 |
|
Home Calendar Current Results Standings Year-Rounder Records Training Equipment Nutrition About the UMCA Site Index |
|
Records set at the Swiss Radmarathon
Furrer Flies Furiously
by Fritz Blindenbacher & John Hughes
John Marino Competition for ultra riders of the season
The fifth Swiss Radmarathon, which took place on July 1st and 2nd, includes four events: As in the past the weather God was not a cyclist and sent some rain on Friday morning for the randonneurs. The weather became better after the elite start on Friday noon and was pleasant, nearly ideal, on Saturday. Over 300 participants from 10 nations put in 130,000 km (80,000 miles) - more than three times around the earth! The highlight of the Radmarathon is the opportunity to qualify for the legendary Race across America (RAAM). Participants in this category must race 720 km nonstop. The 600K course leads along the southern part of the Black Forest (Germany), across the watershed to the Danube river, along Lake Constance and through the Austrian county Vorarlberg and the Principality of Liechtenstein. RAAM aspirants must then race the Emmental section a second time to total 720 km. Pascal Müller led from the start with several other riders matching his pace. Müller had dropped out of the Raid Provence Extreme RAAM qualifier in May with heavy cramps. At the Radmarathon he "waited until the long climb (25 km) up to the Black Forest to check how fast the other riders go. From this point I rode my own 'well-feeling-pace' and nobody followed me. After hours on hours in front it was just 'keep in front of them as long as you can!'" Müller still had the race lead through the Sargans control (410 km). However, over the next 69 km to Pfäffikon, Beny Furrer from the Wallis made up a 27 minute gap and by the control had a slim four minute lead over Müller. Müller said "When somebody passes you in good position, it's always like a punch into your face and you have to manage yourself first with this. But then I focused on the podium." Furrer won the 720 km Radmarathon and set a new Radmarathon record, covering the 720 km in 24h 14min (average 29,7 Km/h (18.5 mi/h). Furrer has only one arm because of an accident and, despite this handicap, he finished the 4800 km long RAAM in 2003. Furrer started at a steady pace, riding about 15 to 20 minutes behind the until after midnight. However, as dawn approached Furrer took the lead for good. Michael Dhom finished second, also breaking the old record. Dham said "I tried to get the qualification for RAAM. Therefore I knew it is necessary to do the last kilometres nearly as fast as the first ones." The hardest part was "ihe early morning, between 4 and 5 o'clock. It was cold and it was raining. But with the light, the motivation came back and the closer we came to the finish, the better it goes . . . When I heard that I'm on second place I was happy because I saw the qualification become reality. So I stopped at the last CP, had a little talk with other riders and made fun with my team." Look for Dhom on the RAAM starting line in 2006. After leading for over half the race, Pascal Müller finished third and qualified for RAAM. He also hopes to line up sponsorship for RAAM.
Photo courtesy of Müller
Photo courtesy of Müller.
A strong field of 19 riders started the 720 km event. Four dropped out in the early stages and five stopped after 600 km. Eight riders qualified for RAAM. Hana Ebertova, the only woman and a veteran of the All-Czech Republic RAAM qualifier, qualified for RAAM after a heroic fight against the time cutoff.
In the 600 km Simone Grosswiler set a new women's record, breaking the old record by nearly one hour.
|
In the men's elite (drafting) 600 km race a group of four finished in 19h 10 min, missing the course record by seven minutes.
In women's 300 km the record from the last year was missed by three minutes - a heartbeat! The women were the highlight of the 300 km. Nearly 10% of the starters were women and all finished!
The Radmarathon also has the 110 km fun tour. Each year a growing group of distance riders enjoy the hills of the Emmental.
Complete results: Radmarathon website
RAAM Qualifier Finishers
Name
City
Country
Time
Status
Furrer, Beny
Stalden
CH
24:14
RAAM veteran
Dhom, Michael
Wichtrach
CH
24:41
RAAM qualified
Müller, Pascal
Aarau
CH
25:32
RAAM qualified
Riedweg, J–rg
Heimenhausen
CH
25:45
RAAM qualified
St”uble, Michael
Riniken
CH
25:47
RAAM qualified
Velez, Jean-Marc
Le Chesnay
F
26:01
RAAM qualified
Nehls, Michael
Stockdorf
D
26:44
RAAM qualified
Lustenberger, Walter
Malters
CH
28:34
RAAM qualified
Bartik, Patrik
Rymice
CZ
30:05
Ebertova, Hana
Praha 4 Branik
CZ
32:46
RAAM qualified