I'm not going for racing, but I really would prefer something zippy, faster than this intro hybrid bike I got when I was a teen.
I liked the Sprite because 70's models were modified Records (a racing bike) with commuter goodness sprinkled ontop. Plus, they still had that woman's frame aesthetic I love so much.
To be quite honest, I'm not entirely sure what makes the touring bikes and racing bikes so different other than fenders, racks, bigger wheels, more speeds and different handlebars. The geometry seems the same, except most racing bikes have switched to the mixte version instead of the original drop tube version for women or they just stick with diamond frame.