impressive 436 miles in his first 24 hours which is 43 more miles than 2003 leader and winner Larsen covered. Robic slept on the first night last year and rode about 356 miles his first 24 hours, thus he is 80 miles ahead of himself last year, which has to be very encouraging. One of the nice things RAAM veterans can do is compare/contrast the RAAM they are currently riding with previous RAAMs. Memories both good and bad are triggered especially when routes are so very similar. Kish must often get flooded with such memories considering he has 18 past RAAMs to draw upon.

Positions after approx 1 day, 6 hours (6 hours for teams)

Men's Solo
 
1 Jure Robic                             646.7
2 Michael Trevino                        589.6
3 Wolfgang Fasching                      553.7
4 Pius Achermann                         553.7
5 David Haase                            485.8
6 Rob Kish                               485.8
7 Dino Nico Valsesia                     485.8
8 Andrew Lapkass                         485.8
9 Peter Holy                             485.8
10 Andrew Otto                           485.8
11 Guus Moonen                           485.8
12 Randy Van Zee                         441.9
13 Scott Dakus                           441.9
14 James Rosar                           441.9
15 Russ Goodwin                          441.9
16 Alessandro Colo'                      441.9
17 Enrico De Angeli                      441.9
18 Robert Rich                           383.4
19 Tracy McKay                           383.4
 
Two Person Male
 
1 Team Coast To Coast Against Cancer     124.2
2 Team TBW Brasil                        124.2
3 Team New England                        52.5
 
Two Person Mixed
 
1 Team Velowear.com/Co-Motion            124.2
2 Team No Limits                          52.5
 
Four Person Male
 
1 Team Action Sports                     165.8
2 Team Vail - Go Fast                    124.2
3 Team Royal Air Force                   124.2
4 Team Swiss Canon                       124.2
5 Team Extra Distance                    124.2
6 Team Grand PAC Masters                  52.5
 
Four Person Male HPV
 
1 Team ALS Lighting                      124.2
 
Four Person Female
 
1 Team Vail B2B Divas                    124.2
2 Team Frauleins                          52.5
 
Four Person Mixed
 
1 Team Just Sweat - No Tears             124.2
 
Corporate Challenge
 
1 Team R2R - Kaiser Permanente           124.2
2 Team Rim 2 Rim Cycling                 124.2
3 Team Insight                           124.2