Media 2

An exciting  day on the road as they coursed through a sobering Gettysburg.  We met up with Tony O'Keefe, still riding strongly and with a big smile on his face.  He gutted out the Appalachians to finish an impressive fourth place.

Thomas Strebel overcame a knee injury he developed before the Appalachians to finish fifth.  Kevin Kaiser also finished strong to bring his 2010 RAAM campaign to an end.

As the clock winds down to the official finish this evening in Annapolis, you can find the individual finish results here and the team results here.  We hope to see Rob Morlock, Dr. Michael Nehls, Ferenc Szonyi, and Julian Sanz finish before the cut today. 

Dex Tooke is still plugging along with quite a ways yet to ride.  Sabrina Bianchi and Michele Santilhano are still legging out their assault on the 2010 RAAM solo.  The majority of the teams have completed their races as well, but a few remain out on the roads.

We had the pleasure of sharing the elation Team Arndt shared as they checked into the final time station before the three-mile ceremonial run-in to the dock in Annapolis.  These were some happy guys, after just completing the race under the seven day goal they'd set for themselves (by a scant four minutes)!

Media 2 signed off, hoisted a few drinks in celebration and headed back to their respective homes.  The 2010 Race Across America is in the books.

To say the course along the scenic highway in West Virginia and Maryland was hilly would be to sell it well short.  To say the course profile looked like a saw blade would be a further injustice, to describe the course as a two-person bucksaw or a Wildcat the Swamp Loggers might use is probably appropriate. 

The thick part of the RAAM field encountered some of the most savage roads we've seen so far this year.  The course never relented on heavy asphalt, broken pavement and drop-off shoulders.  When there was a bike lane, it was usually covered in cinder the highway department throws down in the winter months.  This makes for treacherous riding because one venture into the bike lane often results in a crash, or at the very least a cut tire.

Team JDRF rolled through the hills of West Virginia and Maryland today in terrain that doesn't favor the heavier two-man rig.  Nevertheless, the duos extended their lead in their over Team 4 Austrian Musketeers.

--Jake North

Canada's Tony O'Keefe, fourth in the solo male race said he is "feeling great."  He looks very comfortable on the climbs, jumping out of the saddle for the steep sections.  His pedaling action looks smooth and powerful at this late stage in the race.

--Jake North

Women's solo leader Barbara Buatois looked confident and comfortable climbing a hill in West Virginia.  She's out to a very comfortable lead and should finish sometime tomorrow evening.

Team Icebreaker and Allegiant Travelers were working the downhills in the Appalachians.  Allegiant Travelers is having a great race, with no major problems so far and switching riders every 10 miles.

--Jake North

We just came upon Thomas Strebel, solo men's fifth place.  He is soft-pedaling the WV hills and sporting multi-colored Kinesio-tape injuring his knee in a crash yesterday.  He looked to be in a great deal of pain and having trouble pedaling.  Kevin Kaiser and Rob Morlock are charging from behind and may overtake him.  Thomas has ridden consistently for the last 10 days and it's disappointing to see him ceding ground now.