Team Type 1 aims for RAAM title

Team Type 1 has made no secret about its goals for the eight-person team division of the Race Across America (RAAM), which begins Saturday in Oceanside, California. "Our first expectation is to win the race," said Team Type 1 Elite Team Director Bob Schrank. "Our second expectation is to break the record set by the Norwegian team last year. And always, our hope is that we complete the race in a safe manner."

The teams competing in RAAM set out on the 3,021 mile journey (4,861 km) to Annapolis, Md., at 2 p.m. PDT. Last year, Team Type 1 finished less than four hours behind the Byggkjøp presented by BMC Cycling squad that won the eight-person team division in a time of five days, nine hours and 56 minutes.

Team Type 1 is comprised entirely of athletes who have Type 1 diabetes. The team was created in 2004 to inspire people living with diabetes to take a proactive approach to managing their health and overcoming the obstacles often associated with the condition. Team Type 1 co-founders Phil Southerland and Joe Eldridge helped the team win the eight-person team division of the race in 2006 and 2007.

This year's Team Type 1 squad for RAAM consists of Jeff Bannink, Simon Bennett, Alex Bowden, Matt Brooks, Tom Kingery, Lonny Knabe, Bob Schrank and Mark Suprenant. Bowden, Brooks, Schrank and Suprenant return from last year's squad, with Schrank also having raced for Team Type 1 in 2007.