PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — It was a great day for cycling fans, as the Philadelphia Cycling Classic wrapped up this afternoon with as much enthusiasm from onlookers as when it began this morning.
Chiara Consonni, from Italy, won the women’s race this morning with a time of 2:34:55.
She overcame Canadian Alexandra Volstad for second and American Ella Sabo for third by mere inches in a crash-filled final stretch.
German Tim Torn Teutenberg, whose family is its own professional cycling dynasty, finished first in the men’s race with a time of 4:20:55.
He edged out Robert Donaldson, from the U.K., for second, and fellow German Jonas Rutsch for third by hundredths of a second in a white-knuckled sprint for the finish this afternoon.
The women’s race biked approximately 62 miles, and the men’s race roughly 120 miles, completing a 14.4-mile circuit that stretched from the art museum to Lemon Hill all the way to Manayunk. Athletes for both races competed for a $75,000 prize purse.
It’s the first time Philadelphia has seen the internationally beloved race in a decade, drawing more than 200 cyclists from 28 different countries.
Mayor Cherelle Parker and other city officials were among the throngs of fans lining the track, cheering on the cyclists.
“Born here in our city, to bring this legendary tradition back — man, I’m excited,” Parker said. “This is one Philly, a united city.”
Cyclists face down the dreaded Manayunk Wall once again
With the return of the Cycling Classic also comes the infamous wall, a nearly half-mile stretch of brutal 17%-grade hill in Manayunk.
Cyclists in the race faced a gruelling climb that tested their strength and endurance, conquering a total of 210 feet of elevation.
Although he’s never tackled the Manayunk Wall himself, Joe Simon, an avid cyclist, said that some of the hardest parts are the two quick turns at the foot of the hill that saps riders of their momentum.
“[It’s] a lot tougher,” he said. “Starting from scratch is a killer. I like to have a head of steam when I’m hitting my hills.”
Fans were thrilled by the impressive sight of cyclists negotiating the climb.
“It’s impressive that anyone can do it once, twice, or more times repeatedly in a single effort,” said Mara Sears, watching from the sidelines. “So it’s great to see professional athletes do what us mere mortals probably can’t.”
Others, like Kerry Fields, were inspired by the effort. She said she used to be more into cycling, but watching the race made her want to brush the dust off her bikes. “It’s a great excuse to take advantage of whatever the Philly trails have to offer,” she said.
For Chiara Consonni, the women’s race champion from Italy, the climb was “really hard, but we won, so everything is okay.”
“This is the first time in the U.S. so I will have a nice memory.”
Cyclists in the men’s and women’s races faced a brutal climb at the Manayunk Wall and nail-biting sprints for the finish line
Cyclists in the men’s and women’s races faced a brutal climb at the Manayunk Wall and nail-biting sprints for the finish line
