Cyclist Rachael Myers, a librarian from the Bronx, won Transportation Alternatives’ 8th Annual Great NYC Commuter Race this morning, taking 20 minutes and 15 seconds to cover the 4.2 mile route between Aubergine Café in Sunnyside, Queens and Columbus Circle in Manhattan. Transit rider Dan Hendrick (35:16) finished second, with taxi rider Willie Thompson (47:11) bringing up the rear.

"As soon as I saw all the traffic backed up on the Queensboro Bridge, I
knew this wasn’t going to be a fair fight," boasted Myers, who rode her
Iro bicycle to victory. "I actually was able to finish a cup of coffee
before anyone else made it to the finish line."

"I ride the subway to work from Sunnyside every day, and I’m a die-hard
transit rider," said Dan Hendrick of the New York League of
Conservation Voters, who took the 7 and 1 trains. "Still, I’m trying to
wrap my brain around what I would do with an extra 15 minutes every
morning."

"Anytime I’m in a hurry, I take a cab thinking it’ll get me there the
fastest. I can’t believe I lost by 27 minutes today," said Willie
Thompson, a marketing specialist who took a yellow cab.

Congratulations to Rachael (who, unlike last year’s winner, didn’t have to compete against the currently vacationing Bike Snob).