Students, residents to ride bicycles to St. Augustine

As UF student Samuel Lapeyre races to St. Augustine on Saturday, his time delivering food for Jimmy John’s Sandwiches may come in handy.

Joined by students and residents, the 23-year-old electrical engineering senior will ride his bicycle about 75 miles to the historic city as a part of the Gainesville-Atlantic 75 bicycle race.

Hosted by The Freewheel Project, located at 618 S. Main St., the timed race will be divided by checkpoints, said Joe Ergle, a 27-year-old UF sociology junior and one of the event’s organizers.

In previous years, the race was held by the now-closed Swift Cycle, Ergle said. Registration for the race will take place from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. during a pre-race party at The Freewheel Project.

The race will begin 8 a.m. Saturday, he said.

Lapeyre, who has raced competitively before, said he feels disconnected when he rides his bicycle — even when he’s racing. Sometimes, he said, he’ll play music and “zone out” for hours.

“There’s nothing to think about or worry about,” he said.

He said the Gainesville-Atlantic 75 will be much more “casual” than other races he has competed in, like a cross-Florida race that took him from Tallahassee to Daytona last January.

Lapeyre said although he is excited for the race, the post-race festivities may be just as fun.

“I don’t really know what to expect. I’m just going to ride my bike for 75 miles and drink some beer,” Lapeyre said.

Bicyclists ride along West University Avenue as part of the Gainesville-Atlantic 75 bicycle race in September 2015.