Now in its 28th year, The Race Across America has become an American Institution. Every June, an increasingly larger number of cyclists from all around the USA, Canada, Europe, Australia and South America gather on the shores of the Pacific Ocean to race in the world’s toughest bicycle race. To become an official finisher, solo male contestants must complete the 3,014* mile race course in less than 12 days, seniors and women are allowed nearly 13 days. For teams, the cut-off is 9 days. While solo contestants must qualify for RAAM, team members do not. In Solo male RAAM, a competitor must race his bicycle approximately 340 miles a day if he is to contend for the podium. At this pace, sleep is rare; in fact, if you plan to win this division you better plan on sleeping about 90 minutes a day, but probably not all at once. To put that in perspective we refer to the only person on earth who has reached the top of Mt. Everest and won the Race Across America, Austrian adventurer, Wolfgang Fasching, who stated that, “Everest is more dangerous, but RAAM is much harder”. So according to the only man to ever do both, Solo RAAM is much harder than climbing the highest mountain on earth! year, the Race Across America has become an American Institution. Every June, an increasingly larger number of cyclists from all around the USA, Canada, Europe, Australia and South America gather on the shores of the Pacific Ocean to race in the world’s toughest bicycle race. To become an official finisher, solo male contestants must complete the 3,014* mile race course in less than 12 days, seniors and women are allowed nearly 13 days. For teams, the cut-off is 9 days. While solo contestants must qualify for RAAM, team members do not.

In 2008, an 8-man relay team from Norway, the Byggkjøp / BMC Cycling Team set a new RAAM speed record by crossing America in less than 5 ½ days with an average speed exceeding 23 mph. In 2005, Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France with an average speed of 25.9 mph, completing 21 stages covering 2,242 miles over a 23-day period. RAAM contestants, Byggkjøp / BMC Cycling Team rode 3,014 miles in a single stage in 5 ½ days. So RAAM isn’t only tough – it’s fast too!

It wasn’t until the age of 37 before Jean Marc Velez of Le Chesnais, France discovered his passion for ultra-endurance cycling. In 1999, Velez cycled in the internationally acclaimed Paris-Brest-Paris and the ultra-bug bit hard.

Next up was the Raid Provence Extreme and the XXAlps and then in 2005 he competed in the Furnace Creek 508. He had developed a love to travel, learn and discover through his body and bicycle and sought to explore more of North America and qualified for RAAM by competing in the Heart of the South 500. While he was not always successful in his competitions, he was always determined. His enthusiasm and passion for ultra-endurance brought him to San Diego in June of 2006 where he rolled his wheel up to the starting line of RAAM.

The morning was cool, a fog consumed the harbor which seemed to encapsulate the energy and intensity. Then the Star Bangled Banner rang out and from beneath the serene setting emerged the riders racing for Atlantic City. Jean Marc Velez was one of posse and he rode not only with determination but with great pride because he rode shoulder to shoulder with the world’s greatest ultra-endurance cyclists.

Yet in the days and nights that ensued a few challenges arose for Velez and his team. Issues compounded by his and their relative inexperience; the fog seemed to cling his campaign, obscuring his chances of success. As Velez tried to find the beacon that would help him through it all, he thought, “what would RAAM be if not for the obstacles”, and he carried on riding the best he could.

He made it through the desert and up Wolf Creek Pass before crashing his bicycle between Cuchara Pass and Trinidad, Colorado. A crash which forced him to abandon the race. His scorecard was stamped with a “DNF”.

But like those before him Velez chose not to view the attempt as a defeat but as a learning experience. This was an opinion which was fortunately shared by his main sponsor PMC Partners, who was pleased that he simply made his first attempt at RAAM. The experience had taught Jean Marc many things and one of those matters was a deeper respect for the challenges of RAAM.

He continued training, made vast changes and again in 2007 he rolled his bicycle up to the start line. He saw the familiar faces of ’06 and this time he felt more assured, more like he belonged, that he had truly earned the honor to contest the Race Across America. He was more determined than ever and but he told himself, that if he didn’t reach the boardwalk this year he would not return.

But RAAM shows no favoritism, just because you want it, it doesn’t just lay down for you, you have to conquer it to get to the other side. Challenges and obstacles were hitting Velez like children attacking a piñata, he lost 4 of his crew members and morale was low with the rest of them, yet he kept turning his pedals over, one rotation at a time. He concentrated on that; one rotation, and then the next… His perseverance paid off.

After 11 and 2/3rd days in a race that he thought would never end, 8 years after the bug bit, Jean Marc Velez became an official RAAM finisher.

His determination and ability to overcome monumental problems was not lost on PMC and they renewed their sponsorship through 2009. These lessons of RAAM were not lost on Velez either and he decided to focus on training for 2008. Recently, he competed in the Race Around Slovenia and continues to train daily. He is working to build a unified and knowledgeable crew for his return in 2009.

It is often said that you have to be good to be lucky and Velez’ persistence seems to have granted him good fortune as his sponsor PMC has embraced RAAM right along with him. They filmed both his rides in 06 and 07 and used the film to study human behavior and have now developed a corporate philosophy specifically resulting from Jean Marc Velez and his crew’s experience in RAAM. A positive approach, founded with deep commitment and accomplished with talent.

PMC uses RAAM as a metaphor where the finishing cyclist is the goal and the crew is the client seeking efficient performance. The extreme situations, the adjustments, the behavior changes which RAAM puts the team through recreates the conditions of the corporate competition.

Jean Marc Velez, now prepares for RAAM 2009 with American PMC consultants, the company opening up a branch in California.

To share his passion for adventure, a coffee table style book, “For the Beauty of It“, showcase an illuminating collection of award winning photography of race and landscape images shot entirely by Olivier Pojzman.