Bucks County Classic To Race Through Doylestown For 20th Year

DOYLESTOWN BOROUGH, PA —With the big race just around the corner, plans are shifting into high gear for the 20th edition of the Bucks County Classic.

The major cycling event is scheduled to roll through Doylestown Borough on Sunday, September 8 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“We’re really excited to be able to hold this race for the 20th year in Doylestown,” said Laura Reppert, race director. “Every year it amazes us how the community pulls together to make this happen. From the businesses that sponsor the Bucks County Classic to the volunteers and
municipal organizations who step up and help stage all the activities, it’s truly a fantastic effort on everyone’s part. Along with the Doylestown Arts Festival, this makes for an awesome day of free family-friendly entertainment.”

The races will begin and end in front of 14 East Court Street in Doylestown. The day begins with the Masters at 9:o5 a.m. followed by the Amateur Women at 9:40 a.m., the Amateur Men at 10:15 a.m., the Marshall Financial Group Ride the Course at 11:10 a.m., the Doylestown Health Pro Women at 11:40 a.m., the Jarrett Vaughan Builders Kids Races at 12:45 p.m. and the Thompson Pro Men at 1:25 p.m.

The Bucks County Classic is held during the biggest entertainment weekend in the county, taking place alongside the Doylestown Arts Festival. The 1.4-mile race course circles the arts festival and new for this year features an exposition area with local businesses, organizations and activities next to the start/finish line on the lawn of the Bucks County Administration Building.

Skylar Schneider, center, of L39gion Los Angeles, took her second win in the Doylestown Health Pro Women’s race in 2023. Kim Stoveld from ABUS won the silver. And Skylar's sister, Samantha Schneider, from L39gion Los Angeles, won the bronze.

“It’s really cool. Where else can you go and see sports and art side-by-side and for free,” said Reppert. “You can be standing there and watch an artist create something and turn 180 degrees and professional bike riders are going past.

“I also think that makes it great for the family because you can come into Doylestown for the arts festival, you can watch the bike race, you can go out to eat, you can go shopping. There are so many things to do in that one day. It really makes it a great event to bring the whole family.”

Set to the backdrop of Doylestown’s beautiful homes and neighborhoods, Reppert describes the course through town as “beautiful.

“It goes through some of the business areas, but on the backside of the course it also goes through residential areas, which is so cool because the neighbors have parties on the lawn,” said Reppert. “They bring out tents and chairs and grills. They have house parties and they cheer the riders on from their lawns.”

A typical Criterium is seven-eighths of a mile with four turns. “So you’re essentially doing the same circle over and over again. In Doylestown, we have eight turns,” said Reppert. “Our course is 1.4 miles. And every single lap that you do you climb 90 feet. If you think about it, the Pro Men’s race 50 miles and climb something like 3300 feet over the course of the race. That’s a good amount. And the finish is an uphill sprint to, which makes it really hard.”

(Photo by Jeff Werner)

The race began as a Pro Men’s race in 2004. In 2014 the Pro Women’s race was added. They then added an amateur men’s race. When Reppert joined as race director in 2018 she added an amateur category for women.

Today there’s a Pro Men, Pro Women, an Amateur Men and an Amateur Women and brand new this year, a 45-Plus race.

In addition, at 11:10 a.m. for about 20 minutes, “Marshall Financial Ride the Course” offers an opportunity for anyone with a bike and a helmet to come out and try the course and see what it’s like.

“You can ride one lap, two laps or three laps. It’s up to you,” said Reppert. “Participants can register online or show up the day of the race and be prepared to sign a waiver.”

There’s also the Jarrett Vaughan Builders Kids Races at 12:45 p.m. between the Pro Women and Pro Men race. Any child ages three to 10 can race on the course. All the kids who participate will be given a medal.

Of course the races that attract the most attention are the Thompson Pro Men’s and the Doylestown Health Pro Women’s.

“There’s the physical thrill of it. The men average 29 mph during the race, which is really fast. When you’re standing there and that group comes by it’s this incredible physical sensation - the air changes, the sound of all the bike wheels going by,” said Reppert.

“There’s that thrill, but I think one of the big things is when you typically go to a sporting event you are separated from the action up in the stands,” said Reppert. “Cycling is so cool in that first of all its free to attend. And second of all you can interact with these riders very easily. When they are lined up and ready to start the race you can reach out and give them a high five. Community members in Doylestown also host riders in their homes, which is a cool experience too.”

Ridership for the big races is capped around 250 for safety purposes. The mens race is limited to 100. The two main events typically draw around 10,000 people to town.

Race day schedule:

9:05 AM Masters
9:40 AM Amateur Women
10:15 AM Amateur Men
11:10 AM Marshall Financial Group Ride the Course!
11:40 AM Doylestown Health Pro Women
12:45 PM Jarrett Vaughan Builders Kids Races
1:25 PM Thompson Pro Men

The Bucks County Classic is organized by MSH Productions LLC and would not be possible without the support of the Borough of Doylestown and local businesses. This year’s event is made possible by the Thompson Organization, Doylestown Health, Eastburn & Gray P.C., SingleCare, Bucks County Tourism Grant, Customers Bank, Doylestown Health Foundation, Marshall Financial Group, Hepatitis B Foundation, Baruch S Blumberg Institute and the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center, Jarrett Vaughan Builders Inc, Beth Snyder Dentistry, UNDRBUDR, Ellen Happ Architect, Bridge Acupuncture and Verge Sport.