The Philadelphia Cycling Classic Returns This August. Here’s What You Need to Know
From the Art Museum to Main Street Manayunk, the bike race is back! Here’s when to go, where to watch, and who to root for.
Spanish cyclist Eduard Prades during the 2016 Philadelphia Cycling Classic / Photograph by Bastiaan Slabbers/NurPhoto/Getty Images
When Robin Carpenter was growing up in the ’90s, it was known simply as the Manayunk Bike Race. Every summer, for one weekend, his hilly Manayunk neighborhood became the epicenter of an all-day, undulating party that revolved loosely around a professional cycling race that brought some of the best cycling talent in the world here.
“We would hear the helicopter coming and trundle down the street to watch the cyclists go by,” he recalls. “I even had a lemonade stand one year.”
When he got older, Carpenter got to see not only the nylon-clad cyclists, but also plenty of neighborhood lore. He saw teenagers race skateboards and shopping carts down closed streets on the eve of the race, adults dropping off kegs in friends’ basements, and then, of course, scenes from the “Manayunk Wall” — a nauseating 17 percent incline at the end of the course, a block from his childhood home, which tested seasoned riders not once, not twice, but 10 times.
The Philadelphia Cycling Classic, as it came to be called, played a pivotal role in Carpenter’s life. After conquering the Wall as a teenager, he went on to pursue a professional career, and in 2014, he fulfilled a lifelong dream of competing in the race himself. And then, two years later, due to difficulty obtaining sponsors, the Classic was put “on hiatus.” Most assumed it would never return.
This August, the Classic will make its triumphant return to the streets of Philly, and there’s no one more excited to compete again than Carpenter. “I can’t overstate how rare it is for a race to come back,” he says. “It just doesn’t happen ever.”
The organizers responsible for resurrecting the event — including Carlos Rogers, owner of Old City’s Hush Salon, who dreamed up the whole return, entrepreneur Eric Robbins, and former Mayor Michael Nutter — forecast that the good vibes will be back too. “Bring a chair, bring some good shoes, and bring an adult beverage,” says Nutter. “It’s a celebration of all that Philadelphia has to offer.”
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Illustration by Britt Spencer
Okay, so when is this thing?
Women’s and men’s races will take place on August 30th, beginning at 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., respectively.
Where should I watch the race from?
There are no tickets, so anyone can go to any point, but getting around the route can be tough. A few safe bets: the starting line by the Art Museum (a fan fest will be set up nearby), the family-friendly atmosphere of Lemon Hill Drive, or the boisterous Main Street in Manayunk.
And who should I root for…?
Carpenter, of course! Look for the burgundy and gold colors of his team, Modern Adventure. (Or you could always just pick the squad with the best unis.)
How should I get around?
Stay on theme. Bike to your destination; many roads are closed to cars on race day.
Anything else?
Just like the riders — hydrate.
>> Click here to return to Summer 2026: Your Guide to Philly’s Biggest Summer Ever
Published as “The Bike Race Is Back!” in the June 2026 issue of Philadelphia magazine.
