Marked as part of the prestigious UCI ProSeries, the newly-created Maryland Cycling Classic, scheduled for September 6, 2020, will become the United States’ top one-day professional race in its first year.
The designation was a vote of confidence by the UCI and USA Cycling, the international and national governing bodies for the sport, and for the organizers, host City of Baltimore and State of Maryland. The event’s official logo was also unveiled displaying a distinct Maryland flavor.
“We are excited to host the Maryland Cycling Classic in 2020 and showcase all that our great state has to offer to the international cycling community,” said Maryland Governor Larry Hogan. “There are so many communities in Maryland that have a deep and rich tradition for cycling and this event will celebrate this history while marking a new era for the sport in our state. We commend the hard work and dedication of organizations like the Maryland Sports Commission, who are working at the local and state levels to solidify Maryland’s reputation as a home for some of the world’s premiere sporting events.”
The world-class event will attract some of the world’s best cyclists, including Tour de France riders, Olympians, World and National Champions. The event will include community and lifestyle events as part of the weekend celebration.
“For the State of Maryland, and particularly the City of Baltimore securing a race at this level is huge,” said John Kelly, the newly-appointed chair of the host committee and prominent local business owner with long-term ties to the sport including team ownership. “We have a great opportunity to bring our state and city together to feature the beauty and goodness of Maryland and Baltimore to cycling fans and enthusiasts across the country and around the world.”
"This is a huge win for Maryland, our cycling community and our TEAM Maryland partners around the greater Baltimore region. This announcement by UCI gives Maryland and the City of Baltimore a tremendous platform to showcase our beautiful State and City to an international audience that few other events can," said Terry Hasseltine, Executive Director, Maryland's Sports Commission. "We are fortunate to have earned the trust of UCI and USA Cycling in securing the calendar date and to be partnering with Visit Baltimore and the country’s best organizers and promoters in Medalist Sports and KOM Sports Marketing. We anticipate being the best UCI ProSeries event on the UCI calendar in 2020 and beyond."
The event’s finish will be in a to-be-determined location in downtown Baltimore.
“We’re excited to welcome the Maryland Cycling Classic to the City of Baltimore in 2020,” said Al Hutchinson, President & CEO of Visit Baltimore. “This new, one-day world-class cycling race will put an international spotlight on Baltimore with the race broadcasting on television worldwide. Not to mention, it will bring an expected 100,000 attendees to Baltimore each year. This is an impactful win for our city.”
“On the year of our 100th anniversary, we’re excited to have another UCI race on U.S. soil where we can showcase our Olympic athletes after Tokyo,” said USA Cycling CEO and President Rob DeMartini. “Our goal is to grow the sport in the U.S. We’re grateful to the City of Baltimore and State of Maryland for hosting this world-class event and help inspire the next generation of American cyclists.”
The 2015 World Championships for road cycling were held in Richmond, Va. That event attracted more than 300,000 spectators during the week of activities. As the largest international one-day cycling race now in the U.S., Baltimore and Maryland are poised for big things in 2020.
“This is a great boost for American road cycling,” said Ben King, a native of Charlottesville, Va., who races professionally for South Africa’s Team Data Dimension. “There are ton of passionate fans on the east coast of the U.S. This will give them an opportunity to experience world-class cycling. We’ve been missing a big one-day race in the U.S. for several years. The Worlds in Richmond proved the east coast is starved for big-time professional cycling because we had huge crowds. A big to thanks to civic leaders in Baltimore and Maryland. It’s going to be great.”
King raced in the 2015 World Championships. He is a two-time stage winner of the Tour of Spain, one of the world’s top stage races. He has also won a stage of America’s top stage race the Amgen Tour of California. He hopes to be one of the 130+ athletes from an estimated 30 countries expected to compete in the inaugural race.
Hasseltine added that organizers are planning a Labor Day weekend of activities, which include a Health and Wellness Festival with exhibits, bike and running participatory events, and community outreach programs. Like the Preakness Week and Baltimore Running Festival, the event aspires to provide Maryland and Baltimore residents with a way to actively engage and experience while being part of a world-class event. Other details including the race route, ancillary events, and sponsors will be announced in the beginning part of 2020.
The official mark can be downloaded here.
The event is being managed and marketed by industry leaders Medalist Sports, Inc. and affiliated partner King of the Mountain Sports Marketing, of whom have combined to develop and successfully execute more than 50 world-class cycling events. The group has a combined 100+ years of experience including Olympic Games, World Championships and World Cups. The Medalist and KOM leadership team were behind the Tour DuPont, which traveled through Maryland back in the 1990s.
The event is owned by Maryland Sports Commission. Initial information can be found at www.marylandcyclingclassic.us.
Follow on:
Twitter: @marylandclassic
Facebook: marylandcyclingclassic
Instagram: marylandcyclingclassic
