Welcome to the RAAM Newsletter! The place for the most up to date and comprehensive information about ultra-bicycle racing and much more. |
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Texas Hell Week...We’re Heading South
Texas Hell Week is approaching fast! We have been working hard to make sure everything is in place for the 28th Texas Hell Week. We’ll be leaving Colorado – heading south later this week.
All the action will center on Fredericksburg, TX March 26 - April 4. Texas Hell Week is comprised of 3 daily rides over 7 days – 21 rides in all (March 27-April 2) followed by 2 ultra-races – the Stampede 200 (April 2) and Longhorn 500 (April 2-4). During the week there will be 3 seminars.
Headquarters motel reservations made – Sunday House Inn. Start/Finish facilities reserved – Hermann Sons Lodge. All 21 rides and 2 race routes (2 loops on the 200 and 4 loops on the 500) checked out (several times), RWGPS maps done, detailed cue sheets done. Rider numbers printed and rider packets assembled. Racer signage printed and laminated. Racer packets completed. Cool store merchandise has been ordered, picked up and packed up. Merchandise pre-orders packed up and ready to go. Event equipment (sound system, inflatable truss, fencing, banners, EZ-ups, etc. packed up and ready to go. Tracking is ordered. RAAM truck & trailer serviced and ready to roll.
Volunteers, photographer, race officials, check-in and store staff ready to go. Evening speakers on board – Christie Tracy, Shane Traughber, Rick and Fred Boethling.
There will be no RAAM Newsletter until the week of April 11-15. Rick and Fred are bringing their bikes.
We are sooo… ready to get out of the office and hit the road! The weather will be great. The wildflowers will be blooming. With 1,000 miles of paved low-traffic roads this is the best spring cycling in America. Fun! Fun! Fun!
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RAAM Adds 3 Events to the 2022 RQ Calendar
We have added 3 events to the 2022 RAAM Qualifier Calendar – Race Across Paris, Race Across Belgium and Race Across the UK. With the addition of these events, the 2022 RQ Calendar now features 46 events (52 races) in 20 countries.
These 3 events have been organized by Solo RAAM finisher, Arnaud Manzanini. Prior to the current additions to the RQ Calendar, he organized Race Across France. He now operates 4 RAAM Qualifiers. Manzanini finished Solo RAAM in 2015. With that successful finish he became the fastest French rider in RAAM history. For most riders, a Solo RAAM finish is a life altering experience. In Manzanini’s case, the idea of organizing RAAM Qualifying races was born of his RAAM experience.
This article provides a summary of the 4 RAAM Qualifying events organized by Arnaud Manzanini – his first, Race Across France - and the 3 new events – Paris, Belgium and UK.
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Race Across Paris (Chantilly, France) – April 29, 2022
This event incorporates the best cycling routes around Paris. Participants will experience the most beautiful roads of Ile-de-France and the neighboring regions. This event features a “compact” format which will provide riders a “taste” of the 2,500km Race Across France experience. Highlights include exceptional landscapes, history and the most beautiful monuments – Champs Elysee, Place de la Concorde, Place du Louvre, Place du Trocadero and Eiffel Tower. Riders will start and finish in Chantilly, north of Paris.
Riders can choose from 3 distances – 300km (with 2,000mt elevation gain), 500km (with 3,250mt elevation gain) and 1,000km (with 6,400mt elevation gain). The event utilizes 3 loops – the first is a 300km loop heading roughly south out of Chantilly into Paris; the second is a 200km loop heading roughly northeast out of Chantilly; and the third is a roughly 500km loop encircling Paris. All 3 loops start and finish in Chantilly. The 300km riders will ride the first loop; the 500km riders will ride the first and second loop; and the 1,000km rides will ride all 3 loops.
The event is open to solo riders as well as 2 and 4-person teams. The 1,000km is a RAAM Qualifier – to qualify for Solo Race Across America, solo riders must complete the 1,000km course in 3 days (without support).
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Race Across Belgium (Braine-l’Alleud, BE) – May 26, 2022
Riders will experience the roads of the great Belgian cycling classics - Liege-Bastogne-Liege, the best of Wallonia and many other mythical places in Belgian cycling. Riders will start and finish at the Butte du Lion (Lion’s Mound) located in Wallonia, in the municipality of Braine-l’Alleud, south of Brussels. This is where the famous Battle of Waterloo was fought. It is here that French military and political leader Napoleon Bonaparte met defeat.
Race Across Belgium is similar in design to Race Across Paris. Riders can choose from 3 distances – 300km (with 4,000mt elevation gain), 500km (with 5,000mt elevation gain) and 1,000km (with 8,000mt elevation gain). The event utilizes 3 loops – the first is a 300km loop oriented roughly W-E, the second is a 200km loop oriented roughly S-N and the third is a 500km loop oriented roughly E-W. All 3 loops start and finish at Butte du Lion. The 300km riders will ride the first loop; the 500km riders will ride the first and second loop; and the 1,000km rides will ride all 3 loops.
The event is open to solo riders as well as 2 and 4-person teams. The 1,000km is a RAAM Qualifier – to qualify for Solo Race Across America, solo riders must complete the 1,000km course in 3 days (with or without support).
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Race Across France (La Touquet, France) – June 18, 2022
The 2022 Race across France will be the 5th year for this event. The 2,500km race is a point-to-point route, beginning in La Touquet, located in the north of France on the English Channel, and finishing in Mandelieu-la-Napoule, located in the south of France on the French Riviera southwest of Cannes. Highlights of the route include the D-Day beaches, the roads of Nord Pas de Calais, Loire castles, Mont Ventoux, Lautaret, Galibier, Le Cormet de Roselend and La Colombiere.
Participants can choose from 4 distances – 2,500km (with 33,000mt elevation gain), 1,000km (with 21,000km elevation gain), 500km (with 8,000mt elevation gain) and 300km (with 7,000mt elevation gain). All 4 races use the same route and all 4 races finish in Mandelieu-la-Napoule. But each race starts at a different location. The 2,500k starts in La Touquet, the 1,000km in Megeve, the 500km in St. Jean en Royans and the 300km at the foot of Mont Ventoux.
The event is open to solo riders as well as 2, 4 and 8-person teams. Both the 2,500km and 1,000km distances are RAAM Qualifiers. In order to Qualify for Solo RAAM, solo riders must finish the 2,500km course in 7 days (with support) or 8 days (without support) and the 1,000km course in 3 days (with or without support).
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Race Across UK (Inverness, Scotland, UK) – August 27, 2022
The race Across UK is similar in design to the Race Across France. The 2,500km race is a point-to-point route, beginning in Inverness, Scotland and ending in Hastings on the south coast of England.
Participants can choose from 4 distances – 2,500km (with 33,000mt elevation gain), 1,000km (with 13,500km elevation gain), 500km (with 6,000mt elevation gain) and 300km (with 3,300mt elevation gain). All 4 races use the same route and all 4 races finish in Hastings. But each race starts at a different location. The 2,500k starts in Inverness, the 1,000km in Yorkshire, the 500km in Wales and the 300km in Oxfordshire.
The event is open to solo riders as well as 2 and 4-person teams. Both the 2,500km and 1,000km distances are RAAM Qualifiers. In order to Qualify for Solo RAAM, solo riders must finish the 2,500km course in 7 days (with support) or 8 days (without support) and the 1,000km course in 3 days (without support).
These 4 multi-distance events are exceptionally well designed. We are pleased to have them part of the RQ System. Each offers a totally unique ultra-racing experience. Look for a feature article on each of these events in a future RAAM Newsletter.
RAAM Qualifiers are much more than simply an opportunity for riders to qualify for Solo RAAM. They offer the opportunity for both riders and support crews – solo and team – to develop their skills under race conditions. The 2022 RQ Calendar now has 46 events (52 races) in 20 countries. There are several events not on the 2022 Calendar which we expect will return in 2023. In addition, we are evaluating another 8 events. Our goal is to grow the sport we love - ultra-bicycle racing – by growing the RQ System, adding events across the globe, making the sport accessible to cyclists around the world.
Please support these races.
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RACE ACROSS AMERICA VIDEO FROM OUTSIDE MAGAZINE!
Here’s a very well-produced video shot during RAAM 2021. This is a documentary film by director Devon Hoff-Weekes, cinematically follows the four-person Team Thin Energy / Bahati Foundation as they compete with a purpose in the world’s toughest bike race.
The story unfolds with the adventures and spectacular endurance of these amazing athletes starting the race in Oceanside, California, known for the longest pier on the west coast, to finish at City Dock in Annapolis, Maryland, the east coast sailing mecca.
The film slams over 3000 miles, 175,000 feet of climbs, crossing 12 states while capturing amazing landscapes and tremendous geography behind the screens over six days.
It’s a very accurate look at the day-to-day action of RAAM that we think our friends at home will enjoy, and that perhaps should be required viewing for any new crew member or team member.
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NO STAGES PODCAST with Julie Lyons (Team Love Sweat & Gears Founder)
Welcome to the No Stages podcast hosted by Rick Boethling, RAAM Executive Director and George Thomas, RAAM Announcer, Racer and RQQ Director.
Every Monday at 7pm Mountain Time we do a live Zoom interview, which we encourage people to join and ask questions. The recorded podcast is also posted on the RAAM website the next day.
This week: NO LIMITS PODCAST WITH JULIE LYONS
Team Love Sweat & Gears
Join our hosts Rick Boethling and George Thomas as they introduce our friends at home to Julie Lyons; a strong ultra-cyclist in her own right, and a co-founder of the cycling team, Love Sweat & Gears.
This was one of our most fun shows, with Rick and George and Julie discussing the many intricacies of putting together a team for RAAM and RAW, along with tips on preparation, training, and logistics.
Follow this link and use the passcode below:
Passcode: q?e9%o!h
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Time To Get Some Style...
You know you want some new gear to kick off your new year right. Many of the items have been recently marked down! Take a look at the many great items we have in the on-line RAAM Store. We have jerseys, clothing, DVD's, books, posters and so much more!
We also have a limited number of past years RAAM & RAW finisher's jerseys (2007-current). Of course, we'll only sell them to verified finishers. All of the years and sizes available are available on the Store.
Deals from our Sponsors:
Rudy Project VIP:
HERE’S HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN ACCOUNT TO GET UP TO 35% OFF OF RUDY PROJECT GEAR (including single vision prescriptions):
- enter your info + code: RAAM
NIMBL: 20% Off of the Best Percussion Massager on the Market!
Use the Code: RAAM for a great discount on the lightest, quietest percussion massager on the market. It is an amazing tool for pre- and post-race massage. It is the ultimate piece of gear missing from your race kit. Visit their website from more details: NIMBL
Spiegel Bikes: RAAM, RAW or WTTC SPECIAL EDITION CUSTOM FRAMES
And now YOU can get one too! We’ve worked closely with Spiegel to take the personalizing even further, along with their names, past RAAM finishers, or category winners can also have “Finisher” or “Winner” plus the year and their finish time on the top-tube too. “Winner” or “Finisher” status is subject to verification. Check them out on the RAAM Store: SPIEGEL FRAMES
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RUDY PROJECT
In 1985 Rudy Barbazza created Rudy Project in Treviso Italy with a firm conviction to improve the performance of athletes all over the world. Technically Cool: the two words that best sum up this Vision; the two words that best express the DNA of each and every design carrying the name Rudy Project. Rudy Project works in cooperation with athletes from all fields, listening to what they want and what they need.
HERE’S HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN ACCOUNT TO GET UP TO 35% OFF OF RUDY PROJECT GEAR (including single vision prescriptions):
- enter your info + code: RAAM
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News
Texas Hell Week - Update Everything is ready to go. We’re all leaving Colorado – heading south to Fredericksburg, Texas later this week. There will be no RAAM Newsletter until the week of April 11-15. Rick and Fred are bringing their bikes. We’re going to have some fun! Please see separate article in this RAAM Newsletter.
RAAM Adds 3 Events to the 2022 RQ Calendar We have added 3 events to the 2022 RAAM Qualifier Calendar – 2 Continental events (France and Belgium) and 1 in the UK. The Continental events are Race Across Paris and Race Across Belgium. In addition, there is Race Across the UK. With the addition of these 3 events, the RQ Calendar features 46 events (52 races) in 20 countries in which riders may qualify for Solo RAAM. Please see separate article in this RAAM Newsletter.
Results
No results reported for this RAAM Newsletter
Events Coming Up
Following are the events coming up in the next 8-10 weeks:
Road Race RQs
Longhorn 500 (Fredericksburg, Texas) – April 2, 2022
Race Across Italy (Silvi Marina, Italy) – April 23, 2022
Joe Barr 500 (Derry/Londonderry, Ireland) – May 7, 2022
Race Around Denmark (Aarhus, Denmark) – May 22, 2022
Race Around Neiderosterreich (Weitra, Austria) – May 27, 2022
Time Trial RQs
Revolve 24 (Talim Bend, South Australia) – March 26, 2022
Texas Ultra Spirit (Waller, Texas) – May 6,2022
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Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter! If you have any questions, comments or concerns please contact us at -info@raceacrossamerica.org
Tailwinds,
Race Across America Staff
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