In the wide world of sports there are a fair few we simply don’t quite get – synchronised swimming, american football, er, football. Perhaps the most unfathomable of the lot to us is cycle road racing. Why aren’t they all trying to outrace each other? Why do they need ten cars per bicycle? Why don’t they push their rivals into hedges?
The Tour de France is lovely to look at for the scenery, but for a sporting thrill it leaves something to be desired. If we had our way the riders would be given the route, a couple of bananas and wished luck. First one to Paris wins.
Luckily there is such a race out there – The Race Across America. Running since 1982, it must be the most extreme bike race in the world.
Rob Kish - multiple RAAM winner
The premise is simple. The victor is the person who gets from the west coast to the east coast of the USA in the fastest time. There are no stages. There are no official rest halts. The only stipulation is that you check into a time station every 40-90 miles. The riders themselves decide when (or if) they rest. The Race Across America is effectively one giant time trial.
The Fun Begins 2007
The stats make for a mind-bloggling read. The route tends to differ per year, but the distance involved is around the 3000 mile mark. The fastest ever solo time was set in 1986 by Pete Penseyres. He averaged over 15mph and completed the 3100 mile course in 8 days and 9 hours.
The competitors cross 4 time zones and 14 states through every possible type of terrain. 100,000 ft of climbing covers altitudes of 170 ft below sea level to 10,000 ft above. Half of competitors don’t finish due to exhaustion or medical problems and only 200 people have completed the solo race in nearly 30 years.
During an average day during the race a rider may expect to spend 20-22 hours in the saddle and consume 8000 calories and 3 gallons of water. People have been known to cycle for stretches of up to 40 hours without stopping. They undergo hallucinations and severe muscle cramps.
Though the solo event is the most prestigious, there are now a variety of classes. Four-person teams can alternate the ride, upping the speed of the crossing to less than 6 days. Tandems and recumbents also have a category.
Lightning F-40 - 1989 Recumbent winner
Those who compete come from all walks of life. Rob Kish – the most experienced RAAM rider with 57,000 miles under his pedals – is a surveyor by day. Some cycling professionals have attempted the race and failed miserably.
There’s little prize money or sponsorship involved, most people are actually out to raise money for charity and they’ve managed over a million dollars per year. Publicity is limited compared to the professional racing circuit. Competitors can expect to spend at least $20,000 on their equipment, support crews and accommodation for the event.
Why put yourself through it? It would seem that the RAAM is regarded as the ultimate in the cycling world, and maybe even the athletic world. 20 times more people reach the summit of Everest every year than have completed the race in 28 years. If you’re out for the challenge to end all challenges then you might have found it.
