Bucks County Classic Inspires Kids To Ride With Wheelie Wednesdays

DOYLESTOWN BOROUGH, PA — At the third and final Wheelie Wednesday of the summer, kids took on the pump track at Fanny Chapman Park.

And wow, it was something to watch.

Youngsters hit the mounds, kicking up dust as they whipped around the track behind Fanny Chapman Pool. You could see the potential as they rode up one side of the hills and down the other generating momentum by “pumping” their bodies up and down.

Cheering them on at the sidelines was Bucks County Classic race director Laura Reppert. The Classic, which is coming up on Sept. 10 in Doylestown, organizes Wheelie Wednesdays throughout the summer to get kids excited about biking at a young age and to build excitement and momentum leading up to the big race.

Standing nearby was Paula Nangle, the president and senior wealth advisor at the Marshall Financial Group in Doylestown, which sponsors the mid-week events in July and August. A cyclist herself, she said it’s been fun to watch the kids learning and honing their skills.

Paula Nangle, left, of Marshall Financial Group, and Laura Reppert, race director, Bucks County Classic. (Photo by Jeff Werner)

"It encourages healthy activities for the kids and provides a great introduction to a lifelong sport. It's also a great build-up to the race," said Nangle.

This is the third year Marshall has sponsored Wheelie Wednesday, which introduces kids to bicycling with a Learn to Ride kick-off session presented by Bike Works that takes kids from training wheels to two wheels.

Wheelie Wednesday also features a Skills and Drills practice session and a bike rodeo at the pump track with members of the Bucks County Composite Mountain Bike Team and Women Bike Dtown.

"This is about inspiring the next generation of riders," said Reppert. "And we're thankful to Marshall for helping to make this happen. They have been fantastic for the past three years. They've stepped up to make these programs possible."

One of the goals of Wheelie Wednesday, in addition to inspiring kids and helping to promote the Bucks County Classic, is to share with the kids the joy of biking, said Reppert.

And that joy emerges on the faces of the kids as they progress through the summer, she said.

"You can see it on their faces as they are working through the obstacle course or maybe it's when they take those first few pedal strokes without the training wheels. Something clicks in their head and you can see a whole new world opens up to them," she said.

(Photos by Jeff Werner)

It's also fun to watch the interaction between the generations, she said.

On this particular Wednesday, members of the Bucks County Composite Mountain Bike Team, a group of more experienced riders, were on hand to work with the youngsters on their pedal strokes, balancing techniques, and some of the more advanced skills.

"It's really cool to watch them ride together," said Reppert of the younger and older kids. "This is a particularly nice Wheelie Wednesday because when they ride with the older kids that's way different than riding with adults."

Bucks County Classic

Of course, Wheelie Wednesday is also about promoting the upcoming Bucks County Classic, which will bring professional cycling to the streets of Bucks County for the 19th year on Sept. 10 in a big, big way.

"I work races all over the country and I'm part of the National Association of Race Directors and it's always awesome when I go to the conference because I'm usually the only woman there. But I also represent a town as opposed to a city.

"All of these other races are in major metropolitan areas - Washington, D.C., Denver, Colorado, St. Louis, Mo., Boise, Idaho, and Tulsa, Oklahoma. And then you have Doylestown.

"It's just incredible to me that this town can put on this national level of race," she said. "It tells me that Doylestown gets it. Doylestown is very forward-thinking. And Doylestown understands the importance of events like this."

Race day activities on the 1.4-mile course begin with masters and amateur men’s and women’s races. Community members can try the course during the Herald Ride the Course or Jarrett Vaughan Builders Kids Ride and Sprints.

In the afternoon, pros from across the country and around the world take to the streets for the Doylestown Health Pro Women’s and Thompson Pro Men’s races. All events start from the start/finish line at Court and Printers Alley. Day of registration is available but pre-registration is encouraged. Registration is via BikeReg

Notable racers in the 2022 event included Thompson Pro Men Winner Scott McGill. McGill won two stages of the Volta a Portugal in August 2022 and just two weeks after the Bucks County Classic win went on to compete in the UCI Road Race Worlds Championships in Australia. He was one of five Americans to be selected to compete at worlds and one of only one hundred and three racers to finish the 165-mile race.

Former Mexican Road National Champion Katia Martinez of Goldman Sachs ETFs Racing took the win for the Doylestown Health Pro Women’s race. She also won the Easton Twilight Criterium and Tour of Somerville in 2022.

The 2023 race is made possible by the support of the Thompson Organization, Doylestown Health, Eastburn and Gray, the Borough of Doylestown, Marshall Financial Group, Hepatitis B Foundation, Baruch S Blumberg Institute, Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center, Doylestown Health Foundation, Verge Sport, Jarrett Vaughan Builders, C&N Bank, Terrain, UndrBudr, Paper and Leaf and Raben Cleaning.

Race Day Schedule

• 9:10 AM Masters 45+
• 9:55 AM Women Category 3/4
• 10:35 AM Men Category 2/3
• 11:30 AM The Herald Ride the Course
• 12:05 PM Doylestown Health Women Pro/1/2
• 1:10 PM Jarrett Vaughan Builders Kids Ride and Sprints
• 1:50 PM Thompson Men Pro/1/2

For additional information, visit www.buckscountyclassic.com