Philadelphia Cycling Classic Returns from Decade-Long Hiatus with Stars, Manayunk Wall, Big Ambitions

The Philadelphia Cycling Classic — one of America’s premier one-day races — returns Sunday with a deep international field racing on its iconic city circuit.

After a 10-year absence, the international peloton is back on the mean streets of Philadelphia and reviving a race that helped define the boom years of American cycling.

The iconic Manayunk Wall is a central part of the comeback and so is Lemon Hill. And organizers expect more than 100,000 spectators to turn out as the race first held in 1985 begins a new chapter.

A total of 212 riders from 28 countries and 36 teams will start across the men’s and women’s races.

Eight WorldTour teams are represented, along with Olympic champions, national champions and some of the top young riders in North American cycling.

Kristen Faulkner and Quinn Simmons headline the fields. Luke Lamperti, Sean Quinn, Derek Gee-West, Maggie Coles-Lyster and Lauren Stephens are also among the other confirmed starters.

Both races carry UCI 1.1 status and will offer equal $75,000 prize purses. The women race 100km, while the men will cover 200km.

It marks the return of a race that once stood among the biggest dates on the U.S. cycling calendar and could mark a revival as well.

Key facts: Philadelphia Cycling Classic

Faulkner, Simmons headline deep fields

EF Education-Oatly star Kristen Faulkner won Olympic gold in both the road race and team pursuit at the 2024 Paris Games. Faulkner will be joined in the women’s field by reigning Canadian road champion Maggie Coles-Lyster of Human Powered Health.

American veteran Lauren Stephens packs another strong palmarès.

In the men’s field, Quinn Simmons arrives wearing the Stars and Stripes as the reigning U.S. road champion. Luke Lamperti starts after scoring a WorldTour victory in Paris-Nice earlier this season.

Sean Quinn gives EF Education-EasyPost another card to play, and Riley Sheehan of NSN Cycling Team is also among the top Americans in the field.

There will be plenty of local interest.

Philly native Robin Carpenter grew up watching the race before eventually competing in it. The Modern Adventure Pro Cycling rider will make his fifth appearance.

Philadelphia resident Kim Stoveld of Automatic Racing starts the women’s race.

The Manayunk Wall strikes again

For many fans, however, the biggest star will be the course itself.

Philadelphia returns to the original circuit designed for the inaugural race in 1985. Each lap covers 14.4 miles, or about 23 kilometers, through some of the city’s most recognizable neighborhoods and landmarks.

The race starts and finishes on Benjamin Franklin Parkway near the Philadelphia Museum of Art and its famous “Rocky Steps.”

Riders then sweep alongside the Schuylkill River and through Fairmount Park before heading toward Manayunk.

The Manayunk Wall rises sharply from the neighborhood streets and pitches to 17 percent. The climb became one of the signature images of American bike racing as crowds packed the roadside and riders fought to stay in contention lap after lap.

The course continues through Roxborough before passing through Strawberry Mansion and tackling Lemon Hill before returning to the Parkway.

The women start at 8:30 a.m. and race approximately 100km. The men roll out at noon for 200km.

Fred Rodriguez, winner of the men’s race in 2001, said Philadelphia is a complete race.

“The Philadelphia Cycling Classic suits the all-arounders, those who can sprint, climb, and are the strongest and most tactical. There is a race to watch in every lap of this event,” said Rodriguez on the race website. “It’s fast and dynamic. A lot can happen on any lap, which makes it really fun to watch. Plus for these riders, the crowd support is everything.”

Rodriguez will return this year as part of the live television broadcast.

A race steeped in American cycling history

Philadelphia’s cycling history stretches back more than four decades.

Eric Heiden won the inaugural men’s race in 1985. The women’s event was added in 1994 and quickly grew into a major date until the race was discontinued after 2016.

Greg LeMond raced in Philadelphia along with such riders as George Hincapie, Rodriguez, Petra Rossner, Ina-Yoko Teutenberg, Giorgia Bronzini, Megan Guarnier, and Lizzie Deignan.

Rossner became one of the race’s dominant figures with seven victories. Teutenberg won five times.

Hincapie won the men’s race in 1998 and returns to Philadelphia this year with Modern Adventure Pro Cycling, the team he founded with his brother Rich.

The race eventually disappeared from the calendar before organizers announced its revival last year. A lot has changed in American cycling since Philadelphia last hosted the professional peloton. Most notably, major U.S. stage races have disappeared and the domestic calendar has contracted.

That makes Philadelphia’s comeback even bigger news because fans can have a front-row view to some of the biggest names in the peloton.