PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Philadelphia Cycling Classic returns this Sunday for the first time in 10 years, challenging world-class cyclists to take on the city’s streets, up the Manayunk Wall and down across the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
A steep course
John Eustace is the voice of the Philadelphia Cycling Classic and one of the original racers who, in 1985, climbed the Manayunk Wall.
“That wall is hard, man,” he recalled, “that’s all there is to it. You come ripping, you go, you go. … It’s uphill, and you have to be in the front because the right turn is real narrow.”
The wall is just one feature of the course. The 14.4-mile circuit with a 17%-grade climb starts and finishes on the Parkway, in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
The course takes riders along the Schuylkill River, through Fairmount Park, Kelly Drive, Lemon Hill, and up the steep Manayunk Wall.
Race times
More than 200 riders representing 28 countries are participating in the big event. The women’s race is first, at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 30. The men’s race follows at noon.
The women’s race is expected to wrap up at 11:30 a.m. Awards will be given around 12:30 p.m.
The men’s race is expected to finish at 4:30 p.m., with awards announced shortly thereafter.
Both races carry a $75,000 prize purse, making it one of the most prestigious one-day races in the U.S.
The women’s race is 62 miles, and the men’s is 120 miles.
Other events include:
Amateur Time Trial | Saturday, Aug. 29 | MLK Drive, 9 a.m. | 8-mile individual time trial
Fan Fest |Aug. 29 and 30 | Fairmount Iroquois sculpture area, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
AACR Charity Ride | Sunday, Aug. 30 | Lemon Hill, 6:30 to 8:30 a.m.
How to watch
Those attending the race from the sidelines can watch anywhere along the route, but there are designated fan areas at:
- Benjamin Franklin Parkway, near 22nd Street
- Lemon Hill, near Sedgley and Lemon Hill drives
- Kelly Drive and Pennsylvania Avenue
- Lyceum Avenue in Manayunk, between Pechin Street and Manayunk Avenue
Racers will finish with a two-lap, 3-mile circuit around Eakins Oval and Logan Square.
Other notable spots include:
- Main Street in Manayunk
- The Manayunk Wall, starting at the corner of Main and Levering streets, up Levering Street to Lyceum Avenue, and ending near Lyceum Avenue and Fleming Street
- East Falls, at Midvale Avenue and River Drive
Some locations feature big screens to watch the races, plus food and drinks.
Public restrooms are available at the start/ finish line, Manayunk, Lemon Hill and Fan Fest zones.
Spectators are encouraged to use public transportation, as road closures are in effect. Starting at 9 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 30, Philly PHLASH is offering a free shuttle service between Stop 9 and Manayunk.
More viewing information can be found here.
Who to watch
Women:
- Kristen Faulkner, EF Education-Oatly (American cyclist; UCI World Tour, U.S. team)
- Maggie Coles-Lyster, Human Powered Health (Canadian cyclist; UCI World Tour, U.S. team)
- Kim Stoveld, Automatic Racing (American cyclist; Philadelphian; Elite, U.S. team)
Men:
- Luke Lamperti, EF Education Easy-Post (American cyclist; UCI World Tour, U.S. team)
- Sean Quinn, EF Education Easy-Post (American cyclist; UCI World Tour, U.S. team)
- Tao Geoghegan Hart, Lidl-Trek (British cyclist; UCI World Tour, German team)
- Derek Gee, Lidl-Trek (Canadian cyclist; UCI World Tour, German team)
- David Lozano Riba, Team Novo Nordisk (Spanish cyclist; UCI ProTour, American Team, the world’s first all-diabetes pro cycling team)
- Robin Carpenter, Modern Adventure Pro Cycling (American cyclist; Philadelphian; UCI ProTour, U.S. team)
Road closures and transit
Courtesy of Philadelphia Cycling Classic
Saturday, Aug. 29
Martin Luther King Jr. Drive will be closed from Eakins Oval to Falls Bridge on Saturday, Aug. 29, beginning at 8 a.m. for the 8-mile Philadelphia Cycling Classic Amateur Time Trial.
Martin Luther King Jr. Drive will continue with its weekend closure schedule and remain closed to vehicle traffic until Monday, September 1.
Sedgley Drive between Girard Avenue and Poplar Drive will be closed on Saturday. Aug. 29, beginning at 12 p.m. and will remain closed until the conclusion of the event.
Sunday, Aug. 30
All closures listed below are in effect from approximately 3 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 30, to 10 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 30, unless otherwise noted:
Parkway area closures
- Benjamin Franklin Parkway from 17th Street to Eakins Oval (all lanes)
- Eakins Oval (all lanes)
- I-676 Off-Ramp at 22nd Street
- I-676 On-Ramp at 22nd Street
- I-76 eastbound Off-Ramp at Spring Garden Street
- Spring Garden Tunnel
- Rear of Art Museum – Anne d’Harnoncourt Drive (access maintained for PMA staff)
- 1900 Race Street
- 1800-1900 Vine Street
- Park Towne Place between 22nd Street and 24th Street
- 2000-2100 Winter Street
- Spring Garden Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and 31st Street
- All roads from Arch Street to Spring Garden Street, 18th Street to 22nd Street (local access maintained for residents)
- All roads from Arch Street to Fairmount Avenue, 22nd Street to Corinthian Street (local access maintained for residents)
- 23rd Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and Eakins Oval
- 22nd Street between Winter Street and Pennsylvania Avenue
- 21st Street between Winter Street and Pennsylvania Avenue
- 20th Street between Arch Street and Pennsylvania Avenue
- 19th Street between Callowhill Street and Cherry Street
- 16th,17th, and 18th Streets, between Arch Street and Spring Garden Street will be closed only if conditions warrant in the interest of public safety
- 1600-1700 Benjamin Franklin Parkway will be closed only if conditions warrant in the interest of public safety
Fairmount Park closures
- Kelly Drive (all lanes)
- Waterworks Drive
- Reservoir Drive
- Lemon Hill
- Sedgley Drive between Girard Avenue and Kelly Drive
- Poplar Drive between Girard Avenue and Kelly Drive
- MLK Drive from Falls Bridge to Eakins Oval
Manayunk and Roxborough area closures
- Ridge Avenue between Kelly Drive and Hermit Street
- Main Street between Ridge Avenue and Green Lane
- Levering Street between Main Street and Tower Street
- Cresson Street between Levering Street and Cotton Street
- Lyceum Avenue between Tower Street and Mitchell Street
- Pechin Street between Green Lane and Roxborough Avenue
- Roxborough Avenue between Mitchell Street and Terrace Street
- Manayunk Ave between Roxborough Avenue and Osborn Street
- Rector Street between Terrace Street and Pechin Street
- Pensdale Street between Terrace Street and Lauriston Street
- Kingsley Street between Manayunk Avenue and Lauriston Street
- Salaignac Street between Manyunk Avenue and Lauriston Street
- Terrace Street between Dawson Street and Ridge Avenue
- Vassar Street from Ridge Avenue to Cresson Street
- Mitchell Street from Connaroe Street to Martin Street
- Additional streets include: Unit blocks of Shurs Lane, Jamestown Street, Pensdale Street, Roxborough Avenue, Grape Street, Levering Street, Gay Street, Connaroe Street, Carson Street, Rector Street, Cotton Street, Connaroe Street, and 300 block of Burnside Street
No parking zones
During the Philadelphia Cycling Classic, the following blocks will be in the “No Parking Zone”, and all vehicles must be relocated beginning 8 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 28. Any vehicles remaining on site during this time will be towed:
- Lyceum/Levering Avenue from Cresson Street to Pechin Street
- Manayunk Avenue from Ridge Avenue to Roxborough Avenue
- Pechin Street from Lyceum Avenue to Roxborough Avenue
- Roxborough Avenue from Pechin Street to Manayunk Avenue
All vehicles must be relocated from the full race course beginning at 3 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 30. Any vehicles remaining on site during this time will be towed.
SEPTA detours
Due to race-related street closures, SEPTA Routes 7, 9, 27, 32, 33, 38, 43, 48, 49, 52, 60, 61, 65, 82, 124/125, K will be detoured from its normal routes through Kelly Drive, Manayunk and Roxborough area beginning at 4 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 30.
Starting at 9 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 30, Philly PHLASH is offering a free shuttle service between Stop 9 and Manayunk.
