RAAM Update: No record likely, but a tight race develops in the men’s solo divison

By Vic Armijo

Solo men

After a few days of battling headwinds, sleep issues and severe weather that forced him to retreat to his motorhome on Saturday, RAAM solo mens leader Jure Robic has accepted that his quest for a new record is over.

“Is not possible,” he said Sunday outside of Maize, Kansas. “Too much time lost already.”

With there being no pressure to push his pace toward a record ride, his new goal is to simply keep the three-hour-plus lead that he’s held over Austrian Gerhard Gulewicz. Robic actually seems relieved by that, seeming much more relaxed and jovial than he’s been in recent days. Which isn’t to say that all is perfect with Robic; it’s common for RAAM riders to have some soft-tissue swelling due to moisture retention — Robic’s face was notably a bit fuller than usual on Sunday.

In contrast, a Sunday-morning drive-by interview with Gulewicz revealed a very haggard rider. Questions were met with very brief answers; that is until Gulewicz asked a couple of his own, “Where is Jure?” he asked in a pleading tone, “How far ahead?”

Later on Sunday Gulewicz looked much better and more alert — he even smiled as our second drive-by interview of the day began. It’s amazing what a 30-minute nap can do for a RAAM rider. And Gulewicz once again had questions of his own, “What is going on with Jure”? he asked, “We saw on the Internet his face …”

American Mark Pattinson has kept his hold on third, but sometime on Sunday or early Monday morning, American Kevin Kaiser (fifth in RAAM 2009) got by Matthew Warner-Smith (Australia) and Rob Morlock (U.S.) to take over fourth.

By Sunday evening the sporadic light showers turned into a severe thunderstorm. Road flooding in Maize prompted officials to scout out an alternate route. The resulting re-route will add only a few blocks and will not substantially affect the overall time of riders who take it. It was surmised that the original route will be passable by mid-day Monday.

Solo women

While French recumbent rider Barbara Buatois continues to hold front position, she was unfortunately in just the right place to bear the brunt of the worst of Sunday’s thunder storms. Still, the petite racer managed to put in over 200 miles for the day. South African Michele Santilhano continues steadily in second some twelve hours behind Buatois. Some time between La Veta and Trinidad, Colorado, Italian Sabrina passed American Sandy Earl to take third. Earl’s crew reports that all is well with their recumbent rider, and that with the climbs of Colorado behind her, she’s looking forward to the plains of Kansas, where recumbents have been proven to shine. Amy Xu continues in fifth overall.

Standings (as of 11:25 am EST, June 14)

Solo women

• 1. Barbara Buatois (France) 1,563 miles; 5 days, 19 hours, 17 minutes (1st recumbent)
• 2. Michele Santilhano (South Africa) 1,145 miles; 5 days, 15 hours, 38 minutes (1st standard bicycle)
• 3. Sabrina Bianchi (Italy) 1,389 miles; 5 days, 18 hours, 35 minutes (2nd standard bicycle)
• 4. Sandy Earl (USA) 1,284 miles; 5 days, 13 hours, 33 minutes (2nd recumbent)
• 5. Amy Xu (USA) 1,080 miles; 4 days, 14 hours, 3 minutes (3rd standard bicycle)

Solo men

• 1. Jure Robic (Slovenia) 1,598 miles; 4 days, 14 hours, 46 minutes
• 2. Gerhard Gulewicz (Austria) 1,598 miles; 4 days, 17 hours, 26 minutes
• 3. Mark Pattinson (USA) 1,487 miles; 4 days, 15 hours, 40 minutes
• 4. Kevin Kaiser (USA) 1,487 miles; 4 days, 18 hour, 40 minutes
• 4. Matthew Warner-Smith (Australia) 1080 miles; 3 days, 9 hours, 15 minutes
• 5. Rob Morlock (USA) 1080 miles; 3 days, 9 hours, 22 minutes

FILED UNDER: News / Race Report / Road TAGS: RAAM