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Swiss rookie Reto Schoch held off a stiff challenge from defending champion Christoph Strasser to win the 2012 Race Across America men’s solo competion.

Schoch finished the 2,987.54-mile trek from Oceanside, Calif., to Annapolis at 9:08 p.m. Thursday. He had to wait 1 hour, 45 minutes — the time advantage Strasser had because the Austrian had started the race 30 minutes later than Schoch and the 1:15 time credit awarded to Strasser because he ordered off the road because of a severe Colorado storm – to find out whether he had won the race.

Strasser, however, and his doctor made the decision to concede the race in Hanover, Md., according to a report by RAAM’s Vic Armijo at the RAAM Facebook page. Strasser crossed the line at 12:41 a.m. today.

“I have very mixed feelings about this race,� Strasser told Armijo at the finish line. “I made one of the best RAAMs of anybody — faster than (Wolfgang) Fasching and faster than Jure (Robic) did. But still I am second. That is hard, very hard.�

By finishing RAAM in 8 days, 6 hours and 29 minutes, Schoch became the only the third RAAM rookie to win the race.  Jonathan Boyer (1985) and Dani Wyss (2006) are the only other rookies to win.

His average speed ot 15.05 mph not only is a rookie record, it’s the third fastest in RAAM history. Pete Penseyres (15.4 mph in 1986) still holds the record, followed by Wyss (15.28 mph in 2009).

Strasser’s final time was 8 days, 9 hours and 34 minutes.

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(Updated at 2:50 p.m. CDT June 21)

By the end of Thursday, the the champion of the Race Across America’s men’s solo competion will be determined. Who it will be is up for grabs.

Both Swiss rookie Reto Schoch and defending champion Christoph Strasser passed through Cumberland, Md., this afternoon, meaning they have 131.6 miles left to the finish line in Annapolis, Md.

Schoch made it through at 12:35 p.m. CDT, while Strasser at 2:20 p.m. However, that means Schoch and Strasser are tied for the lead. How could that be? With a lot of help from Vic Armijo at the 2012 RAAM Media Team Blog, here’s the explanation:

First, because of RAAM’s staggered start system, Strasser started the race June 13 in Oceanside, Calif., a half-hour behind Schoch.

Second, Strasser received a 1 hour, 15 minute time credit after a strong storm June 16 near Walsh, Colo. Because of a tornado warning, the local sheriff’s department ordered Strasser to stop and took him and his crew to a nearby storm shelter.

For Schoch to win the race, he would have to finish more than 1 hour, 45 minutes ahead of Strasser. Schoch is projected to finish about 9:20 p.m. CDT today. Strasser is projected to finish about 11:08 p.m.

How much of a gap is there between the leaders and the back of the pack? Earlier today, two riders were still making their way from Washington, Mo., to the Mississippi River time station just south of Alton, Ill.  The Mississippi River time station is 917.39 miles from the finish line, so those two riders were more than 700 miles behind the leaders.

Women’s leader Trix Zgraggen arrived in Chillicothe, Ohio, at 6:30 a.m. CDT and maintains her comfortable lead.

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UPDATED: Today, Reto Schoch of Switzerland and Christoph Strasser of Austria remain neck-and-neck in the men’s solo competition of the Race Across America.

Schoch arrived in Athens, Ohio, at 2:22 p.m. CDT today, while Strasser arrived at 3:11 p.m. Stasser started the race a half-hour late than Schoch, so Stasser  is 19 minutes back.

Earlier today, Schoch pulled into Chillicothe, Ohio, at 8:30 a.m. CDT, while Strasser got there at 9:08 a.m.  Strasser was only eight minutes back in Chillicothe.

Since both are expected to finish the race late Thursday afternoon CDT, their performances in the Appalachian Mountains will determine the outcome. The terrain start gets hillier east of Chillicothe, and the big climbs are in West Virginia and western Maryland.

Third-place rider Gerhard Gulewicz has arrived in Oxford, Ohio. Tamas Jarvas and Julian Sanz Garcia arrived this afternoon at the Mississippi River near Alton, Ill. Two other male competitors have passed through Washington, Mo., on their way to the Mississippi, and 10 other cyclists still have yet to pass through Washington.

Women’s leader Trix Zgraggen of Switzerland arrived in Greensburg, Ind., at 12:25 p.m. CDT today, while Canadian Joan Deitchman is more than 250 miles back. Deitchmann arrived at the Mississippi River at 3:11 p.m.

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UPDATED: The top three men’s solo competitors and the top female competitor have crossed a major psychological barrier — the Mississippi River– in this year’s Race Across America.

Swiss rider Reto Schoch and Austrian rider Christoph Strasser passed through the Mississippi River time station, which is just across the river from Alton, Ill., late Monday. Schoch reached the time station at 9:54 p.m. CDT Monday, while Strasser got there at 11:58 p.m.

Schoch passed through Effingham — the final time station in Illinois — at 5 a.m. CDT today, while Strasser checked in at 5:58 a.m. Third place competitor Gerhard Gulewicz of Austria reached the river at 9:12 a.m. today.

A few hours later, Strasser  has tied Schoch for the lead. Strasser arrived in Sullivan, Ind., at 10:45 am.CDT today. Schoch arrived there at 10:15 a.m., but Strasser started 30 minutes later than Schoch during last week’s staggered start in  Oceanside, Calif.

Both are expected to finish the race in Annapolis, Md., Thursday morning or afternoon.

Women’s leader Trix Zgraggen of Switzerland arrived in Washington, Mo., at 12:13 a.m. CDT today. and she reached the river at 9 a.m. At her current pace, she’ll finish Friday afternoon.

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Assuming Race Across America organizers got their permit to race through St. Charles County, Mo., the leaders of the race will travel through the St. Louis area today and Tuesday.

Reto Schoch of Switzerland has regained the lead in the men’s solo division. He passed through Camdenton, Mo., at 8:43 a.m.CDT  today. Defending champion Christoph Strasser of Austria is in second. He checked in at Camdenton at 9:36 a.m. today.

At his current pace, Schoch is expected to arrive at Washington, Mo., shortly after 5 p.m. today, at the Mississippi River just south of Alton, Ill., about 9:30 p.m. today and at Greenville, Ill., about 12:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Women’s leader Trix Zgraggen arrived in Fort Scott, Kan., at 6:21 a.m. At her current pace, she’ll arrive in Washington about 12:15 a.m. Tuesday, the river about 8 a.m. Tuesday and Greenville about 11:44 a.m. Tuesday.

Time station volunteers will be doing a whole lot of waiting the next few days. Most of the remaining solo competitors are still racing through Kansas, and a few are still in Colorado. The team competition started Saturday, and competitors are spread out between Arizona and Missouri.

There should be some hot — and humid — racing in the St. Louis area this week. Highs are forecast to be in the mid-90s through Wednesday and dip to the low 90s Thursday and Friday with a chance of isolated thunderstorms, The Weather Channel predicts.

RAAM organizers needed a permit to race through St. Charles County because of a 2010 law that was passed after a failed attempt to ban bicycles from some roads in the suburban St. Louis county. To the knowledge of the Missouri Bicycle & Pedestrian Federation, St. Charles County is the only county on the RAAM course that requires a permit. Read more here.

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Yesterday, Reto Schoch of Switzerland had what appeared to be a comfortable lead in the Race Across America men’s solo division.

Today, Christoph Strasser of Austria is your RAAM leader. Strasser caught up with Schoch just before the Greensburg, Kan., time station and arrived there at 8:06 a.m. CDT.

Schoch got to Greensburg three minutes later, but RAAM’s Facebook page says Strassser’s lead is actually 30 minutes at that time station because Strasser was late in starting the race.

Strasser has increased his lead. He arrived in Pratt, Kan., at 9:57 a.m. CDT today, 15 minutes ahead of Schoch. At his current pace, he would arrive in Washington, Mo., about 3:45 p.m. Monday, the Mississippi River about 8:15 p.m. and Greenville, Ill., about 11 p.m.

Strasser’s progress is astounding considering the late start, cramps and dehydration issues early in the race and battles with storms while riding through Kansas.

On the women’s side, Trix Gzraggen of Switzweland continues her domination over  Joan Deitchman of Canada. Gzraggen arrived in Pratt at 8:29 a.m. CDT today. Deitchman is about 310 miles behind.

At her current pace, Gzraggen would arrive in Washington about 12:40 a.m. CDT Tuesday, the river about 6:26 a.m. and Greenville about 10:03 a.m.

Deitchman may be well behind Zgraggen, but she looks like she’s having more fun. RAAM’s media team caught up with her in South Fork, Colo., and caught her eating an apple fritter and sipping a vanilla mocha – a scene more closely associated with the Tour de Donut than the Race Across America!

(Joan, there still is time to register for the Tour de Donut on July 14 in Staunton, Ill., should that competition fit into your racing or training plans!)

Tracy McQuair, the woman giving Deitchman a massage, described for the RAMM blog how RAAM has gone for Deitchman: “Things are going very well. She had a wonderful climb up the hill today. Things are going just perfectly. Nothing unexpected. We have good days, we have rougher days and she makes her way through it. She’s put together a good crew, she’s put together a good plan and she has a back-up plan for everything.�

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It’s been a fine start for a couple of Swiss cyclists in this year’s Race Across America.

The men’s under-50 solo division started Wednesday in Oceanside, Calif., and Reto Schoch already has covered 342 miles to take the early lead. As of 6:44 a.m. CDT when he arrived in Salome, Ariz., he was averaging 21.24 mph. Current estimates show he could pass through the St. Louis area Sunday, but I suspect it will be later than that.

The solo women started their race Tuesday, and Trix Zgraggen has taken the early lead. She has covered 536 miles as of 6:45 a.m. CDT today. She averaged 13.15 mph going into Flagstaff, Ariz., and current estimates show her passing through the St. Louis area Monday evening and Tuesday morning.

The time stations closest to St. Louis are in Washington, Mo., the Mississippi River just south of Alton, Ill., and Greenville, Ill.

The RAAM team competition starts Saturday.

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