Latvian racer Arvis Sprude, 35, gives a friendly wave as he passes Piqua Tuesday morning while en route to Anapolis, Md., as part of the Race Across America.
The ultra-distance road cycling race is one of the largest annual endurance events in the world, taking riders from the Pacific Ocean beaches in Oceanside, Calif., to the shores of Chesapeake Bay in Annapolis, a distance of more than 3,000 miles.
The race began June 15, with the fastest riders completing the trek in about nine days.
Kansas marks the midway point for the riders, who typically ride 20 or more hours a day. Dozens of riders will pass through Iola in the coming days as part of the competition. Sprude was sitting in 18th overall, as of Tuesday.
