Author Topic: Jure Robic has died in an accident (Read 4630 times)

RichForrest · « **on:** 24 September, 2010, 05:30:46 pm »

News reports are coming in and it seems that the greatest RAAM rider has died in a collision with a car

He was amazing to watch and follow.
RIP

STA:

mattc · « **Reply #1 on:** 24 September, 2010, 05:47:40 pm »

Jeepers.

He was clearly a mad bugger, and you half expected him to go less than quietly ... but that's not a very nice end.

kcass · « **Reply #2 on:** 24 September, 2010, 07:15:25 pm »

Jure Robic

New York Times article about him

RJ · « **Reply #3 on:** 24 September, 2010, 09:05:02 pm »

More here:

Jure Robic Killed In Accident | Cyclingnews.com

Rhys W · « **Reply #4 on:** 24 September, 2010, 09:21:17 pm »

Quote

5-time RAAM winner collides with car...

I expected better from cyclingnews.com. RIP.

DrMekon · « **Reply #5 on:** 24 September, 2010, 09:33:49 pm »

I only read about him in the last year, but was hugely impressed by what I read. What a shame.

MattH · « **Reply #6 on:** 24 September, 2010, 10:23:12 pm »

Shit.

Just saw this on the ultracycling list.

One of the stories that really stuck in my mind about him was how he and his crew reacted to to hallucinations on RAAM. He'd tell them that there was something chasing him (like Mongolian horsemen, IIRC), and they'd say "Yes, we see them too. Ride faster to get away!"

He'll be missed.

vorsprung · « **Reply #7 on:** 27 September, 2010, 10:14:50 am »

He really took long distance cycling to the absolute max, a legend

andygates · « **Reply #8 on:** 30 September, 2010, 04:57:24 pm »

Well, that sucks.

mattc · « **Reply #9 on:** 04 December, 2010, 11:27:48 am »

I've just read this Obit of the man:

Jure Robic - Telegraph

I've got a query about one factoid:
"
During the 2004 race Robic cycled an average of 350 miles a day to complete the race in just eight days, claiming only eight hours sleep, and pedalled into the record books by covering 518 miles in 24 hours.
"

Checking the UK 24h results, Andy Wilkinson rode 525miles in 1997.

Can anyone square this circle?

LittleWheelsandBig · « **Reply #10 on:** 04 December, 2010, 11:45:15 am »

The USA-ians often forget about records in other countries.

JohnP · « **Reply #11 on:** 04 December, 2010, 12:28:07 pm »

Quote from: mattc on 04 December, 2010, 11:27:48 am

...
During the 2004 race Robic cycled an average of 350 miles a day to complete the race in just eight days, claiming only eight hours sleep, and pedalled into the record books by covering 518 miles in 24 hours.
"

Checking the UK 24h results, Andy Wilkinson rode 525miles in 1997.

Can anyone square this circle?

Possibly they refer to RAAM Record Book not world wide cycling in general ?

teethgrinder · « **Reply #12 on:** 04 December, 2010, 12:40:11 pm »

It could just be a typo, as you get with newspapers.

According to the Guinness World Record website, this is the current record.

The greatest distance cycled solo and unpaced in 24 hours is 890.2 km (553.14 miles) and was achieved by Marko Baloh (Slovenia) at Lenart, Slovenia, on 6-7 September 2008.

mattc · « **Reply #13 on:** 04 December, 2010, 01:01:00 pm »

It seems that the world of long-distance cycling records is less unified than boxing!

From Baloh's website, the email confirmation from the Ultra Marathon Cycling Association (UMCA):
"
...
24 Hour

561 miles 3028 feet = 561.5735 miles = 903.765 km

23.40 mph average speed

Note: Great effort by Baloh to surpass the 900 km mark in 24 hours!

This replaces the record set by Julian Sanz Garcia, age 35, in November 2008 of 481.56 miles.

#4

1000 KM

27 hr 31 min 9.52 seconds

22.58 mph average speed

Note: This replaces the record set by Rod Evans of Australia in 1994 of 29 hr 12 min 33 sec

Four new records: This is one of the greatest one-day (plus a little) rides ever!

UMCA Records Chairman

Drew Clark
"
... so in 2008 UMCA recognised a record 40 miles short of Wilko's 1997 ride!

It's possible these are track-only records. Anyway, a bit of a mess!

MattH · « **Reply #14 on:** 04 December, 2010, 05:21:42 pm »

The simple answer is that the UMCA ratifies records that are achieved under their rules and submitted to them - similarly the Guinness World Records won't register many of the UMCA records (like N/S or E/W state crossings) because they aren't run under Guinness rules.

Whilst the rides may be comparable, there may also have been factors that make them not comparable (like indoors/outdoors, or drafting/non-drafting).

But yes, it is a bit of a mess, and it makes it difficult to see who is actually the best cyclist.

teethgrinder · « **Reply #15 on:** 05 December, 2010, 09:30:06 pm »

Quote from: MattH on 04 December, 2010, 05:21:42 pm

The simple answer is that the UMCA ratifies records that are achieved under their rules and submitted to them - similarly the Guinness World Records won't register many of the UMCA records (like N/S or E/W state crossings) because they aren't run under Guinness rules.

Whilst the rides may be comparable, there may also have been factors that make them not comparable (like indoors/outdoors, or drafting/non-drafting).

But yes, it is a bit of a mess, and it makes it difficult to see who is actually the best cyclist.

Guinness also charge a £1000 fee for any record claim, which is why they still say that the LEJOG record is held by Wilco, not Gethin Butler. Wilco was sponsored and they stumped up the money. Even though it has always been ratified by the RRA, Guinness still want their £1000 for any claim and nobody is willing to pay. Guinness never used to charge for World Record claims. It's become a bit of a farce IMO.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #16 on:** 06 December, 2010, 10:11:38 am »

I have a vague recollection of hearing that UMCA and CTT are trying to unfiy their records but AFAICT nothing has come of it thus far.

teethgrinder · « **Reply #17 on:** 11 December, 2010, 07:36:22 pm »

It may be done now. I think that the Mersey 24 can be used in the UMCA competition. There have been a few USA riders in the last few years and I think that one of them had ridden several 24 hour TTs that year. Can't remember his name, but watching him ride, he certainly looked to me as if he'd done a lot of long rides.

Exit Stage Left · « **Reply #18 on:** 11 December, 2010, 07:54:47 pm »

Quote from: teethgrinder on 11 December, 2010, 07:36:22 pm

It may be done now. I think that the Mersey 24 can be used in the UMCA competition. There have been a few USA riders in the last few years and I think that one of them had ridden several 24 hour TTs that year. Can't remember his name, but watching him ride, he certainly looked to me as if he'd done a lot of long rides.

Joel Sothern, he was aiming for the Ultra Marathon Cycling Association overall. I've done a couple of interviews with him. He comes over to Europe on business and combined a couple of Mersey 24th with that, he's done over 440 miles unsupported. Went round the first roundabout the wrong way on his first outing.

teethgrinder · « **Reply #19 on:** 11 December, 2010, 08:02:15 pm »

Yes. That's him.

MattH · « **Reply #20 on:** 11 December, 2010, 08:05:01 pm »

The Mersey 24 can be used for the Ultracycling Cup and the World Cup UMCA competitions.

But looking at the other records, the CTT record for 12 hours is 300.27 miles (1996
A Wilkinson), UMCA is 287.4 (Orlando Borini, Italy, 2008) - so the records aren't merged.

Exit Stage Left · « **Reply #21 on:** 12 December, 2010, 01:07:26 pm »

Records are complicated things, the Wilko 12 Hour you quote is a competition record for a National Championships, he beat it last year,
Wilkinson breaks own 12-hour record | Latest News | Cycling Weekly
I'm not sure if the comp record is the absolute record though. TT Records are a fairer representation of ability than one-way records, which are weather dependent.
The RRA don't do recumbent records, but Wilko has such a high standing that the timekeepers who would officiate for the RRA would validate anything he did. He still holds the RRA Tandem LEJOG record with Lynn Taylor.