Daily Wrap-Up

RAAM Daily Wrap-Up: Day 10

Dani Wyss wins the solo male RAAM; Team Type 1 take the eight-up title.

RAAM Solo Male
The solo male Race Across America has a new winner. Dani Wyss crossed the finish line in Annapolis, MD after eight days, five hours and forty-five minutes of racing for his second title. The Swiss man enjoyed the ride of his life, one of both great tactical finesse and impressive staying power, mercilessly tracking Jure Robic before turning the tables in his own favour in the closing 500 miles.

However, it was not quite the grandstand finish envisaged by fans and media. Unexpectedly, Wyss’s rival Jure Robic stopped riding at TS #51 in Mt. Airy, with the two effectively equal on time. To reiterate, he has not officially DNFed and could ride to the finish at any point. However, at this point, he has lost second place to Gerhard Gulewicz, who is fifteen miles from the finish.

One winner, two champions
This incident should not detract from the thrilling dogfight we have witnessed over the last week; both Wyss and Robic rode with great courage, skill and pluck. We have one RAAM winner, but two champions, irrespective of today’s events.

The battle for sixth burns on
Wyss remains the only solo finisher in the 2009 race, even if Gulewicz and Baloh are well on the way to Annapolis. Kevin Kaiser has made fifth his own in recent days, raising his pace at just the right time to slay the competition. However, sixth position is still a close-run thing. With 500 miles to go, Jim Rees and Christopher Gottwald are locked in a close battle.

More fights for positions
Just down the road, Claudio Clarindo and Ben Popp are separated by less than an hour in their fight for eighth, with Richard Newey and Daniel Rudge similarly close further back. Michael Cook still sits in eleventh, 700 miles from the finish, a few hours adrift. The race hasn’t had an abandon in four days: fingers crossed that all the remaining riders make it to Annapolis within the time limit.

Tomorrow…
In the coming day, Gerhard Gulewicz will reach the finish, while Marko Baloh will certainly get very near. As for the rest of the male soloists, it's the last big climb of the race up to Gormonia, WV.

1st Dani Wyss (Swi) 3021.30 miles – TS #53 – 8d 05h 45m (15.28mph)
2. Gerhard Gulewicz (Aut) 3006.10 miles – TS #52 – 8d 22h 11m (14.04mph)
3. Jure Robic (Slo) 2966.70 miles – TS #51 – 8d 02h 40m (15.24mph)
4. Marko Baloh (Slo) 2751.30 miles – TS #46 – 8d 20h 17m (12.96mph)
5. Kevin Kaiser (Usa) 2575.40 miles – TS #43 – 8d 19m 49m (12.16mph)
6. Jim Rees (Gbr) 2516.30 miles – TS #42 – 8d 19h 03m (11.92mph)
7. Christopher Gottwald / Miles for Mentoring (Usa) 2516.30 miles – 8d 20h 12m (11.86mph)
8. Claudio Clarindo (Bra) 2458.20 miles – TS #41 – 8d 18h 39m (11.67mph)
9. Ben Popp (Usa) 2458.20 miles – 8d 19h 22m (11.63mph)
10. Richard Newey (Gbr) 2458.20 miles – 8d 22h 13m (11.48mph)
11. Daniel Rudge (Usa) 2458.20 miles – 8d 22h 23m (11.47mph)
12. Michael Cook (Usa) 2358.50 miles – TS #39 – 8d 20h 00m (11.13mph)
DNFPeter Oyler (Can) 1614.50 miles – TS #27 – 4d 22h 51m (13.58mph)
DNFTony O’Keeffe (Can) 1576.30 miles – TS #26 – 5d 3h 01m (12.81mph)
DNFChristoph Strasser (Aut) 1471.50 miles – TS #21 – 4d 6h 43m (14.33mph)
DNFFranz Preihs (Aut) 1044.10 miles – TS #18 – 3d 11h 08m (12.56mph)
DNFJulian Sanz Garcia (Spa) 934.20 miles – TS #16 – 3d 01h 02m (12.79mph)
DNFJean Marc Velez (Fra) 934.20 miles - TS #16 - 3d 5h 42m (12.02mph)
DNFBill Bradley (Usa) 884.10 miles – TS #15 – 3d 22h 42m (9.34mph)
DNF Patrick Autissier (Fra) 563.00 miles - TS #9 - 2d 01h 59m (11.26mph)
DNF Scott Luikart (Usa) 396.70 miles – TS #6 – 1d 04h 39m (13.85mph)

RAAM Solo Female
It took 2,000-odd miles but Daniela Genovesi is now in her element. After riding within her limits with a consistent pace, the Brazilian mountain-bike ace is turning the screw on her rival Janet Christiansen, who has dropped back in recent days. She has kept her pace steady, grinding away at Christiansen’s lead and resolve. With 400 miles to go, the end – and a fine victory – is in sight for the South American.

Bruised-but-unbowed Ann Wooldridge continues to press on, motivated by making the time cut. At current calculation, she will make it by two hours.

1. Daniela Genovesi (Bra) 2575.40 miles – TS #43 - 9d 17h 26m (11.03mph)
2. Janet Christiansen (Usa) 2516.30 miles – TS #42 – 9d 18h 05m (10.75mph)
DNFMichele Santilhano (Rsa) 884.10 miles – TS #15 – 3d 14h 01m (10.28mph)

RAAM Solo Female 50-59
1. Ann Wooldridge (Gbr) 2295.30 miles – TS #38 – 9d 15h 41m (9.91mph)

RAAM Solo Male 50-59
Hermann Bachmann officially became a DNF yesterday, after bravely doing everything he could to keep riding. That leaves just Dominique Briand in the category, 600 miles from the finish in Annapolis. He just needs to keep his focus and maintain his speed, through the growing fatigue and intense pain.

1. Dominique Briand (Fra) 2408.00 miles – TS #40 – 8d 20h 38m (11.32mph)
DNF Hermann Bachmann (Swi) 1614.50 miles – TS #27 – 7d 03h 35m (9.41mph)

RAAM Solo Male 60-69
Paul Danhaus has cooled his jets slightly but he’s still on course to reach the finish in Annapolis. It’s not much further for the trained vet, who is showing that age does not matter.

1. Paul Danhaus (Usa) 2575.40 miles – TS #43 – 2575.40 miles – 9d 17h 08m (11.05mph)

RAAM Teams

RAAM 8-Person
Five hours after Dani Wyss crossed the line, Team Type 1 were next to finish the 2009 RAAM. Not only are they champions, but they have set a new average speed record, taking five days, nine hours and five minutes for the 3,021-mile race (23.41mph). This beats last year’s Norwegian winners BMC, who managed 23.2mph.

Seven hours down on that octet, Team ViaSat also crossed the line to take a commendable second place, averaing 22.23mph. It says a lot that it took a record-breaking performance to beat them.

Team Donate Life – Give Hope should cross the line, safe in third, in the coming day. However, there is a big scrap for fourth going on behind, with Team Donate Life – Liverators a mere six minutes behind Bike M.A.D, who have staged a strong comeback over the last 400 miles. As a result, it’s all to play for in the last day and a half.

1st Team Type 1 (Usa) 3021.30 miles - TS #53 – 5d 9h 5m (23.41mph)
2nd Team ViaSat (Usa) 3021.30 mles – 5d 15h 53m (22.23mph)
3. Team Donate Life – Give Hope (Usa) 2841.00 miles – TS #48 – 5d 19h 37m (20.35mph)
4. Team Donate Life – Liverators (Usa) 2642.00 miles – TS #44 – 5d 18h 49m (19.03mph)
5. Bike M.A.D. (Gbr) 2642.00 miles – 5d 18h 55m (19.02mph)
6. Team Vera Bradley (Usa) 2516.30 miles – TS #42 – 5d 18h 37m (18.15mph)
7. Team Type 2 (Usa) 2458.20 miles – TS #41 – 5d 19h 22m (17.64mph)
8. The Caledonian Chain Gang (Gbr) 2295.30 miles – TS #38 – 5d 20h 03m (16.39mph)

RAAM Open Open
1. Team JDRF – 2751.30 miles – TS #46 – 5d 18h 16m (19.90mph)

RAAM 4-Person Male 50-59
There’s just over a day to go for the Georgia Chain Gang, the sole leaders in the 50-59 category.

1. Georgia Chain Gang (Usa) 2458.20 miles – TS #41 – 5d 18h 30m (17.75mph)

RAAM 4-Person 75+
The Great Grand PAC Masters have finished their RAAM, clocking eight days, fourteen hours, forty-nine minutes. The oldest entrants this year, they have shown that age is no barrier to incredible fitness and stamina. This is a ride of hugely impressive proportions, and they deserve all the plaudits they receive.

1. Great Grand PAC Masters (Usa) 3021.30 miles – TS #53 – 8d 14h 49m (14.61mph)

RAAM 4-Person Male
Things look very cosy for four-up leaders Team RANS. Just 300 miles from the finish, they lead Team Strong Heart by about seven hours, and look good for the win. The day’s drama was rivals Team Strong Heart’s dramatic drop in pace over the day; suddenly, it looks like Austria Triathlon Team and OC Quattro – energetically battling for third – could leapfrog them for the runner-up spot.

The rest of the race is all tightly-bunched, meaning that no quartet can let up in the race’s concluding quarter.

1. Team RANS (Usa) 2841.00 miles – TS #48 – 5d 18h 35m (20.50mph)
2. Team Strong Heart (Usa) 2751.30 miles – TS #46 – 5d 20h 41m (19.56mph)
3. Austria Triathlon Team (Aut) 2706.80 miles – TS #45 – 5d 20h 25m (19.28mph)
4. OC Quattro (Usa) 2706.80 miles – 5d 20h 56m (19.21mph)
5. Vencendo Desafios Team Brazil (Bra) 2458.20 miles – TS #41 – 5d 20h 48m (17.46mph)
6. Berliner (Ger) 2408.00 miles – TS #40 – 5d 19h 41m (17.24mph)
7. Team SaveBuzzardsBay.org (Usa) 2408.00 miles – 5d 20h 37m (17.12mph)
8. Ari’s Angels (Usa) 2358.50 miles – TS #39 – 5d 20h 07m (16.83mph)
9. Equipe Schwarz (Ger) 2295.30 miles – TS #38 – 5d 19h 48m (16.42mph)
10. Drew’s Crew (Usa) 2230.20 miles – TS #37 – 5d 17h 29m (16.22mph)
11. Team Can Be Venture (Usa) 2156.10 miles – TS #36 – 5d 21h 04m (15.28mph)
DNF Team Surfing USA (Usa) 1911.70 miles – TS #32 – 3d 21h 51m (20.37mph)

RAAM 4-Person Mixed 50-59
Buchholz goes America are showing no signs of slowing up as they approach the final day’s racing: their average of 18.36mph would put them a comfortable fifth in the all-male, four-man competition.

1. Buchholz goes America (Ger) 2575.40 miles – TS #43 – 5d 20h 16m (18.36mph)

RAAM 4-Person Mixed Under 50
Leading mixed quartet All Wheels 4 Fibromyalgia look set for victory in their category come tomorrow, as they have maintained a secure buffer over Team Human Science. Sami’s Team are a further 150-odd miles down the road in third.

1. All Wheels 4 Fibromyalgia (Usa) 2751.30 miles – TS #46 - 5d 20h 14m (19.62mph)
2. Team Human Science (Gbr) 2575.40 miles – TS #43 – 5d 20h 53m (18.28mph)
3. Sami’s Team (Usa) 2408.00 miles – TS #40 – 5d 18h 57m (17.33mph)

RAAM 2-Person Male
E-HUB TEAM have made no inroads into Adventures for the Cure’s lead. As they head through West Virginia, it’s going to take a real turnaround of fortures for Percic and Rosenstein to claim victory.

Moreover, 50-59 stars Team Reaching Heights passed them yesterday, and are now thirty-nine minutes ahead.

1. Adventures for the Cure (Usa) 2642.00 miles – TS #44 – 6d 0h 28m (18.29mph)
2. E-HUB TEAM (Slo) 2458.20 miles – TS #41 – 5d 21h 45m (17.34mph)

RAAM 2-Person Male 50-59
1. Team Reaching Heights (Usa) 2458.20 miles – TS #41 – 5d 21h 06m (17.42mph)

RAAM 2-Person Mixed
It was another good day for the SpinVox Adventurers. The pair have paced this race perfectly, actually slowly increasing their average speed daily after a very steady start.

1. SpinVox Adventurers (Gbr) 2230.20 miles – TS #37 – 5d 21h 25m (15.77mph)