This is nothing like the Tour de France. These bike racers are a different breed of cat. They are ultra marathoners and they are about to undergo 12 days (or less) of hell. On June 11 at noon EDT, the 2013 Race Across America began and several riders took off from the pier at Oceanside, CA and will not stop until they finish in Annapolis MD, 3000 miles away. Last year's winner, Reto Schoch of Switzerland did it in about 8 days, 6 hours. It's basically one long time trial. When they sleep, the clock keeps running. When Jure Robic of Slovenia won in 2004, it is estimated he slept a total of 4 hours during 8 days of racing.
While the race cannot be seen live even on the internet, the thing I check all day long during the race is the racer's listed progress on the leaderboard. All along the course there are timestops where the riders must check in with race officials. As of right this very second, the leaders of the race have passed the 342 mile time stop in Salome, AZ. Currently, the 2011 winner in the male under 50 category, Christoph Strasser of Austria, is leading the 2012 winner (Schoch) by about 42 minutes. In the women's category, six-time winner Seana Hogan is leading the pack even though she competes in the 50-59 category. Maria Parker is in second place even though she rides a recumbent bicycle.
Different breed of cat. They can race in teams and rotate riders or simply race in the solo category. They need to have a chase vehicle and they need to obey the rules of the road like stopping at stop signs. They raise money for charity. They even have their own disease. I'll explain after the squiggle.
The riders can partner up and race on a team. A 2-person, 4-person or even 8-person team. One rider out on the road while everyone else follows in the support vehicle. When the rider gets tired, they simply trade the riding duties. The teams do not begin racing until this Saturday. A good team can finish the race in less than six days.
Typically, these teams are involved to raise awareness for a cause or usually a disease. There are teams raising money on behalf of, among other things, Melanoma research, the Northwest Arkansas Children's Shelter, Walter Reed Hospital, National MS Society, inner city youth, etc. It is estimated the race can bring in $2 million in charitable funding split among these causes.
Long distance cycling does have it's own disease: Shermer's Neck.
Shermer's Neck is a condition where the neck muscles fail from fatigue and can no longer support the head. It is not a gradual ailment, either: after first feeling the symptoms, the neck will usually give out within two hours.
Holding up 10 pounds of dead weight for 22 hours a day can get tiring. Somehow I don't see any teams raising money to fight Shermer's Neck.
Riders can get penalized for rules or traffic violations. First offense is an added 15 minutes and additional offenses go up from there. Six offenses earn disqualification. Riders can even be penalized for things their support vehicle does. All race rules are trumped by whatever the local police say. The solo riders have 12 days to finish the race. If they fall too far behind, they get disqualified.
If you're ever thinking about entering in future years, the minimum bare-bones outlay is about $20,000 with fees, equipment, support vehicle add-ons, meals and travel expenses.
While rider safety is the #1 concern, riders still get into traffic accidents. The rider's chase vehicle serves as a warning device for the rider. Still, some riders can get delirious and drift a bit. In the 2005 race, Bob Breedlove was killed in Colorado when he swerved into an oncoming pickup truck.
So folks, check out the course map and if you see any of these folks racing out there, give 'em some space and cheer them on.