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Media Contact: Fred Strohl
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Ex-Knoxvillian wins Oak Ridge bicycle race

 
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Hundreds of cyclists from around the nation participated recently in the 2009 Oak Ridge Velo Classic bicycle race, pedaling courses around Oak Ridge’s historic Jackson Square and time trials on Bethel Valley Road near ORNL. UT-Battelle was a co-sponsor for the event.


OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Aug. 26, 2009 — Former Knoxvillian John Hart came home to East Tennessee to win the Oak Ridge Velo Classic bicycle race Sunday around Oak Ridge's historic Jackson Square.

Hart rides for the Krystal Elite Cycling Team of Chattanooga, which also won the team championship. Captain Luke Servedio of Maryville said Krystal's strategy worked.

"The team went into the race knowing that we had a couple of guys in good position to possibly take the overall championship," Servedio said. "The strategy for us was to possibly get one of teammates who was little bit further down in the overall standings up the road. It just happened that strategy worked out perfectly."

Andrea Wilson of Bikes Plus of Germantown won the women's race. She said wind was a factor.

"The toughest part was that I went off the front and left the group pretty early in the race - about eight minutes into a 15-minute race," Wilson said. "I had to fight the wind the whole time. There were some really strong riders in the group working together trying to chase me down, but luckily I didn't get caught."

Oak Ridge officials hope this type of event will enable the city to host a national championship bicycle race within the next five years.

UT-Battelle manages Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the Department of Energy.