After you, ladies!

The women started earlier today and have all passed TS1. They were all within 20 minutes of each other, with the ave speeds ranged from 14.3 to 13.0 mph. Of those 5 women the first place and fifth place were recumbents - that's very interesting!

There are no clear favorites here. Recumbent Barbara Buatois, France, has quite a lot of impressive results and is backed by a lot of sponsors and financial backing! Michelle Santilhano, S Africa, started 2009 RAAM solo and DNF'd on day 3. Let's hope that experience will help her in 2010. An Italian belladonna, Sabrina Bianchi, sure has the name for cycling. Amy Xu looks strong as nails. And then the local favorite, Sandy Earl, grew up in Indiana and has the women's record at Calvin's 12 hr challenge in Springfield, OH. We Hoosiers and Buckeyes are pulling for her!