Race Across AMerica : Third-Place Shermer Is Day’s Lone Finisher

Michael Shermer of Los Angeles became the third cyclist to finish this year’s Race Across AMerica when he rode into Atlantic City on Wednesday evening, more than 10 days and 3,120 miles after beginning the race at the Huntington Beach Pier.

Shermer, the only competitor to ride in all four of the transcontinental races, set a personal best time of 10 days, 7 hours and 57 minutes. He was the only person to finish Wednesday.

Shermer had ridden 2,037 miles without seeing another racer. The last competitor he saw was Lon Haldeman, who was forced to drop out of the race in Texas because of the flu.

Jonathon Boyer, 29, of Pebble Beach, Calif., won the race Tuesday, followed by Michael Secrest, 32, of Flint, Mich.

The next rider expected to complete the race was Susan Notorangelo, 31, of St. Louis.

Just 27 miles from Atlantic City late Wednesday night, if Notorangelo continued at the same pace, she was expected to finish fourth, thereby becoming the first woman to officially finish the race. She was also on a pace to break the women’s record for any transcontinental ride.

Among the local riders, 37-year-old Dennis Bock of Costa Mesa dropped out of the race Wednesday morning with an injury to his right knee, the same problem that sidelined him last year. Bock had ridden 2,621 miles, reaching Roanoke, Va.

Jim Penseyres, 37, of San Juan Capistrano was in 12th among the remaining 17 riders, staying just ahead of his friend Rob Templin, 29, of San Diego.