Philly Cycling Classic: Chiara Consonni wins women's race; men's race schedule and road closures

Thomas Gartside, 77, remembers feeling a bit tired of the crowds coming to his Manayunk block on race day. The decade-long hiatus changed his perspective.

“I remember the first race, it was amazing: No one was here and they had a helicopter,” said Gartside, who moved by the Manayunk Wall a year before the inaugural 1985 race.

Over the years, he said, the race expanded and his block got more crowded. By 2016, he didn’t come outside to witness the spectacle, unaware the cyclists' return would be an uphill battle.

Kim Stoveld, a Philadelphia native, took an unconventional route to appear in the Cycling Classic.

The former University at Buffalo swimmer did not pick up competitive cycling until the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Six years later, she placed 71st in her hometown race with a time of 2:37:59.

"I watched this race in 2013, 2014, '15, and '16 when it was still going on, and I was just getting into cycling," Stoveld said. "And then to be on the other side of it, 10 years later, is just like a dream come true. Just absolutely amazing."

Rita’s water ice in one hand and a cowbell in the other, Jim Lamond let the clank of the bell ring out as racers rode past on Ben Franklin Parkway on their third lap. 

Lamond, 57, came to the race with his daughter, Katie Coulter, 28, who is just starting to get into cycling and triathlon and wanted to witness the sport on this scale in person. 

“During the triathlon, cycling is the one discipline that I struggle with the most,” Coulter said. “So seeing the ladies and the professionals do this, it's inspiring me to put more effort into cycling, and seeing how effortless they do it, it's really inspiring for me.”

Alice Antonelli, 65, woke up at 4:30 a.m. on Sunday unable to contain her excitement for the return of the Philadelphia Cycling Classic. 

“I wasn’t able to come before. I had kids and a lot going on,” Antonelli said. “I’m so thrilled it’s back. It’s like a mini Tour de France.”

In a new era of her life, the avid cyclist and financial consultant was among the 400 registered for the Charity Ride for AACR, the American Association for Cancer Research. She completed her race in under an hour, she said, and came back to the Manayunk Wall to cheer for the women's race participants. 

John Dempsey and his 11-year-old son, Orion, woke up at 5 a.m. to make the trip to Philadelphia from their home along the Jersey Shore.

John Dempsey wanted to show his son "something different other than the usual running or car events."

"Even though we're from New Jersey, we love the city of Philadelphia," John Dempsey said. "My wife's run the marathon here. I've run the half marathon here, and we've come here for Made in America Festival. Always nice to come back to Philly."

Eyes glued to a cell phone, siblings Tess and Fitz Dolan counted down the seconds it took women cyclists to arrive at the Manayunk Wall, closely following their trip on the livestream. 

The mountain biker teens' ages were in the single digits when the race went away, and they never had a chance to see it in person. Now, they don’t plan on losing sight of the cyclists as they wait for their arrival at Tower and Levering Srreets. 

“It’s so cool to see them do this because we are used to these roads and we bike there," said 16-year-old Tess Dolan. "The women are putting in a lot of work and they are just rocking it." 

Mayor Cherelle L. Parker is looking to "keep pushing" for the city to host "even more grander events." In the meantime, she is enjoying the spotlight sports have shined on Philadelphia this summer.

"Philadelphia is a tough city," Parker said. "When you hear people describe our grit, our resilience, our stick-to-itiveness, our fight... battling the underdog notion – it's a real thing. But sometimes we forget how amazing we are, and when we look at 2026 and all that we have accomplished through FIFA, the MLB [All-Star Game], the Cycling Classic, all of the amazing events that were here, We are a world-class global city and prepared to receive guests from around the world."

Parker also noted the event is a "very equitable opportunity" for all Philadelphians because it is free to watch. Unlike some of the other events Philadelphia held this summer, the Cycling Classic "brought the stadium to the streets."

The Philadelphia Cycling Classic is underway. As a group of women speedily cycled by Main Street, dozens of people came out of their Manayunk homes to await them with cheers and praise.  

Whistles began to blow, alerting spectators to their impending arrival. “They are coming,” some started yelling as a small fleet of police in motorcycles drove by.

Ringing bells, the eager crowd leaned harder on the barricade, cheering and clapping, before the cyclist speedily rode hill up, with such force the 8% to 9% incline looked effortless. 

Taking deep breaths, Ashley and Dylan O’Neill walked up Lyceum Street looking for the best spot to see cyclists ride the Manayunk Wall. 

The walk was stiff and the air felt slightly humid, but after waiting a decade to experience their first Philadelphia Cycling Classic, Ashley felt like this was the best way to spend her 41st birthday. 

“My stepdad wouldn’t stop talking about it: The people gathered together, and the happiness, but for years there was no race,” she said. 

The course is a 14.4-mile circuit that will start and finish on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The women’s race will total 65 miles, while the men’s race will be 122 miles.

The original course ran up the Ben Franklin Parkway to Kelly Drive, passing through East Falls, Roxborough, and Manayunk, which was home to the most famous part of the course, the Manayunk Wall.

This year’s race will return to that original course, and will take participants past Strawberry Mansion, Lemon Hill, Boathouse Row — and, of course, up the Wall.

6abc will air the Philly Cycling Classic from 8:30 a.m. until noon, when it switches over to coverage of the U.S. Open.

The station is also offering live coverage of the race on the station's YouTube Channel and website, and on Hulu and Disney+. A special will air at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday on 6abc.

The women’s race will start at 8:35 a.m. with the men’s race to follow at noon.

The Philadelphia Cycling Classic is back after a decade-long hiatus, bringing loads of cycling fans, events, and road closures along with it.

Plan ahead if you need to drive near the 14.4-mile path for the main women’s and men’s races, beginning at 8:30 a.m. and noon, respectively, and the morning charity ride, which begins at 6:30 a.m.

The following road closures will take effect from 3 a.m. until 10 p.m. on Sunday.