TD Bank Philadelphia International Cycling Championship

It’s going to be a beautiful weekend and I can’t wait to spend some time outside without the heat and humidity!

The weather will be perfect for the 27th running of the Philadelphia International Championship on Sunday, June 5th at 9 AM. The racers complete 10 laps of a 14.4 mile circuit that links the Ben Franklin Parkway with Manayunk. The location of the legendary Manayunk Wall! The wall is a steep half-mile hill that has become a Philly icon and favorite spot for race watchers. The finish is three laps of Lemon Hill and Logan Circle.  You can find course maps here.

The day also includes the Liberty Classic, which is the women’s race. They will do 4 laps of the same course and it is held during the men’s race.

If you plan to head down to the race from the suburbs I suggest taking public transportation as there will be a number of road closures making parking even tougher. A lot of people will even ride their bikes down the trail to catch some of the racing. Friend and fellow cyclist, Rob O’Donnell, is hosting a guided one-way trip down to the Art Museum (location of the start of the race) Sunday morning. Please meet Sunday at 7 AM at the Upper Betzwood Parking lot (Valley Forge) for this road bike ride on the Schuylkill Trail. Once there, everyone is on their own to enjoy the race from various spectator spots. If you need more info, contact me for Rob’s information. This is another great option to see some racing!

There are many spots to watch the race and if you can make it over to the wall, it’s a great party spot.  The race is a family friendly event. I can remember going a few times as a kid and having a blast seeing the racers fly by.  The race features many rising stars, as a kid I saw Lance Armstrong win this race in 1993.  TD Bank does sponsor a family fun zone that is located at the base of the Art Museum steps.

If you’re looking for a fun weekend activity and have never been to the race you won’t be disappointed!