1997 TOUR DE LOUISIANE
RESCHEDULED FOR JULY 12-13

See Results of the Road Race we did anyway

What Happened?
As a result of the severe storms that hit the greater New Orleans area just hours before the start of the 26th annual Tour de Louisiane (April 26-27), the event had to be canceled and rescheduled for later this summer. The new dates will be July 12-13

About 35 riders, mostly those who had traveled to New Orleans from other areas, were on hand for registration Saturday morning. Earlier in the morning, a major thunderstorm passed through the area, flooding streets, knocking down trees, and disrupting electrical service. Winds over land were gusting to 45 mph, with gusts recorded over Lake Pontchartrain up to 50 mph, and the entire area was placed under a severe storm warning. About an hour before registration was to open, local police had told race organizers that they considered it too dangerous to hold the Time Trial stage, and had canceled their plans to have officers on hand to provide the necessary manpower. Weather forecasts for the weekend were extraordinarily bad, and ever worse weather was expected for Sunday. Promoters are hoping to announce the new date within a few days. It is expected that the stage race will be rescheduled to a date in late June or July. The organizers instead put together an open-class "Back to Basics" Road Race on the Tour course Saturday afternoon, contingent upon the weather, so that the weekend wouldn't be a total loss for their loyal out-of-town riders from Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. Luckily, the 55-mile race was completed without incident, although occasional showers kept the roads wet throughout the day.

Results of the "Back to Basics" Tour Course Road Race
April 25, 1997

1.Russ Walker (Wal-Mart) 2:09:18
2.Rob Konrad (GNO/Cox) st
3. Frank Moak (Herring Gas) st
4. Travis Sherman (AWV/Alabama Wheelmen Velosport) st
5. David Alexander (Red Stick) st
6. Keith Breaux (GNO) st
7. Mike Simpson (Wal-Mart) st
8. Howard Luna (Saturn N.O./NOBC) st
9. Jon Krigel (Auburn) st
10. Kenny Bellau (Herring) st
11. Brad Anderson (Herring) st
12. Gary Zyreck (Herring) st
13. Mike Lew (Herring) 2:12:26
14. Jack Ditt (Team La S'port) 2:12:26
15. Doug Sharp (Texas Eagles) 2:13:03
16. Pete Quesada (Panama Flyers FL) st
17. Mike Gaudet (Saturn N.O./NOBC) st
18. Neal O'Connor (Colorado UFLO) st
19. Mike Rourke (Mezza Luna BRLA) st
20. Edward Brown (Panama Flyers FL) st
21. Charlie Davis (Saturn N.O./NOBC) st
22. Paul Zielkel (Road Kill) st
23. Randall Cockroft (Texas Eagles) st
24. Jeff Clarke (Red Stick) st
25. Kenny Dunaway (Mezza Luna BRLA) st
26. Keith Duet (Saturn N.O./NOBC) st
27. oey Bavier (Red Stick) st
28. Lenny Koposki (Saturn N.O./NOBC) st
29. Troy Constance (Saturn N.O./NOBC) st
30. Mark Hale (Alabama Wheelmen Velosport) OTB
31. Tommy Smith (Natchez BC) OTB


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