The crown jewel and final leg of the 2008 "Commerce Bank Triple Crown of Cycling" is the Philadelphia International Championship on Sunday, June 8th. More than 200 of the world’s top male professional cyclists race in the longest running and most important single-day cycling road race in the United States.
The cyclists will complete 10 laps of a 14.4-mile circuit through Philadelphia. They will finish with three laps of Lemon Hill and Logan Circle, logging 156 miles total.
The day also includes the "Commerce Bank Liberty Classic" with more than 100 professional, international women cyclists competing. The 57.6-mile race consists of four laps of the 14.4-mile circuit through Philadelphia with four steep climbs up the grueling Manayunk Wall.
KYW reporter and cycling aficionado Steve Tawa presents this special ten-part series on KYW Newsradio 1060.
Part I: The History of the Race Organizers Dave Chauner (left) and Jerry Casale have been associated for about 40 years. It began when Dave, as a young racer in the late '60s and early '70s, frequented the Hill Cycle Shop, owned by the Casales, in Chestnut Hill.
Part II: From Race Founder to CEO Jerry Casale is one of the co-founders of the race that started in Philadelphia in 1985. His father had the Hill Cycle Shop in Chestnut Hill from 1929 through 1993.
Part III: The Announcer's Perspective Michael Aisner has been the public address announcer for the race for the past 24 years, manning the start and finish line on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
Part IV: The ''Moto'' Guys The caravan director is in charge of all of the vehicles, both cars (the ones carrying team bikes and mechanics) and motorcycles (carrying marshals, the media, and VIPs) around the course during the race.
Part V: Bicycle Technology It's all about technology when it comes to the carbon fiber frame bikes these pro riders are on.
Part VI: A Philadelphia Bike Company, Known Worldwide Fuji Bicycles, with its world headquarters in Northeast Philadelphia, is sponsoring five teams among the men and women competing at different times on the same course on race day.
Part VII: Philadelphia's Own Team Rite Aid Domestic riders on the homegrown Rite Aid team will certainly revel at the chance to show up international riders who compete in Europe.
Part VIII: A Local Coach with an Insider's View Former pro rider Brian Walton oversees the coaching, physiological testing, and bike fitting at Cadence Cycling on Main Street in Manayunk. He's come close to winning the Philadelphia race himself several times.
Part IX: The Doctor Michael Ross, MD, who lives in Wynnewood, Pa., is the team physician for one of the 25 pro teams in the race, and knows how hard these athletes push themselves.
Part X: Pumping Up Philadelphia's Economy More than 300,000 spectators line the race circuit every year, pumping about $20-25 million annually into the local economy.
Rite Aid Team Includes Local Riders
The low-budget Rite Aid Cycling team, which includes 9 racers who live within 25-miles of Philadelphia. KYW's Steve Tawa spoke with Rite Aid's Manager, Jamie Davis, at his Wayne, Pa office.
Local Bike Shop Pro On The Race
Former pro rider and Cadence Cycling co-owner Brian Walton talks with KYW's Steve Tawa about training, the competition, and his days as a top finisher. (3:21)
America's Biggest One Day Bike Race
KYW'S Steve Tawa speaks with Pro Cycling Tour founders Dave Chauner and Jerry Casale about how they developed the epic 156-mile race through the streets of Philadelphia. (8:16)
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