PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Philadelphia Cycling Classic will hit the streets next summer, returning for the first time in a decade.
Former Mayor Michael Nutter is heading up the organizing group. He told The Philadelphia Inquirer that the race is “a celebration of the city” and features a “dynamic” course that the world’s best riders just can’t find anywhere else.
Next year’s race will follow the original challenging course. Part of the circuit sees cyclists race shoulder-to-shoulder up the Manayunk Wall. And, they have to climb that steep 17% grade multiple times.
The race starts and finishes at Logan Square, taking cyclists along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and Kelly Drive through Strawberry Mansion, Lemon Hill, Boathouse Row and Manayunk.
The cycling race was an annual tradition for more than 30 years until no sponsor stepped up in 2017. Now presented by AmeriGas, the race will return on Aug. 30, 2026.
“This world-class event will again put Philadelphia on the global stage in 2026, and it will go well beyond next year’s celebration,” Mayor Cherelle Parker said in a statement. “An exceptional, experienced team is in place to build on the legacy of this event for many years to come.”
The Philadelphia Cycling Classic is sanctioned by both USA Cycling and Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). It will be one of just two UCI-sanctioned, one-day road races at the 1.1 category in the U.S. in 2026.
It will offer equal prizes, a total of $75,000 each, for the women’s and men’s races. The women’s race will total about 62 miles on the 14.4-mile circuit, and the men’s race will total about 120 miles.