Philadelphia Cycling Classic returns, reconnecting fans and cyclists with longtime traditions

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The whir of bicycle gears grew louder as the peloton approached the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, giving spectators only a few seconds to take in the colorful blur of cyclists before they disappeared down the course.

For Roy Levitt, it was a familiar sound.

Levitt has been coming to Philadelphia’s professional cycling race since he was 20 years old.  After a decade without it, he returned Sunday for the Philadelphia Cycling Classic and found himself listening for the distinct sounds he remembered.

“Honestly, I like seeing the Peloton go by and hearing all the gearing,” Levitt said. “I heard it up in Lemon Hill this morning.”

After a 10-year hiatus, professional cycling returned to Philadelphia on Sunday, bringing riders and spectators back to a course long held in high regard in the cycling community.

For those lining the route, the Classic offered something beyond the competition itself — a chance to experience professional cycling up close, whether they had followed the sport for decades or were seeing a race for the first time.

Levitt said the event gives people an accessible introduction to cycling, regardless of whether they ride themselves.

“It’s a great way to see cycling and understand it from multiple levels,” he said. “It’s a great entry.”

That accessibility was part of what Carlos Rogers envisioned when he began working to revive the race four years ago.

Rogers, a local business owner and long-time cyclist who spearheaded the Classic’s return, said the race had become something Philadelphia spectators felt belonged to them before its last running in 2016.

“This race was part of the community, and fans took ownership of this event,” Rogers said. “Seeing all the fans come out during the race over the year was just spectacular.”

Unlike sporting events confined to a stadium or arena, spectators did not need tickets to enjoy. Fans could stand against the barricades, move to different sections of the course and watch the sea of riders multiple times as they made their way through the circuit.

Rogers said that freedom is part of what makes professional cycling distinctive for spectators.

“You can get the best seat in the house,” he said. “It doesn’t have to be in the nosebleeds. You can be right up against the barricades and see the riders come by.”

Between laps, spectators could also visit the Classic’s Fan Fest near the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which featured more than 100 vendors, a beer garden, DJs and a kids skill zone.

For Stefan Samuelwicz, however, simply seeing the cyclists was enough.

Samuelwicz attended the original Philadelphia race and kept coming back over the years. A lifelong cyclist, he returned Sunday with his son and his son’s friend.

“I was just really happy that it started up again,” Samuelwicz said. “It’s an amazing thing.”

Watching elite cyclists race through Philadelphia can also give recreational riders something to aspire to, he said.

“This is the ultimate for cyclists,” Samuelwicz said. “To come out and see the people who are truly the best at it, it lifts your spirits and encourages you to do more and more to make yourself better.”

His connection to the sport has also carried across generations. Samuelwicz said he introduced his son to cycling, and his son later brought friends into the sport.

As the riders approached the finish Sunday, Samuelwicz briefly stopped an interview to watch.

“Here is the sprint,” he said. “This is what we’re here for.”

Nearby, his son’s friend Brian was watching a professional cycling race for the first time.

“You can see, his mouth is just open and loving it,” Samuelwicz said. “Absolutely loving it.”

Creating those moments was part of the reason organizers wanted to revive the Classic.

Rogers said Philadelphia has a broad cycling community, from the commuters and recreational riders to amateur racers. Bringing professional riders back to the city gives those groups a chance to gather around the same sport and potentially inspires someone standing along the barricades to become part of its next generation.

“It only takes one rider to go by and one kid standing at the barricades to say, ‘That looks cool. I want to do that,’” Rogers said.

Eric Robbins, one of Rogers’ partners in bringing the race back to Philadelphia, said seeing people gather along the course was his favorite part of the day.

“Community,” Robbins said. “People coming out to support each other, the city and these fine athletes.”

The organizer’s ability to offer the race without charging admission was important for the event’s title sponsor, AmeriGas.

“Everything is free, and families, communities are going to benefit from this,” said Bob Flexon, president and CEO of AmeriGas parent company UGI.

For Rogers, Sunday marked the end of a four-year effort that began as a grassroots attempt to revive an event he believed still mattered to Philadelphia.

His goal now is for the Classic to once again become an annual tradition. One that professional teams put on their calendars and spectators reserve as a weekend to experience.

For longtime fans like Levitt, its return was already a chance to reconnect.

“I’m happy to see it back.” Levitt said. “I came back to see it.”