Where's the Bike Race Run in Manayunk?

For the 28th year, world-class cyclists will challenge themselves to best all Philadelphia and Manayunk can throw at them. The Philadelphia International Cycling Championship will go off Sunday morning, and riders will tackle the Manayunk Wall.

Below we detail the what and where of the international bike race through our backyards.

The Race Breakdown

The race itself is actually three separate events: the International Cycling Championship (men), the Liberty Classic (women) and the inaugural Bicycling Magazine Open (amateur). Essentially, the course is the same for all three, with variations on length and number of laps.

Philadelphia International Cycling Championship

• Mens
• Begins: 10:45 a.m.
• Distance: 124 miles
• Laps:
  • Three, 1.5-mile laps
  • Seven, 14.7-mile laps
  • Five, 3.36-mile laps
• Total prize money: $30,000

Liberty Classic

• Womens
• Begins: 10:55 a.m.
• Distance: 57.7 miles
• Laps: Four, 14.5-mile laps
• Total prize money: $15,000

Bicycling Magazine Open

• Coed, amateur
• Begins: 7 a.m.
• Distance: 43.5 miles
• Laps: Three, 14.5-mile laps
• Riders have option to start with skill levels and complete as many laps as able.
• Register here.

The Course

Though the event is colloquially referred to as the Manayunk Bike Race, the majority exists outside the 19127 zip code. It's the iconic Manayunk Wall—the race's highest climb—where the name is derived.

For the men, the race begins with three quick laps around the Eakins Oval and Logan Square along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. From there, cyclists loop past the Philadelphia Museum of Art and begin their seven-lap trek to Northwest Philadelphia.

Riders travel along the Kelly Drive through East Falls and into Manayunk. They enter Main Street from Ridge Avenue, and travel nearly its duration. Just past the 8-mile mark, they turn right onto Levering Street, pass over Cresson and climb the wall to Roxborough.

Locals know Levering turns into Lyceum Avenue after crossing Silverwood into Roxborough. The racers climb to the highest point, at a 17 percent grade, at Pechin Street. The race makes two quick rights—onto Pechin and Roxborough streets—before a left onto Manayunk Avenue to begin the downward slope.

Cyclists leave Roxborough by way of Manayunk Avenue onto Ridge Avenue and get back onto Kelly Drive. On the return trip, there's a turn down Reservior Drive in Fairmount Park and later a circle around Lemon Hill. Then it's back to the parkway to do it again.

After seven laps to Manayunk, the race concludes with a five-lap sprint around the parkway and Lemon Hill. 

The Liberty Classic is essentially five laps along the Manayunk route. The women don't do the preliminary laps. The amateur race, similarly, is three laps around the loop.

For complete race information, visit ProCyclingTour.com.