RAAM Update: DNF’s pile-up, but attrition less than usual so far
- By VeloNews.com
- Published Jun. 16, 2010
By Vic Armijo
Solo men
Statistically over its 29-year history, about half of the riders who attempt the Race Across America make it to the finish line. This year, despite the heat of the desert in the early miles, the howling headwinds of the mountain states and the torrential rain and thunder storms in the plains, the attrition rate among the solos had been lower than usual.
American Scott Dakus was the first to withdraw, just one and half days into the race when knee issues stopped him after 441 miles. Samim Rizvi of India made it 857 miles before succumbing to pneumonia and flu. Ian Fillinger of Canada made it 1,145 miles before having an accident — he’s apparently OK, though, as he and his crew were reportedly headed to Las Vegas! Austrian Georg Payer also had knee issues, pulling out Tuesday at mile 1,721. And late on Tuesday Mark Pattinson gave in to the severe case of “Shermer’s Neck” that had slowed him in recent days.
With no plans for calling it quits are the front runners, led by Jure Robic. While the gap between him and second-place rider Gerhard Gulewicz has shrunk from over 3 1/2 hours to about two hours, that gap on the road doesn’t reflect that Robic has a one hour-and-57-minute credit issued by RAAM officials when he was stopped by a flooded road.
Positions behind have changed, with Australian Matthew Warner-Smith now in third. On Tuesday afternoon Warner-Smith, who had reportedly been experiencing some hallucinations in recent days, gave a vague explanation for that morning’s 30 mph show of power in the Missouri night, “I was having a bit of an episode last night. I’m not sure what that was about,” he said with a chuckle. “That’s all fine—now.”
Swiss rider Thomas Strebel is now fourth with Kevin Kaiser having dropped back from third to fifth.
Solo women
French recumbent rider Barbara Buatois’ quest to become the first ever RAAM solo woman to finish on a recumbent is now all but assured with the withdrawl of fellow recumbent rider Sandy Earl.
Earl’s decision to take a “DNF” (Did Not Finish) came after she and her crew realized that she would likely not make the time cut-off at the Mississippi River. Earl’s crew chief, Brian Nakagawa, said, ”I had a sit down with her this morning and looked at the time schedule and it would have taken everything we’ve got to make it to the cut-off. She’s disappointed as we all are and it’s a part of the sport. It’s the toughest bike race in the world. You shouldn’t enter if you’re not prepared to be disappointed.”
Perhaps Earl will take solace in knowing that it wasn’t a lack of preparation or any physical ailment that brought her down.
“She gave it her all,” Nakagawa said, “RAAM just threw its toughest at us. The heat and the start of the course, the headwinds and then the torrential rains, it just all beat us down.”
Earl and her crew are currently maintaining their east-bound heading. “We’re going to follow the course to Annapolis,” Nakagawa said, “Sandy and crew have lots of friend on teams and friends that are solos and we’re going to show our support for them.”
The remaining women are Michele Santilhano in second, Sabrina Bianchi and third and Amy Xu in fourth. Xu is facing the same time-cut off challenge as Earl, having arrived at time station 31 just minutes before Earl.
Standings (as of June 16, 11:30 EST)
Solo women
- 1. Barbara Buatois (France); 2,089 miles 7 days, 16 hours, 36 minutes
- 2. Michele Santilhano (South Africa); 1,894 miles 7 days, 13 hours, 5 minutes
- 3. Sabrina Bianchi (Italy); 1,837 miles 7 days, 17 hours, 0 minutes
- 4. Amy Xu (USA); 1,788 miles 7 days, 14 hours, 30 minutes
- DNF Sandy Earl (USA); 1,788 miles 7 days, 14 hours, 47 minutes
Solo men
- 1. Jure Robic (Slovenia); 2,278 miles 6 days, 16 hours, 5 minutes
- 2. Gerhard Gulewicz (Austria); 2,211 miles 6 days, 14 hours, 14 minutes
- 3. Matthew Warner-Smith (Australia); 2,089 miles 6 days, 17 hours, 2 minutes
- 4. Thomas Strebel (Switzerland); 2,043 miles 6 days, 16 hours, 30 minutes
- 5. Kevin Kaiser (USA) 2,043 miles 6 days, 15 hours, 23 minutes