When you think of Philadelphia and sports, what comes to mind? Maybe Rocky Balboa pounding up the steps of the Art Museum. Maybe the Eagles finally hoisting a Super Bowl trophy. But for cycling fans, Philly is synonymous with the Wall. The Manayunk Wall, where Tour de France legends like Greg LeMond, Peter Sagan, Lance Armstrong and Andre Greipel could be seen grinding their way up the climb amid a deafening roar of fans lining the street.
That’s the atmosphere four-time U.S. national road racing champion Freddie Rodriguez remembers best.
Speaking at Philadelphia City Hall on Tuesday, where officials announced the race’s return, he said: “When you’re coming into the Manayunk, you hear the crowd, you hear the cheers, you hear them having fun. You feel the energy… see the families doing barbecues and rushing out to the course as we’re coming by.
“For cyclists, there’s only one race in the world that makes that level of ambiance and it’s probably the Champs Élysées in Paris on the last day of the Tour.”
In 2026, that energy is set to return. The Philadelphia Cycling Classic will be back next summer with two races, giving fans and riders alike a chance to relive the city’s most iconic cycling event.
Former US national champion Freddie Rodriquez
(Image credit: Getty Images)
What we know about the 2026 Philadelphia Cycling Classic
- There will be a men’s and a women’s race, each sanctioned by USA Cycling and the UCI.
- Race date will be August 30, 2026. This date comes just ahead of the Maryland Cycling Classic and the Canadian UCI races, making a transatlantic trip more enticing for European squads chasing UCI points on both sides of the border.
- The Philadelphia Cycling Classic will be one of just two UCI sanctioned, one-day road races at the 1.1 category in the U.S. in 2026m, making it a rare opportunity for domestic pros to earn those evaluable UCI points and to showcase their talents against the world’s elite.
- The men’s and women’s race will have equal prize purses of a total of $75,000 each.
- The course will be a nod to the past with an exciting urban circuit including Lemon Hill and the infamous Manayunk Wall. Both the pro women’s and men’s races will start and finish on the Parkway. The women’s race will total about 62 miles on the 14.4-mile circuit with the men’s race totaling about 120 miles.
“The fact that it’s coming back with the original course is phenomenal,” commented Rodriguez, who earned three of his four national titles in Philadelphia. “The Parkway feels like a stadium. There’s so much action for spectators, especially in tight areas where the race gets difficult like the 17% grade climb up the Manayunk Wall. Philly is one of the select races in the U.S. that can truly call itself a classic.” - The race will be livestreamed on channel 6abc.
Why the Philadelphia Cycling Classic Matters
Lizzie Deignan on her way to winning the 2015 edition
(Image credit: Getty Images)
The Philadelphia International Championship, later known as the Philadelphia Cycling Classic, debuted in 1985 and quickly became one of the premier one-day races in North America. It drew some of the sport’s biggest names and, for more than two decades, was the crown jewel of American road cycling, offering both the prestige of international competition and the rowdy, street-festival atmosphere unique to Philly.
Equally significant was Philadelphia’s role in elevating women’s professional cycling. A women’s race was introduced in 1994 and eventually became part of the UCI Women’s WorldTour calendar. Riders like Ina-Yoko Teutenberg, Evelyn Stevens, Mara Abbott and Lizzie Deignan all claimed victories here. What’s more, Philly offered rare parity in visibility and prize money at a time when women’s cycling was often overlooked.
Together, the men’s and women’s races turned the first weekend in June into a celebration of world-class sport and local spectacle, with Philadelphia serving as the beating heart of American road racing. But lack of funding and sponsorship eventually brought the racing to a halt, with the last edition held in 2016.
Since then, professional road cycling in the U.S. seen a steady decline, and nearly all world-class events have folded as a result. The Tour of California announced its indefinite hiatus in 2020, and the Tour of Utah international men’s race followed suit at the end of 2021. The Colorado Classic, the last remnants of the iconic Coors Classic, switched to a women’s-only event in 2019 but has since been financially unable to continue.
Only in recent years have we seen a glimmer of revival. The Maryland Cycling Classic, first held in 2022, has slowly built traction, and this year added a women’s race, the first top-tier international women’s road event in the U.S. since 2019. A new Tour of Colorado is also in the works for 2026.
Together, the Philadelphia Cycling Classic, the planned Tour of Colorado, and the Maryland Cycling Classic are building a promising UCI-sanctioned block of racing in the U.S., one that could entice European teams with a valuable late-summer campaign in North America, capped by the established Canadian races in September.
“We are delighted that this storied race is making its comeback! Its return says so much about America’s longstanding connection to world-class road racing,” said USA Cycling CEO Brendan Quirk.
Quirk knowns all too well that if U.S. road cycling is going to find its footing again, it needs cornerstone events like the Philadelphia Cycling Classic. Races big enough to lure the stars, rebuild the sport’s fan base and inspire a new generation of American riders.
“Philadelphia holds a special place in cycling history in this country – the caliber of athletes from all over the world who competed there is legendary,” added Quirk. “So, welcome back, Philadelphia. We can’t wait to be there with you in August 2026.”
