Christoph Strasser wins RAAM 2017 - Fourth victory at the RAAM with a huge lead

Strasser crossed the finish line after a riding time of 8 days, 9 hours, 34 minutes over 700 kilometres and around 1.5 days ahead of the US American Mark Pattinson, who is currently in second place. This lead is a new record.

Christoph Strasser reached the finish line in Annapolis, the capital of the state of Maryland on the east coast of the USA, at night. The 34-year-old was greeted with Bengal fires by his team of eleven supporters. Strasser completed the 4,940 kilometre distance in 8 days, 9 hours, 34 minutes. "I'm exhausted now, but also over the moon about my fourth victory in the Race Across America and that it turned out so well. Now I'm looking forward to a proper bed and a few hours' sleep. And after more than a week, I won't be woken up after 50 minutes of sleep only to have to get straight back on my bike," reads the official press release.

Christoph Strasser took the lead on the second day of the RAAM after taking it easy at the start for tactical reasons. From then on, he reeled off his kilometres and gradually extended his lead. At the finish today he had a lead of over 700 kilometres on Mark Pattinson, who is on course for second place for the fourth time in his career. In third place is the German Guido Loehr, followed by multiple RAAM finisher Marko Baloh from Slovenia. The winning time is the fourth fastest time in RAAM history.

The data for victory:

Over the past eight days, Christoph Strasser covered 600 kilometres a day, at an average speed of 25 km/h including breaks. His total sleep time was only 8.5 hours! He consumed between 9,000 and 12,000 calories per day, averaging 400 calories per hour and drinking twelve litres of fluids per day. His wattage levelled off at 180 in the last few days, although this figure varied greatly depending on his motivation and level of tiredness.