The ultra-cyclist from Wolkersdorf is returning to the world’s toughest cycling race. What began as an attempt to break free from the addictive pull of smoking has turned Philipp Kaider into one of the most successful athletes in his discipline. His second appearance in the Race Across America takes him once again from Oceanside in California to Atlantic City in New Jersey. The route covers around 4,900 kilometres and runs through deserts, over the Rocky Mountains at 3,000 metres above sea level, and on to the Atlantic Ocean.
From a musician who smokes to an athlete
Until ten years ago, Kaider was a heavy smoker and lived primarily for music. With his band – which played rock in the local dialect – he spent most of his time rehearsing and performing. Cigarettes and alcohol were a natural part of his daily life back then. At the age of 27, he reached a decisive turning point: the band split up, and through his father-in-law he was introduced to cycling for the first time. Meeting Bernhard Kornherr, who sparked his enthusiasm for ultracycling, did the rest. This moment led him to completely turn his life around – he threw everything into the mix and started afresh. The passionate musician and smoker became a cyclist who from then on focused entirely on the sport.
RAAM winner Kaider
On his first attempt in 2025, Philipp Kaider completed the distance in 8 days, 22 hours and 32 minutes and won the RAAM. Temperatures of over 40 degrees Celsius in the desert alternated with temperatures just above freezing in the mountains. Days of rain, strong headwinds, sleep deprivation and physical exhaustion characterised the race. Despite these conditions, Kaider drew a positive conclusion: “When I crossed the finish line, all I could think was: how brilliant was that! I’ve never had so much fun cycling over such a long period of time.” Whilst other athletes think about recovery after such exertion, he was already certain at the finish line that he would like to compete again if the funding was right. In an interview with Sport Aktiv, he recalls the heat in particular: “I immediately think of the Glass Elevator descent near Borrego Springs, which leads down into the Californian desert. You ride into a wall of heat; it feels like when you open the oven to check if the potatoes are ready.”
Philipp Kaider at the Race Around Lower Austria
Three weeks before the start, Philipp Kaider completed the Race Around Lower Austria. Together with comedian Gery Seidl and nutritionist Axel Dinse, he formed a team of three. According to him, preparations went according to plan alongside his work as an intensive care nurse and his start-up “No Carbs, No Glory!”.
Kaider has been training in Borrego Springs for the past two weeks. The small desert town in California offers little traffic and consistent conditions for his final training sessions. “Borrego Springs is a lovely little town where nothing much ever happens. Thanks to all the practice runs, I now know the quickest way through here! It’s been getting warmer day by day,” he says, describing the situation. The forecast for the race predicts temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius. The heat index could even exceed 50 degrees.
“It really takes it out of you,” says Kaider in a press release. “But it’s precisely this surreal quality that makes the race so appealing. The vastness, the length of the course and the extreme conditions – that’s the fascination behind it. In fact, it’s precisely the adverse conditions that make this race so special.” He stayed in Borrego Springs with Bernhard Kornherr until Friday. He competed in his first ultra races with Kornherr.
Philipp Kaider’s objective
Philipp Kaider does not see this second attempt as a repeat of the last one. “My aim is to complete the race just as well again and have as few problems as possible. The biggest challenge will be to have just as much fun,” he explains. “Above all, you mustn’t constantly compare yourself to last year. You have to approach the whole thing as a new project.” The experience from 2025 should nevertheless be used to improve processes. “I had quite a few short downtime periods last year. I want to become more efficient in that regard.”
A team of eleven carers
The support team travelled to the US on 12 June. Eleven people will accompany Kaider through the United States. The group consists of experienced support staff and newcomers. Final preparations will be completed near Oceanside before the race begins at midday. The organiser has not yet announced the exact start time.
Sonne Cycling Challenge for Malawi
The Wolkersdorf resident is once again dedicating the kilometres he has cycled to the Sonne Radl Challenge. This cycling community event runs throughout June. Sponsors convert every kilometre cycled into donations to help children in Malawi gain access to schooling and physical education. “Anyone who owns a bike really ought to take part. You can change a child’s life with very little effort!” says Philipp Kaider.
Fans can follow the race live via an official tracking platform. The platform shows Kaider’s position in real time as he rides through deserts and mountains in a variety of weather conditions. For the 40-year-old, a journey through sleepless nights and extreme weather conditions on two wheels is about to begin.
Kristian Bauer
Editor
