Two National Champions line up for our National anthem at the start of today's race(Image credit: Marco Quezada/nyvelocity.com)
Lizzie Armitstead (Boels-Dolmans) leads the WorldTour rankings(Image credit: Sean Robinson/Velofocus)
The peloton moves ahead under the tracks(Image credit: Marco Quezada/nyvelocity.com)
The women hit the top of the climb(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
G4 Productions, organisers of the Philadelphia Cycling Classic, have announced the 20 teams that will participate in their one-day Women’s WorldTour event held on June 5 in Pennsylvania. Boels-Dolmans, team of the defending champion Lizzie Armitstead, will be on the start line along with Wiggle High5 and and Canyon-SRAM.
“Philadelphia is a wonderful cycling city with a rich history in our sport, and history is about to be made again with the inclusion of the Philadelphia International Cycling Classic on the UCI Women’s WorldTour,” said USA Cycling CEO Derek Bouchard-Hall in a press release from the organisation.
“The PICC is a wonderful and established event here in the United States, and its prestige, paired with the UCI classification, makes this an international destination for the top cyclists in the world.”
Last year, Armitstead won the Philadelphia International Cycling Classic, after she sprinted up Manayunk Wall ahead of Elisa Longo Borghini and Alena Amialiusik. The event will mark the ninth round of the Women's WorldTour. Armitstead has won three of the six rounds so far at Strade Bianche, Trofeo Alfredo Binda-Cittiglio and Tour of Flanders, and she is currently leading the ranking.
Alongside the Women’s WorldTour event, the Philadelphia Cycling Classic will host a UCI men’s race. Organisers announced last October that they have upgraded their men's race from UCI 1.2 to 1.1 status in 2016. Both events will compete on the same course, a 19.7km circuit looping through Philadelphia, finishing at the top of the notorious Manayunk Wall. The racers will battling for KOM on Lemon Hill and the Manayunk Wall with a sprint zone located along Kelly Drive.
G4 Productions confirmed that UnitedHealthcare, Team Novo Nordisk, and Caja Rural Seguros, team of the winner of the 2015 edition, will compete in the men’s race. A full list of teams will be announced at a later date.
G4 Productions will once again offer equal prize money for the men’s and women’s races.
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“For more than thirty years, the Philadelphia International Cycling Classic has brought a collection of the greatest male and female cyclists from across the globe to our great city for a day of spirited competition,” said Mayor Kenney.
“The Philadelphia International Cycling Classic, as the highest rated one-day cycling event in the country, showcases our city to the world of cycling enthusiasts and spectators. I would like to thank our event producer, g4 Productions, our public employees, and the citizens of Philadelphia for their hard work and dedication to ensuring that the PICC continues to thrive and build upon its legacy as a successful, world-class event."
2016 Philadelphia International Cycling Classic women’s teams
Alé Cipollini ASTANA-Acca Due O BePink LaClassica Boels-Dolmans Cycling Team BTC City Ljubljana Canyon SRAM Racing Cervélo Bigla Pro Cycling Team Colavita | Bianchi Cyclance Pro Cycling Hagens Berman | Supermint Pro Cycling Team Hitec Products Parkhotel Valkenberg Team Rally Team Tibco-SVB Twenty16 p/b Ridebiker UnitedHealthcare Women’s Pro Cycling Visit Dallas DNA Pro Cycling Weber Shimano Wiggle High5 Conade Visit Mexico
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