City and business leaders on Friday were gearing up for the Philadelphia Cycling Classic’s comeback Sunday after a decade-long hiatus.
The return of one of the most prestigious races in the United States has been years in the making, drawing some 200 riders — including Olympians, national champions, and emerging talents — from more than two dozen countries, to the City of Brotherly Love. It’s likely that come Sunday morning, spectators will line the 14.4-mile loop course from the Benjamin Franklin Parkway to Manayunk to witness the whooshing peloton and usher in what could become a renewed era of American professional road cycling.
“When the story about cycling in Philadelphia and bringing this race back is told for future generations to come, I want you to know for the record that it’s a Philadelphia story” — one of grit, perseverance, passion, and community, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said at a news conference outside City Hall where she was bestowed a commemorative No. 1 race jersey.
During its run from 1985 to 2016, Philadelphia’s criterium reigned, known for its theater-like scene and famed “Manayunk Wall“ with its 17% gradient. But in 2017, officials announced the race had run its course, citing increasing costs and decreasing sponsors, much to the chagrin of the city’s cycling community.
“Bringing an iconic event back to one of the most iconic cities in the world,” — according to Michael Sharp, president of AmeriGas, the race’s presenting sponsor — is due to the enthusiasm of Old City salon owner Carlos Rogers, entrepreneur Eric Robbins, and former Philadelphia mayor Michael A. Nutter.
For Nutter, the classic is “the people’s race.”
Officials stressed the equitability of the race, which is offering equal prize purses, $75,000, to the crowded men’s and women’s fields — a rarity in the sport, according to race director Robin Morton.
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Also, the race is free to watch from the sidelines and is one of the few professional sports where the athletes brush right up against fans and front doors. During the first iteration of what Philadelphians just call “the Bike Race,” that accessibility welcomed an all-day party.
“The whole neighborhood turns up, it’s a giant block party,” competitor and Manayunk native Robin Carpenter said of his hometown. “You can kind of wander in and out of any house almost and be welcomed with open arms and a cup of beer.”
Rider Kim Stoveld, a full-time nurse at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, hopes Philly fans, naturally, get “a little rambunctious.”
The classic nearly wraps up Philly’s generational summer, from being the epicenter of the United States’ 250th birthday celebrations, to the World Cup, and the MLB All-Star Game.
“Philadelphia proves, time and time again, that we know how to do great things and we know how to do big things,” Parker said, “now you’ll get a chance to see what Philadelphia does with this iconic international bike race.
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“And we’re so excited to be doing it again.”