Thomas Mauerhofer is returning to the Race Across America eight years after his serious accident. The 48-year-old ultracyclist from Eastern Styria will line up at the start in Oceanside on 16 June 2026. The race is considered the toughest cycling race in the world and runs non-stop through 13 states to Atlantic City in New Jersey. His aim is to close this unfinished chapter and complete the route across the USA in under ten days.
Accident at the 2018 Race Across America
In 2018, Mauerhofer competed in the Race Across America (RAAM) for the first time. Whilst on course for a medal, he was seriously hit by a car. The impact resulted in a fractured cervical vertebra. Emergency surgery prevented him from becoming paraplegic. In 2019, following intensive rehabilitation, he attempted a first comeback but withdrew from the race. The mental strain following the accident was too great.
Current form and preparation
Recent successes paved the way for his return to RAAM. At the 24-hour individual time trial World Championships in California in October 2025, Mauerhofer finished third overall and was crowned runner-up in his age group. In 2017, he set a 48-hour elevation gain world record of 31,140 metres in Anger. He is preparing for the RAAM in the Rocky Mountains, including at Wolf Creek Pass at an altitude of 3,309 metres.
Race Across America route
The distance is 4,933 kilometres with 35,493 metres of elevation gain. Riders have a maximum of twelve days to get from the Pacific coast to the Atlantic coast. The race runs from start to finish without interruption; breaks for food, toilet stops and sleep are all included in the total time. Philipp Kaider is among the registered participants in the solo category. The Austrian winner from last year is among the favourites. Originally, the Austrian Elena Roch also intended to compete in the RAAM – but following a double slipped disc in her cervical spine, she has postponed her start until 2027. However, Pawel Nowak is registered, who as as previously introduced by TOUR.
History of the RAAM
For 43 years, the RAAM has been regarded as one of the world’s most demanding ultra-endurance events. The race covers more than 3,000 miles (approx. 4,800 km) from Oceanside, California, to Atlantic City, New Jersey, climbing a total of around 175,000 feet. The route crosses 13 US states, three mountain ranges (the Sierra Nevada, the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains) as well as famous landscapes such as the Mojave Desert and Monument Valley. The RAAM is about 30 per cent longer than the Tour de France, but is completed with minimal breaks. Among other things, daily sleep is reduced to a minimum.
The race is open to both professionals and amateurs and can be contested as an individual or a relay event in teams of two, four or eight people. To date, participants from over 35 countries have taken part in the RAAM. Individual riders have a maximum of twelve days to complete the race, whilst relay teams have nine days.
Kristian Bauer
Editor
