Hi RAAM Fans ...
"Stay on the bike. A steady pace wins the race."
Pete Penseyres
In the last update, I focused on Jonathon Boyer's 1985 Race Across America
where he rode across America in 9 Days and 2 Hours, which was the fastest
Coast-To-Coast Bicycle Crossing up to that point. Jonathon was one of two
of the most accomplished Road Racing Cyclists in America at that time and
was the first American to race in the Tour de France.
Jonathon Boyer said in the 1985 Race Across America, "Even though the Ultra-
Marathon cyclist can do the Race they're doing, they're not considered real
athletes as far as racing athletes or someone who does something on a
competitive level. My main competition I think is the clock. They're not
many other riders that can even conceive of doing what I want to do."
In the 1986 Race Across America, Jonathon Boyer decided not to come back and
compete. As Pete cranked into Texas, the great announcer Jim Lampley said,
"A part of Pete Penseyres was racing with Michael Secrest but another part
of him was racing with a shadow. As a central figure in the Ultra Marathon
culture, Penseyres had returned to the race, hopeful for a battle with
Jonathon Boyer. His heart still carried scars from what Boyer had said
about riders like him the year before. Deprived of the chance of riding
next to the man himself, Penseyres had etched the numbers and the pace that
would produce them into his consciousness. He was running ahead of that pace."
Pete Penseyres responded with, "It's always bothered me that the cycling
world, as small as it is, can't be more of a family."
Pete also responded by riding the same course as the 1985 Race but with much
more difficult conditions in 8 Days, 9 Hours, 47 Minutes. 16 Hours Faster
than Jonathon Boyer the year before!!
Jim Lampley summed it up, "Second in the Race Across America in 1983,
victorious in 1984, and then back to win again, confounding those who
remember his come from behind approach by leading most of the way.
A friend to virtually everyone he meets, the 43 Year Old Nuclear Engineer
is set apart by a glowing tight knit family. We'll never know what Jonathon
Boyer would have done if he would have chosen to defend his title in 1986.
But we do know that he would have had to better his own record by more than
16 Hours to have a chance to beat Pete Penseyres!!"
How good was Pete's 1986 Race Across America?
Unbelievably good.
Better than World Class.
Jonathon Boyer's 1985 Total Average Speed was 14.3 MPH. This has only been
topped by the following few RAAM cyclists (in order of speed):
14.4 MPH by Bob Fourney in 1990
14.5 MPH by Paul Solon in 1989
14.6 MPH by Danny Chew in 1996
14.9 MPH by Rob Kish in 1992
15.4 MPH by Pete Penseyres in 1986
Notice that there is a HUGE GAP between the last two!!
The point is this: Pete absolutely destroyed Jonathon Boyer's record. And
don't forget: that is Total Average Speed with the clock ticking for every
minute you're off the bike including sleep breaks.
Pete's ride set a record that continues on the books 12 years later as the
fastest Total Average Speed -- and it looks like it will be mighty hard to
beat for many years to come!!
I have just viewed the 1986 Race Across America video which was the last of
five consecutive years where ABC Wide World of Sports produced coverage
for this event. Even though the 1986 show apparently didn't win an Emmy,
I am totally amazed at how excellent this show was. I think it's better
than 1985!!
To order your copy, go to:
http://www.CalTripleCrown.com
then to the 1999 Race Across America Photos and Hot Item Updates.
There you will find a RAAM Book and Video Order Form ... just print it out,
fill it out, and mail it in.
Anyway, back to the 1999 race ...
The credit for this work should go to:
1. Nick Gerlich who has worked so hard at designing and building the RAAM
Online Web Pages from which this information comes. Even now, Nick is on the
road and uploading photos from the RAAM Action every night as he goes across
America.
2. RAAM Headquarters manned by the SCOR Club and headed by Larry Mahrenholtz.
The Web Site which is the result of all of Nick and Larry's work is very
impressive and if you don't have Internet Access, you need to get it in order to
really see what each rider is doing through each time station, etc. Check out:
http://www.RAAMOnline.com
HOT ITEM -- Gerry Tatrai is now in the lead ahead of Danny Chew by 1 Hour 14
Minutes at TS47 in Linden, Tennessee, 2287 Miles into the race!! Last night,
Gerry was in 3rd place ... but has been in 1st place since then!!
At TS47 (Linden, Tennessee), it was:
1st: Tatrai at 10:20 P.M.
2nd: Chew at 11:34 P.M. = 1:14 Behind Tatrai
At TS46 (Chesterfield, Tennessee), it was:
1st: Tatrai at 8:05 P.M.
2nd: Fasching at 9:19 P.M. = 1:14 Behind Tatrai
3rd: Chew at 9:30 P.M. = 11 Minutes Behind Fasching
so it continues to be an extremely close race as now Chew has passed Fasching
and is in 2nd place at TS47.
At TS45 (East Union, Tennessee), it was:
1st: Tatrai at 5:30 P.M.
2nd: Fasching at 7:21 P.M. = 1:49 Behind Tatrai
3rd: Chew at 7:30 P.M. = 9 Minutes Behind Fasching
4th: Clavedetscher at 10:53PM = 3:23 Behind Chew
At TS43 (Memphis, Tennessee), it was:
1st: Tatrai at 1:26 P.M.
2nd: Fasching at 2:28 P.M. = 1:02 Behind Tatrai
3rd: Chew at 2:36 P.M. = 8 Minutes Behind Fasching
4th: Clavedetscher at 5:35 P.M= 2:59 Behind Chew
5th: Sakurai at 8:36 P.M. = 3:01 Behind Clavedetscher
Tom Buckley pointed out that the speeds that these cyclists are now cranking out
are amazing. For instance, Gerry Tatrai is cranking out 18, 19, 20, and 21 MPH
average splits between time stations over and over again since Alamosa, Colorado
... check out Gerry's splits at:
http://www.webframers.com/raam99data/1999Rider194.html
It seems that the only splits below 18's are his sleep breaks!!
And we're talking very hot temperatures in the 90's and 100's with a Heat Wave
that is deadly!! How do you crank out that kind of speed after 2000 miles of
non-stop racing?
It's totally beyond my comprehension.
Gerry's Total Average Speed including all stops and sleep breaks has risen from
13.4 in Colorado up to 14.8 currently!! By way of comparison, his 1998 RAAM
Average Speed at TS46 last year was 14.2 ... so Gerry really is smoking this
year. Yet, Gerry's not alone ... Danny Chew's Average is 14.7, Wolfgang
Fasching's Average is 14.7, and Andre Clavedetscher is 14.4 which, if they can
keep up for the remaining 644+ miles, will put each of them all into the top 5
Total Average Speed records ever (see above!!)
HOT ITEM -- Team Colorado leads Team Coast Guard by 6 Hours at TS31 in
Kingfisher, Oklahoma, 1572 Miles into the race. The Women's Team Festina/DMS is
about 3 Hours back.
The Time Penalties and Notes section was updated below. Team Met-RX had to
abandon the race for an unknown reason -- these two triahletes made a valiant
attempt in their first RAAM.
These results may not line up on your CRT because of the Proportional Font
being used -- Copy them from here and Paste them into your Word Processor with
a Courier font and they will appear in columns.
Chuck Bramwell
California Triple Crown Guy
RAAM Web Page Transcriptionist
RAAM Route Individual Standings (1999)
Created on Wednesday, July 28, 1999 at 11:46 pm (est)
*****************************************************************************
*
*
* DIVISION REPORT - Solo Divisions
*
*
*****************************************************************************
Division: Men's Solo
Division Leader:
Rider #150 (Gerry Tatrai) passed through station 47 (Linden, TN) at 10:20:00
PM (EDT) on Wednesday, July 28, 1999, 2287.17 miles into the race.
Total Total Ave Ave Mi Hr. Overall
Rider Station Time/Day hrs. Mi Mi/Day MPH Back Back Pos
150 Gerry Tatrai 47 7/28/99 10:20 PM 154.07 2287.17 356 14.8 0.0 0.00 1
129 Danny Chew 47 7/28/99 11:34 PM 155.30 2287.17 353 14.7 0.0 1.23 2
201 Wolfgang Fasching46 7/28/99 9:19 PM 153.05 2253.93 353 14.7 3
223 Andre Clavedetsch45 7/28/99 10:53 PM 154.62 2218.84 344 14.4 4
185 Kaname Sakurai 43 7/28/99 8:36 PM 152.33 2143.50 338 14.1 5
39 Rob Kish 41 7/28/99 6:01 PM 149.75 2056.96 330 13.7 6
239 Mark Patten 41 7/28/99 9:10 PM 152.90 2056.96 323 13.5 7
237 Herbert Meneweger41 7/28/99 9:25 PM 153.15 2056.96 322 13.4 8
210 Fabio Biasiolo 40 7/28/99 8:26 PM 152.17 2014.01 318 13.2 10
234 Richard Avallone 38 7/28/99 4:45 PM 148.48 1916.56 310 12.9 11
240 Paulo Saldanha 38 7/28/99 7:56 PM 151.67 1916.56 303 12.6 12
159 Ed Kross 37 7/28/99 9:48 PM 153.53 1887.76 295 12.3 13
243 Terry Lansdell 36 7/28/99 9:46 PM 153.50 1836.11 287 12.0 15
236 Udo Bickenbach 35 7/28/99 7:34 PM 151.30 1777.01 282 11.7 16
232 Keith Krombel 35 7/28/99 8:47 PM 152.52 1777.01 280 11.7 17
242 Jrn Gersbeck 35 7/28/99 11:15 PM 154.98 1777.01 275 11.5 18
235 Eric Seedhouse 33 7/28/99 7:51 PM 151.58 1662.91 263 11.0 19
Division: Men's Solo 50+
Division Leader:
Rider #216 (Hans-Jrgen Schmidt) passed through station 37 (Subiaco, Ark) at
10:50:00 PM (EDT) on Wednesday, July 28, 1999, 1887.76 miles into the race.
Total Total Ave Ave Mi Hr. Overall
Rider Station Time/Day hrs. Mi Mi/Day MPH Back Back Pos
216 Hans-Jrgen Schmi37 7/28/99 10:50 PM 154.57 1887.76 293 12.2 0.0 0.00 14
180 Hugh Murphy 17 7/26/99 10:15 AM 93.98 840.62 215 8.9 DNF
Division: Mixed 2-Person Team
Division Leader:
Rider #TM66 (Team Met-Rx) passed through station 24 (Springfield, Co) at
3:30:00 AM (EDT) on Wednesday, July 28, 1999, 1238.77 miles into the race.
Total Total Ave Ave Mi Hr. Overall
Rider Station Time/Day hrs. Mi Mi/Day MPH Back Back Pos
TM66 Team Met-Rx 24 7/28/99 3:30 AM 135.23 1238.77 220 9.2 0.0 0.00 DNF
Division: Mixed Team 60+
Division Leader:
Rider #TM19 (Team Secure Horizons/SCOR) passed through station 40
(Lonoke, Ark) at 8:24:00 PM (EDT) on Wednesday, July 28, 1999, 2014.01
miles into the race.
Total Total Ave Ave Mi Hr. Overall
Rider Station Time/Day hrs. Mi Mi/Day MPH Back Back Pos
TM19 Team Secure 40 7/28/99 8:24 PM 152.13 2014.01 318 13.2 0.0 0.00 9
*****************************************************************************
*
*
* DIVISION REPORT - Team Divisions
*
*
*****************************************************************************
Division: Men's Team
Division Leader:
Rider #TM42 (Team Colorado) passed through station 33 (Shawnee, Ok) at
9:32:00 PM (EDT) on Wednesday, July 28, 1999, 1662.91 miles into the race.
Total Total Ave Ave Mi Hr. Overall
Rider Station Time/Day hrs. Mi Mi/Day MPH Back Back Pos
TM42 Team Colorado 33 7/28/99 9:32 PM 81.30 1662.91 491 20.5 0.0 0.00 1
TM61 Team Coast Guard31 7/28/99 11:02 PM 82.80 1572.21 456 19.0 2
Division: Women's Team
Division Leader:
Rider #TM65 (Team Festina/DMS Corp.) passed through station 30 (Seiling,
Ok) at 10:45:00 PM (EDT) on Wednesday, July 28, 1999, 1507.31 miles into
the race.
Total Total Ave Ave Mi Hr. Overall
Rider Station Time/Day hrs. Mi Mi/Day MPH Back Back Pos
TM65 Team Festina/DMS30 7/28/99 10:45 PM 82.52 1507.31 438 18.3 0.0 0.00 3
*****************************************************************************
*
*
* TIME PENALTIES and NOTES
*
* Riders Listed in order of Rider's Last Name
*
* Last Updated: 7/28/99 11:46 P.M.
*
*
*****************************************************************************
Avallone, Richard
No Notes or Time Penalties
*****************************************************************************
Biasiolo, Fabio
No Notes or Time Penalties
*****************************************************************************
Bickenbach, Udo
No Notes or Time Penalties
*****************************************************************************
Chew, Danny
No Notes or Time Penalties
*****************************************************************************
Clavedetscher, Andre
No Notes or Time Penalties
*****************************************************************************
Fasching, Wolfgang
TOTAL PENALTIES = 5 min.
Time: 5 min. Reason: CREW -- Crew driving in lane on freeway.
Reported by Michael Shermer
*****************************************************************************
Gersbeck, Jrn
No Notes or Time Penalties
*****************************************************************************
Kish, Rob
No Notes or Time Penalties
*****************************************************************************
Krombel, Keith
No Notes or Time Penalties
*****************************************************************************
Kross, Ed
No Notes or Time Penalties
*****************************************************************************
Lansdell, Terry
No Notes or Time Penalties
*****************************************************************************
Meneweger, Herbert
No Notes or Time Penalties
*****************************************************************************
Murphy, Hugh
NOTES
Date: 7/26/99 Time: 10:24 AM
Note: Hugh Murphy called to drop out of race due to Leaky Gut Syndrome
*****************************************************************************
Patten, Mark
No Notes or Time Penalties
*****************************************************************************
Sakurai, Kaname
No Notes or Time Penalties
*****************************************************************************
Saldanha, Paulo
NOTES
Date: 7/23/99 Time: 4:34 AM
Note: Rider taking sleep break @ 04:30AM 7/23/99
*****************************************************************************
Schmidt, hans-Jrgen
TOTAL PENALTIES = 20 min.
Time: 5 min. Reason: Crew Penalty, Hand off violation called in by Dave
Nelson
Time: 0 min. Reason:
Time: 15 min. Reason: At time station 3 Desert Center --Failed to follow
the course. Failed to exit freeway called in by Mike Roark
*****************************************************************************
Seedhouse, Eric
No Notes or Time Penalties
*****************************************************************************
Tatrai, Gerry
No Notes or Time Penalties
*****************************************************************************
Team Coast Guard
No Notes or Time Penalties
*****************************************************************************
Team Colorado
No Notes or Time Penalties
*****************************************************************************
Team Festina/DMS Corp.
No Notes or Time Penalties
*****************************************************************************
Team Met-Rx
TOTAL PENALTIES = 5 min.
Time: 5 min. Reason: Failed to stop at Red light RP#69,(Keith Duguid rider)
Called in by Mike Roark
7/28/99 11:46 P.M. - DNF - Unknown Reason
*****************************************************************************
Team Secure Horizons/SCOR
TOTAL PENALTIES = 5 min.
Time: 5 min. Reason: Failed to follow the course at time station 3 Desert
Center. Failed to exit the freeway & stop. Reported by Mike Roark
*****************************************************************************
Return to 1999 Race
Across America Hot Item Updates