Muldoon Takes Over Lead After Leaders Decide to Take a Break : Cycle: Battig and Childs chose to rest, so Michigan rider heads Race Across America field as it bikes toward Utah border.

Felix Battig wearily rode into time station No. 6 of Race Across America Monday and was greeted with a small ceremony for being the first cyclist to reach Flagstaff, Ariz., which is 502 miles into the 2,922-mile bicycle race.

Battig, a 40-year-old rider from Switzerland, reached Flagstaff at 6:25 p.m. At the time station, he graciously accepted a trophy and medal, and offered thanks to well-wishers in the little English he knows.

But two things were very clear: He was amazed he was in first place, and he was willing to give up that lead for some rest.

He sat down and waited for his support motor home to catch up, so he could get some sleep.

Battig held a nine-minute lead over Premananda Childs of Greenwich, Conn., who also stopped to rest at the Flagstaff time station.

While both were off their wheels, Al Muldoon of St. Joseph, Mich., took over the RAAM lead as of 9 p.m. Monday. Muldoon went past the Flagstaff station at 6:43 p.m. and was the only rider to reach time station No. 7 in Cameron, Ariz., 550 miles into the race, as of 9 p.m.

Muldoon finished eighth in last year’s race.

The lead riders are on U.S. Route 89, heading mostly uphill toward the Utah border, 1 1/2 days into the race.

Bob Fourney of Denver is 21 minutes behind the leader. Jim Penseyres of San Juan Capistrano was about 60 miles behind the leader at 9 p.m.

Pat Ward of San Jose, who had a 40-minute lead the first day, has dropped out of the race because of dehydration. He retired from competition at 9:07 p.m.

Kay Ryschon of Omaha holds a 1-hour 37-minute lead over Michelle Grainger of Portland, Ore., in the women’s division after about 490 miles.

Bob Breedlove of Des Moines, Iowa, and Roger Charleville of Cincinnati are leading the two-team division. The pair holds a 30-minute lead over Lon Haldeman of Harvard, Ill., and Pete Penseyres of Fallbrook, Calif., after each passed the second time station in Desert Center, Calif., Monday night.

As the lead riders headed up Interstate 10 toward Blythe late Sunday night, a strong wind caused a sandstorm. By the time the majority of riders neared the area, however, the winds had subsided and few cyclists had problems.

“I didn’t even notice it,” Rick Kent of Houston said. “My mind was on other things. About all I recall was some grit on my face.”

Unlike many long-distance bicycle races, RAAM continues after dark.

Riders are followed during daylight hours by support vehicles that travel about 20 yards behind, offering encouragement, providing entertainment in the form of music over loudspeakers, and giving directions.

Once darkness falls, the support vehicles turn on roof-mounted lights to shine on the road in front of the rider.

“It’s like riding in another world,” said rider Matt Bond of Dayton, Ohio. “You have a small bubble and that’s all you can see.”

Beat Wyrsch of Switzerland was the first rider to drop out of the race.

Wyrsch retired at 3:45 p.m. Monday because of dehydration. He was 274 miles into the race near Hope, Ariz., when he stopped. It was his first RAAM.

RACE ACROSS AMERICA

Temperature: 88 degrees

Conditions: Partly cloudy with light winds

Leader: Al Muldoon, St. Joseph, Michigan

Location: Cameron, Ariz., 550 miles into the race