May 16, 2026

Philadelphia Cycling Classic returns this summer with fan fest, charity ride

The Aug. 30 event will bring the race back for the first time since 2016, along with free public rides, live entertainment and family activities.

By PhillyVoice Media Events

Photo Credit/Darrell Parks

The Philadelphia Cycling Classic will return Aug. 30 with professional races, a public charity ride and a two-day fan festival in Philadelphia.

The Philadelphia Cycling Classic will return Sunday, Aug. 30, marking the first time the race has been held since 2016.

The event includes men’s and women’s races on a 14.4-mile course through the city that passes the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Kelly Drive, Boathouse Row, Roxborough, Manayunk, Fairmount Park and Lemon Hill.

Organizers say spectators will have multiple opportunities to watch the races from different parts of the course as riders make their way through city streets, steep climbs and sharp turns.

The route also includes the Manayunk Wall, the steep climb that has long been one of the race’s signature attractions.

Before the professional races begin, cyclists of all skill levels can ride the same course during the Philadelphia Cycling Classic Charity Ride benefiting the American Association for Cancer Research.

The weekend also will include a free two-day Fan Fest at the Iroquois Sculpture area in Fairmount Park from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 29, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 30.

The festival will include more than 150 vendors, live music, athlete interviews, games and mini-bike courses for kids, cycling demonstrations, food and drinks, and a beer garden. Attendees also can shop for cycling gear and apparel, and the first 2,000 visitors will receive a free musette bag.

The women’s race begins at 8:30 a.m. and the men’s race starts at 12:30 p.m. The races will feature 32 teams from seven countries, including seven UCI WorldTour teams. The men’s and women’s races each will award $75,000 in prize money.

The Philadelphia Cycling Classic debuted in 1985 and became one of North America’s best-known professional road races before the event was discontinued after 2016. The race now returns to Philadelphia for the first time in nearly a decade.