Team Velokraft - a two man team taking on the challenge of Race Across America on recumbent bikes
Race Across America is a unique cycling endurance event - unique in its openness to all types of riders - a wide range of ages, open to men and women and open to solo and team riders, and especially open to recumbent and upright bikes. The race itself runs from Oceanside, CA to Atlantic City, NJ covering over 3,000 miles (5,000 kms) and climbing over 100,000 feet (over 35,000 metres). The solo riders start on June 10 and the teams leave on June 12.
Tim Woudenberg from Moss Beach, California and Glenn Druery from Sydney, Australia faced off against each other in RAAM 2005, Tim riding with Team ALS Bacchetta and Glenn with Team JDRF Velokraft. The 2007 edition of the race brings Tim and Glenn together in an international team racing on Velokraft NoCom and VK2 racers - low racing recumbent machines. Meanwhile Team Bacchetta are back too in a two man team comprising the very experienced Phil Plath and John Schlitter. Competition between these teams is expected to be close. However, the real challenge will be to see how the recumbent teams stand up to the track record of the upright teams.
While RAAM is a race it is also an enduring challenge of man against machine, of man against terrain and the elements and of man against himself. It is also a huge test of the quality and commitment of the support teams. Not to be outdone it is also a remarkable test of organisation for the teams, for the time station managers and for the race organisers - someone has to paint the arrows on the road to show the riders the route, for example.
The team has been generously sponsored by Dana Lieberman of Bent Up Cycles based in Van Nuys, California. Dana started Bent Up Cycles in 2003 and specialises in selling ready to ride recumbent bicycles. Dana will find a recumbent to match your precise needs from a range including Velokraft, Bacchetta, RANS, Greenspeed, Catrike and ICE.
Enjoy the challenge!