Runners, cyclists paint New Albany in da Vinci Downtown Festival

Racing was an integral part of the ninth annual da Vinci Downtown Festival in New Albany, Ind., again today as a five-kilometer run/walk and a cycling criterium were held in conjunction with the community event.

Scott Holzknecht and Cara Nichols were the men’s and women’s winners, respectively, in the da Vinci Downtown 5K Run/Walk.

Holzknecht finished first overall with a time of 16:11.41, and Mike Horan was second in 16:24.26. Nichols, who was sixth overall, topped the women in 18:18.25; Katie Braekkan was nearly a minute back in second.

Patrick O’Donnell (Kentucky Flyers) won the Pro/1/2/3 category in the da Vinci Downtown Criterium, which was the first of two races in the Tour da Vinci this weekend.

Other criterium winners included Christopher Heintz (Team Barbasol/Rapid Transit) in the 3/4 category; Matt Straub (Team Louisville Bicycle Club) in the 4/5/Citizen category; Robert Bobrow (Better Cycling of Louisville) in the Master 40-and-over category; and Tracy Huber (Kentucky Flyers) in the Women’s category.

The second Tour da Vinci race, the Martinsburg (Ind.) Fire Department Road Race, will be held Sunday.