Race Across America Underway For Team Type 1

Team Type 1 got off to a strong start as the eight-person team division of the Race Across America got underway Wednesday afternoon in Oceanside, California. The team of Monique Hanley, Matt Brooks, Andy Mead and Mark Suprenant led off the 3,015-mile race and rode to the team's first exchange at Brawley, California, the second of 54 time stations along the route that ends in Annapolis, Maryland.

At the first time station 54.7 miles into the race, Team Type 1 trailed the Norwegian team Byggkjop presented by BMC Cycling Team by seven minutes. Team ViaSat was the third team to the time station, one minute behind Team Type 1. Byggkjop averaged 17.55 miles an hour to 16.92 mph for Team Type 1.

Team members who began riding at Brawley were RAAM Team Director Bob Schrank, in addition to Alex Bowden, Tim Powell and Timothy Hargrave.

All eight members of Team Type 1 have Type 1 diabetes. Team Type 1 has won the eight-person corporate team division of RAAM in 2006 and 2007 and set the team transcontinental record crossing of five days, 15 hours and 43 minutes (3,046 miles) last year.

Updates on Team Type 1 are being posted on the team's website and blog, www.teamtype1.org.