loading . . . Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie makes big jump on Forbes 400 list Add one more major sporting event to Philly’s already-packed semiquincentennial lineup.
The Philadelphia Cycling Classic, which was last held in 2016, returns next year on Aug. 30. Event organizers Race Street Partners, led by former Philly Mayor Michael Nutter and businessmen Carlos Rogers and Eric M. Robbins, unveiled the return of the event at City Hall on Tuesday. The group also announced propane distributor AmeriGas as the event sponsor and 6ABC as the official broadcaster.
“The Philadelphia Cycling Classic will once again bring together elite athletes, passionate fans and local families for a weekend of excitement and unity,” current Philly Mayor Cherelle Parker said at the event.
The one-day race began in 1985 and ran annually until 2016. Organizers couldn’t find a sponsor in 2017 and the race has been absent since then.
The race also returns to its original start-and-finish loop, starting at the Ben Franklin Parkway, modelling after the Tour de France’s final-day ride to Champs-Élysées in Paris.
The course starts from Logan Square, goes past the Art Museum and up Kelly Drive to Manayunk and back, passing by Boathouse Row, Strawberry Mansion and Lemon Hill. Along the way, riders face the infamous “Manayunk Wall,” which sports a 17-percent grade, the equivalent of climbing a 20-story building in less than half a mile.
The 14.4-mile loop translates to the women’s race being about 60 miles, and the men’s race about 120 miles.
Robin Morton, the first female team director in men’s professional cycling, returns as the race director. She said that many of the people working in the city administration back then are still around now, making the return of the race to the original course feel pretty seamless.
“We’re very fortunate that we almost can just plug it in, and we’re good to go,” she said.
The course map for the 2026 Philadelphia Cycling Classic. (Courtesy of Devine + Partners)
Race Street Partners co-founder Rogers, who has competed in the race himself, said the move back from a start-finish in Manayunk was part of his “go big or go home” strategy for bringing back the event.
The event arrives amid a jam-packed 2026 sports calendar, a result of the city’s celebration of America’s 250th birthday. The NCAA men’s basketball tournament, aka March Madness, will hold first- and second-round games here.The weekend before Memorial Day will feature the 108th PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square. The summer will have six FIFA World Cup soccer games at Lincoln Financial Field — including one game on the Fourth of July — followed by MLB All-Star week at Citizens Bank Park.
To the relief of every local sports fan’s wallet, the race is a free spectator event. Anyone can post up along the race route, and past editions saw block-party vibes along its course. Rogers said he expects that to be true next year, too, with crowds along the Parkway, Lemon Hill and Manayunk showing out.
“Cycling is a very romantic and dynamic sport, and I’m eager to get the riders back to the streets to share that with the Philadelphia community,” Rogers said.
The event previously had been held in early June. Nutter said that the Cycling Classic was moved so it wouldn’t conflict with the rest of the city’s packed calendar. It also lines up just before the Maryland Cycling Classic.
💌 _Love Philly? Sign up for the free Billy Penn daily newsletter and stay in the know_
Riders in the 28th TD Bank Philadelphia International Championship in 2012. (Bas Slabbers/for NewsWorks)
Rogers said the organizers plan to include a multi-day expo, festivals in Manayunk and other events around the race day. The race is sanctioned by cycling’s domestic and international governing bodies, USA Cycling and Union Cycliste Internationale, and is expected to draw elite cyclists from around the world. There will be a total purse of $75,000 for both the men’s and women’s races.
For local cycling advocacy groups like the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, it is also a chance for the city to highlight the joy of cycling while drawing attention to a pastime that too often only gets attention when cyclists are injured or killed on city streets.
“When we talk about bike lanes and we talk about safety, we’re so focused on a tragedy that happened, that we had to re-invigorate this conversation, or bring attention back to it,” said Chris Gale, executive director of the Bicycle Coalition. “Now we have another event that’s talking about why cycling’s so great and why people enjoy doing it so much.”
## ➡️ more from Billy Penn
### Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie makes big jump on Forbes 400 list
### Marsha’s, Philly’s first women’s sports bar, opens next week
### FIFA World Cup’s first ticket phase starts Wednesday. Here’s what you need to know
### Etch-y, not edgy, art: Teacher uses a toy from his childhood to show his love for all things Philadelphia
### USMNT schedules friendly game in Philly for November
### Who is IShowSpeed and why was his Philly visit such a big deal?
## ➡️ more from Billy Penn
### Job growth is up in Philly, but many downtown offices remain vacant
### Young adults with cancer have unique needs; new Fox Chase program tries to meet them
### Philly AIDS Thrift’s 20th anniversary block party draws a big crowd
### Mawn’s Phila and Rachel Lorn are on a roll with a new restaurant and two prestigious “best of” nods
### Smile! You’re on camera, Broad Street drivers
### A political jolt for normally quiet state Supreme Court retention elections
🥰 Nice to see you. 🥰
(Instead of a paywall)
Local news should be free and accessible, which is why we ask readers like you to support our work rather than charging a fee to see it. If BP helped inform you, join as a member today!
I value Billy Penn!
## ➡️ more from Billy Penn
### The time the Phillies took a tongue-lashing from the Pope
### The Waterdogs return to Philly for pro lacrosse league’s semifinals
### Kyle Schwarber makes an MVP statement with 4 home-run game
### ‘The great equalizer’: Philly esports leagues come to city’s libraries this fall
### Former Eagles chef offers a bit of tailgate heaven: classic recipes from every NFL city
### A Philly guide to watching the English Premier League https://billypenn.com/2025/09/11/forbes-400-billionaires-philadelphia-lurie-rubin-yass-mars/
