Philadelphia International Championship

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Philadelphia International Championship
Race details
Date Early-June
Region Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
English name Philadelphia International Championship
Local name(s) TD Bank Philadelphia International Championship (English)
Nickname(s) CoreStates, Manayunk
Discipline Road
Competition UCI America Tour
Type Road race
History
First edition 1985 (1985)
First winner  Eric Heiden (USA)
Most wins Bart Bowen (2- 1992 & 1998)
Most recent  Alexander Serebryakov (RUS)

The Philadelphia International Championship is an annual bicycle race held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is described as "America's top international cycling classic, and one of the richest and most prestigious one day races outside of Europe." It is one of the longest single-day races in the U.S. at 199.6 kilometres (124.0 mi). The men's event is ranked 1.HC by the International Cycling Union (UCI), the sport's governing body, which makes it the highest ranking single-day race in the Western Hemisphere. It is part of the UCI America Tour.

The race has existed since 1985, but its name has changed a number of times, because of the changing of names of its corporate sponsors, due to bank mergers and acquisitions. The title sponsor was originally CoreStates Bank, followed by First Union Bank in 1998, then Wachovia Bank in 2002. In November 2005, Wachovia withdrew its sponsorship. With assistance from former Philadelphia mayor and then-Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell, a corporate sponsor was found in 2006; Commerce Bank made a four-year commitment. Due to its acquisition by Toronto-Dominion Bank in 2007, Commerce Bank became TD Bank in 2008.

The Philadelphia International Championship was once the final leg of a one-week, 3-race circuit called the TD Bank Triple Crown of Cycling. The races took place in Lancaster, Reading and Philadelphia. The opening race was the Lancaster Classic, followed four days later by the Reading Classic, with the finale in Philadelphia three days after that.

Through 2005, the highest placed finisher registered in the United States was named the USPRO champion, whether or not he won the race. The race was often called the USPRO Championship; however, USA Cycling, the national governing body, stripped the Philadelphia race of the USPRO title, wanting to limit the race to Americans. Local organizers insisted the field remain open to the pros from all around the world.

There is a men's and a women's race, the latter called the Liberty Classic. The seven-lap men's race consists of a three-lap 1.6 km (0.99 mi) opening circuit, followed by seven 23.2 km (14.4 mi) laps of the primary circuit, then a five-lap 4.8 km closing circuit. The total distance is 251 km (156 mi). The women's race is on the same course but starts later and is shorter: 4 laps of the primary circuit for 92.7 km (57.6 mi).

The race starts on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and then heads along Kelly Drive into the northwest section of the city, through East Falls, Manayunk, and Roxborough, then return to the Parkway and Logan Circle to complete its loop, passing parts of Fairmount Park along the way.

Top cyclists who have participated include Eric Heiden, who won the race in 1985, Greg LeMond, and Lance Armstrong, who started his professional career when he won the race in 1993.

Manayunk Wall

In bicycling terminology, a "wall" is a steep incline. The Manayunk Wall, located by Jerry Casale and David Chauner when they were laying out the course in 1985, refers to Levering Street and Lyceum Avenue in northwest Philadelphia. It begins at Main Street and Levering Street in the neighborhood of Manayunk, proceeds on the well-worn cobblestone Cresson Street under the elevated railway, then back on to Levering Street.

Most of the Wall is part of Levering Street, but it becomes Lyceum Avenue at Tower Street (at N40 01.631 W75 13.313). The steepest section, a 17-percent grade, commences just after the slight left turn when going up at the intersection with Tower Street (N40 01.652 W75 13.277), and ends at the intersection with Fleming street (N40 01.726 W75 13.226). It becomes less steep on the stretch with O'Brien's as it crosses Manayunk Avenue. It nearly flattens and ends at Pechin Street in Roxborough, which most news crews set up for broadcasting. The right turn off Lyceum Avenue onto Pechin Street (N40 01.847 W75 13.069) begins The Fall from the Wall. Manayunk Avenue is the boundary of Manayunk and Roxborough.

O'Brien's Water Hole along the wall sets up a water sprinkler for cyclists to ride through. In early years, no one seemed to mind but as the race became more important, it was criticised as a distraction and reduced.

On June 5, 2002, Manayunk designated the 17-percent grade as the Manayunk Wall. Olympic gold medalist Marty Nothstein presented a plaque.

Downhill Race

At midnight, the morning of the international championship, an unlicensed race down The Wall took place from 1996-2006. "The Downhill" was conceived at Dawson Street Pub. Racers gathered there to walk to The Wall. The race started at Manayunk Avenue and Lyceum Avenue and continued to the bottom of the hill or until where police blocked the street. The race included BMX bikes, tricycles, shopping carts, wheelchairs, skateboards, bed frames and roller skates. The event grew in popularity after being promoted on a radio station in 2003 and several thousand spectators attended in 2006. A young man was injured during the 2006 race when he was blindsided by another individual who was careening down the wall in a shopping cart. Police are generally credited as permanently stopping the race. On September 6, 2008 the Red Bull Soapbox Race[1] was held at the Manayunk Wall.

Past winners

General classification

  • Also served as USPRO Championships for USA riders up to 2005
Rider Team
1985 United States Heiden, EricEric Heiden (USA) 7-Eleven Cycling Team
1986 United States Prehn, ThomasThomas Prehn (USA) Schwinn-Icy Hot
1987 United States Schuler, TomTom Schuler (USA) 7-Eleven Cycling Team
1988 Italy Gaggioli, RobertoRoberto Gaggioli (ITA) Pepsi Cola-Fanini-FNT
1989 United States Oravetz, GregGreg Oravetz (USA) Coors Light
1990 Italy Cimini, PaoloPaolo Cimini (ITA) Gis Gelati-Juvenes San Marino
1991 Netherlands Zanoli, MichelMichel Zanoli (NED) Tulip Computers
1992 United States Bowen, BartBart Bowen (USA) Subaru-Montgomery
1993 United States Armstrong, LanceLance Armstrong (USA) Motorola
1994 United Kingdom Yates, SeanSean Yates (GBR) Motorola
1995 United States Alvis, NormanNorman Alvis (USA) Saturn
1996 United States Gragus, EddyEddy Gragus (USA) U.S. Postal Service
1997 Italy Lelli, MassimilianoMassimiliano Lelli (ITA) Saeco
1998 United States Bowen, BartBart Bowen (USA) Subaru-Montgomery
1999 Denmark Piil, JakobJakob Piil (DEN) Acceptcard Pro Cycling
2000 Australia Vogels, HenkHenk Vogels (AUS) Mercury Cycling Team
2001 United States Rodriguez, FredFred Rodriguez (USA) Domo-Farm Frites
2002 Canada Walters, MarkMark Walters (CAN) Navigators Cycling Team
2003 Italy Zanini, StefanoStefano Zanini (ITA) Saeco Macchine per Caffè
2004 Spain Ventoso, FranciscoFrancisco Ventoso (ESP) Saunier Duval-Prodir
2005 United States Wherry, ChrisChris Wherry (USA) Health Net presented by Maxxis
2006 New Zealand Henderson, GregGreg Henderson (NZL) Health Net presented by Maxxis
2007 Argentina Haedo, Juan JoseJuan José Haedo (ARG) Team CSC
2008 Denmark Breschel, MattiMatti Breschel (DEN) Team CSC
2009 Germany Greipel, AndreAndré Greipel (GER) Team Columbia-High Road
2010 Australia Goss, MatthewMatthew Goss (AUS) Team HTC-Columbia
2011 Denmark Rasmussen, AlexAlex Rasmussen (DEN) HTC-Highroad
2012 Russia Serebryakov, AlexanderAlexander Serebryakov (RUS) Team Type 1-Sanofi

VisitPA.com Best Climber’s Award

YearR Best Climber Team
2007  Neil Shirley (USA) Jittery Joe's
2008  Davide Frattini (ITA) Colavita Olive Oil-Sutter Home Wines
2009  Valery Kobzarenko (UKR) Team Type 1

See also

  • Cycling
  • List of road bicycle racing events

References

External links

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