Annual cycling series starts strong

The L’Espirit Road Race, the first leg in the 2006 Kentuckiana Spring Training Series, drew a series-record 221 cyclists to the nine-mile course in LaGrange, Ky., on Saturday.

Clarksville, Ind., resident David Hauber (Team Barbasol/Rapid Transit) won the elite men’s 1/2/3 category in the Louisville Bicycle Club Racing Team event, which followed United States Cycling Federation rules.

Louisvillians Brian Baker (Papa John’s) and James Gray (Team Louisville) finished second and third, respectively. Curtis Tolson (Kentucky Flyers), a Louisvillian who has won multiple cycling national championships, was 11th.

Other winners included Fishers, Ind., resident Paul Wood in the 3/4 category; Luke Snell in the 4/5/Citizen category; Indianapolis resident and former Indiana University star Briana Kovac (Texas Roadhouse) in the women’s category; and Fond Du Lac, Wis., teenager Thomson Remo (Baraboo Sharks) in the juniors’ category.

All of the winners - except Snell - took an early lead in the overall series standings. Snell is not licensed with the United States Cycling Federation and thus is not eligible in the overall competition. So Louisville’s Sean Steele (Team Louisville), who placed second behind Snell, is the initial leader in the 4/5/Citizen standings.

The six-race series, which receives promotional support from 2WheelSports, will continue with Ohio Valley Racing’s New Washington (Ind.) Road Race on Saturday.

More race results can be found here. Series standings can be found here. More information about the series can be found here (Adobe Reader required).