Successor to Philadelphia International Cycling Championship secures UCI upgrade after year one
Having started this year as a 1.2 event, the Parx Casino Philly Cycling Classic has received the welcome news that the UCI will grant it an upgrade for next season, with the one day race becoming a 1.1-ranked event.
The race took over from the Philadelphia International Cycling Championship, which last January was confirmed as being cancelled for 2013. The long standing event was put on hold due to financial pressures and while one of its founders, David Chauner, said that it would return in 2014, the race was replaced by the newer race.
It had a new group organising it, with U.S. Rep. Bob Brady heavily involved. The race was run off on June second with Evie Stevens (Specialized-lululemon) winning the women’s event and Kiel Reijnen (UnitedHealthcare) taking the men’s race.
The 2014 contest is due to take place and will now have an enhanced ranking. While it lags behind the 1.HC status enjoyed by the previous Philadelphia contest, the upgrade sees it moving in the right direction.
City of Philadelphia mayor Michael A. Nutter welcomed the news, saying that it was important for the race. “Philadelphia has embraced pro cycling with a passion for many long years, including the entire time that I was representing Manayunk and its iconic "Wall" as Councilman in that District,” he stated. “It was with strong purpose in early 2013 that I directed my leadership team to find a way to keep a pro race going here. We accomplished that with the help of the Philly Cycling Classic organizers.
“Now, with this elevated UCI classification, we look to restore Philadelphia's stature as the greatest one-day pro race in the United States, with even more teams and more professionals - both male and female, domestic and international - next June.”
While more details will emerge closer to the event, the organisers today confirmed that there will be equal prizemoney for the men’s and women’s events, and that the latter will also be classified 1.1 on the UCI calendar. The women’s race will also be part of the USA Cycling NRC calendar.
Richard Adler of Liberty Sports Development, the event producer, said the reaction to this year’s race was a very good one. “The feedback following our inaugural event has been overwhelmingly positive, especially with regard to the course changes, which offered a whole new challenge to the teams who have raced here before,” he said.
“So we are very pleased that the Parx Casino Philly Cycling Classic received this upgrade to a 1.1 by the UCI for 2014, making Philadelphia the highest rated one day race in the USA.”
Importantly, he pointed out that the change in ranking would enable the race to invite UCI WorldTour teams and also to make unspecified improvements to the event.
USA Cycling’s chief of domestic and international affairs Sean Petty said that the development was important for the federation and the US scene.
“The Philly Cycling Classic’s upgrade to a 1.1 is great news for the sport domestically,” he stated. “Philadelphia is an iconic stop on the calendar each year. The upgraded classification is a testament to the tremendous work of the organizers as they continue to build on the success of their inaugural event in 2013.”