Rob Lichtenwalner

Team Bear Naked/Cannondale

24 Hour Solo World Championship Race Report

For immediate release:

Nazareth, PA (October 9, 2006)  “It was fun for 16 hours, then it all went to hell…”  So said Bear Naked/Cannondale Mountain Bike Team Racer Rob Lichtenwalner of the 24 Hour Solo World Championships in Conyers, GA.  He prepared for the event with all the optimism of knowing he could finish in the top five, granted his day in the saddle went according to plan. 

A true World Championship, the pace the racers from the gun set was incredible.  Lap after lap, the front runners kept such a high speed, you’d think they were competing for 24 miles, let alone 24 hours.  At such a relentless pace, strategy for coming through lappers, pit exchanges, clothing, refueling, threat of mechanical failure and a multitude of other potential problems became greatly exaggerated.  Into the night, the front pack kept the furious pace, most doing rolling transitions through the pit area on each lap.

“The pits were crazy!  For 19 laps I rolled though every pit just like NASCAR, even into the night.  We had nearly an entire bike shop w/Cannondale there for me, Brandon Draugelis and Craig Gordon.  The drill went:  one person swapped bottles, one person lubed my chain, and one person gave food.  Sara (my wife) gave the best pit ever, wiping vomit from mouth.”

Keeping a furious pace while carefully gauging levels, Rob pushed into the top 10.  However, during the night he slowly felt his dreams of a top five slipping from his grasp.  Somewhere early in the morning his cord snapped, and at 4:30AM Rob crawled off his bike.  

“It was crazy – the top 15 or 20 race-paced the entire 24 hours! I didn’t get the greatest start, and due to the high pace working up through the pack was so hard. During the daylight my race was uneventful.  I just tried to keep advancing through the pack.  From midnight through 4:00AM I put in a really hard charge, but I eventually got dehydrated and I paid for it. I would not ride to crippled state – I went there knowing I could place top-5, but at that point I did not see it happening.  I got discouraged and did not want to go out after puking in a grocery bag (contents saved for analyzation).  Everyone was so fast.  My wife said I was turning grayish-green – at that point I knew I had to pull out of the race.  I then slept because I got sick.  I’m now going to regroup and focus on 24 Hours of Wheelbarrow Freestyle.” 

“I have no regrets – my bikes worked well, my pits worked well, the others peoples bodied just worked better.  My utmost respect goes out to the winner Craig Gordon – he did an extra lap he didn’t have to, just to secure the championship.  He rode nearly 250 miles with an average pace of over 10mph.”

The scene at the 1^st aid station immediately following the race was telling as to the absolutely grueling nature of the 24 Hour Solo World Championships.  Third place Brandon was getting his wide eyes flushed and scrubbed, and Craig and Chris were both taking IVs in an attempt to replenish their bodies’ precious fluids.  To get to the podium, Craig had to be carried due to cramps, Chris toughed it out and walked, and 17 year old Brandon had to use a cane.

Rob would like to thank the following:

His wife Sara, Addictive Cycle, Steve Wiley, Team Bear Naked/Cannondale, Lupine Lighting Systems, and the top-5 guys for ruining hopes and dreams for 06.