What is RAAM

The History of RAAM

Fabio and his RAAM

What is RAAM
RAAM is the non-stop bicycle race across the north American continent (coast to coast): a cycling competition of more or less 5,000 km on a set route that connects the Pacific Ocean with the Atlantic. The influential American magazine, Outside Magazine, defined it as “the toughest competition in the world.”
Figura infatti In fact, it is in first place, ahead of the Vendée Around the World (sailing competition), in 3rd the Iditarod of Alaska (sled dog) and only I the 8th the Ironman of Hawaii
Each cyclist can manage his time to rest and choose the racing strategy he prefers. He must always be followed by at least on means with three people aboard. Only competitors who reach the finish within 48 hours after the winner are admitted into the results.

The History of RAAM

RAAM dates back to 1978 when John Marino and his faithful bicycle proposed to beat the existing world record for the transcontinental from Santa Monica (California) to New York reported in the Guinness Book of World Records. He succeeded in both 1978 and 1980. That same year, John Marino and Michael Shermer founded the Ultra-Marathon-Cycling-Association, with the purpose of regulating the attempts of extreme cycling in the United States. In that memorable year there were four competitors: John Howard – at the time American cycling national, 6-time national champion, Olympic champion, the winner of the Ironman of Hawaii in 1981 with the record time of 9 hours and 38 minutes and in 1985 he set the world record for speed by bicycle behind a motor but with only his leg propulsion at 248.018 km/hr. – Lon Haldemann, who had beat Marino’s transcontinental record in 1981 – Michael Shermer, who had just set the new record for the 1,500 mile race (2,413.5 km), from Seattle to San Diego – and finally, naturally John Marino himself. Since then, in order to establish who can compete in the RAAM, each year 800-km “qualification trials” are organized (for aspiring Americans) on state roads, while athletes from the rest of the world must show a curriculum in the filed of extreme cycling or other extreme sports, or have reached exceptional results in the classic cycling competitions. Since 1982, RAAM has covered a lot of territory and today an average of 15 to 25/30 competitors from almost the entire world participate in the SOLO (individual) category, subdivided into rookies and veterans, an average of 350/400 team members, dozens of judges and organizers, as well as all the spectators, curious onlookers and fans scattered along the roads, making this competition – unique in its kind – an unforgettable mobile circus on wheels! From 1982 to 1989 the race started in Los Angeles and finished in New York. Subsequently the finish was moved to Savannah (Georgia), however with several changes in the itinerary.

Fabio and his RAAM

Race Across America, that is 5,000 km non-stop accompanied only by your bicycle, through the rocky and boiling deserts of the southwest, the majestic Rocky Mountains of Colorado, the boring plains of Oklahoma, the fertile hills of Arkansas and Tennessee, to finish in the suffocating humidity of Georgia. Maximum expression of the crushing superiority of mind over body. Two rules to respect in order to classify: 1) always pedal, 2) never sleep, or almost never. Two rules, which in their extreme simplicity and effectiveness, inspire fear and respect. Fabio’s American experience started bitterly in 1996 when, unfortunately, due to a serious accident incurred by a member of his team when passing him a water bottle, he was forced to withdraw after only 200 km of racing. The 1997 edition certainly did not go better seeing that less than one day before the finish, when he could have probably won the race in the Rookies’ category, placing 7th or 6th absolute, for disappointments (let’s call them that) with some members of his team he was again forced to withdraw. The year 1998 finally gave Fabio back what had been taken from him in the past. Covering 1,500 km that separate Irvine (California) from Savannah (Georgia), with the seriousness, humility, determination, and respect that a similar event requires, finishing in 5th place absolute and therefore becoming the first Italian in the history of cycling to finish the RAAM and to do it by entering the Top Five.