Gator cycling team wins at Swamp Classic

Team Florida Cycling left its mark on downtown Gainesville Sunday. The UF club left the annual Swamp Classic gracious as host and victors.

One of the most dominant club teams in the nation, Team Florida finished the event tops in two divisions, with highly placed cyclists in every heat.

The collegiate races were run on a seven-mile, four-corners track off of S.E. 2nd St. Each lasted 45 minutes, with the cyclist finishing the most laps taking first place. UF grad student, and future firefighter, Alexis Dabrowski took the top spot in the women’s collegiate division. Teammate Jackie Crowell, the defending national champion, placed third.

Clemson’s Ben Zawaski won the men’s collegiate division race. Florida’s top finisher, David Lavenhagen, placed seventh.

In the professional division, UF grad and Team Florida Coach Phil Gaimon took top honors in the hour-long, top-lap race. Fellow Florida alum David Guttenplan finished second.

The Swamp Classic, in its 20th year, is the main fundraiser for the team, which travels around the country to other events as well as the National Championship race, held this year in Madison, WI.

“The event was real successful,” said Gaimon, who also doubles as the event coordinator. “We raised a lot of funds and that’s going to help send some riders to nationals this year.”