David Lovett wants to become a pro cyclist, and he has built his life around that dream.

He rides as much as 300 miles a week, and during a typical seven-day stretch he’s on the road every day except Sunday. He moved to Waynesville six years ago so he could dedicate all his time to his family and to cycling. He works an 8-to-5 warehouse job in Asheville that does not make demands on either of his two priorities.

And this weekend, he’ll be among the 300 or so riders who will take part in the Subaru/French Broad Classic bike race. The three-day race includes an Asheville time trial, a road race that starts in Canton and goes to Bethel, Racoon Road, Ratcliff Cove and loops back to Canton, and a Canton criterium. It has a $9,000 purse and is one of the premier bike races in the Southeast, according to race promoter Richard Dunn.

The bicycle race will also mark the opening of the Colonial Pathways Theater in Canton. The renovated theater was funded in part by a state Department of Transportation grant, and it will have a covered bike stand and will officially be designated by the state as a resting place for cyclists.

“Canton Papertown has really been one of the driving forces behind this event,’ said Dunn.

The race started more than 20 years ago and was originally part of the Bele Chere festival, said Dunn. It then pulled out of the festival, was held a few years in Hendersonville and then in Madison counties. Now, however, Dunn says the race has found a good home, thanks to the support of the CPA, Blue Ridge Paper and local law enforcement.

“The Highway Patrol and sheriff have done a great job for us in terms of traffic control,” said Dunn.

During race days traffic will be allowed on the race routes. That’s why vigilance and help from law enforcement is so important to racers, said Dunn.

For Lovett, the race will provide an opportunity to see how he rates against other riders from the Southeast in the Category IV division. Racers compete in classes from Category V to Pro. In the Subaru/French Broad Classic, riders in the Pro, Category I and Category II will be on the road course at the same time racing against each other.

“Category III is not far away for me, but I want to get some high Category IV finishes,” said Lovett.

Lovett rides with other groups, but he is also forced to do a lot of riding by himself to make sure he gets in the miles. The cycling community in the mountains of Western North Carolina, though, is growing, says Lovett. He rides with the Asheville Bicycle Racing Club, which has organized rides every Tuesday that can draw up to 100 riders. A more loosely organized group rides on Thursdays in Waynesville. On other days, Lovett is often out there by himself.

The elite racing team in this part of the country is the Cane Creek Team, which is based in Asheville. Lovett’s dream is to take his cycling to that level.

“My long-term goal is to get to the pro level. It’s my goal, and in a worst-case scenario I at least want to be competitive and fit when I get into the Masters category,” he said.

In addition to to the regular schedule of races, the Subaru/French Broad Classic will have a “roadeo” and race for children on Sunday, Aug. 4, at the Canton Recreation Park. The race for children 10 and under will begin at 12:45 p.m. The roadeo, which will offer safety tips, will begin at 1:30 p.m.

Dunn, the race promoter, logs around 200 miles a week and still competes in as many as 40 races a year. His racing, though, has taken a back seat over the last several years as he has become more of a promoter and advocate for bike racing. The race this weekend in Canton, he says, is earning a well-deserved reputation.

“It is actually one of the largest races in the entire Southeast. Everyone really enjoys coming to the mountains for this event,” he said.