AGENDA
What: 27th Philadelphia International Cycling Championship
When: Sunday, 9 a.m. for men's race (approximate finish time 3:10 p.m.); 9:10 for women's race (approximate finish time 11:30 a.m.)
TV: Comcast SportsNet, noon-3:30
Teams: 18 teams with riders coming from eight countries. More than 180 riders will compete. In the women's race, more than 100 riders will compete.
Course: For the men, 156 miles, broken into 10 laps of 14.4 miles each. For the women, 57.6 miles, broken into four laps of 14.4 miles each. For a course map, go to our website at www.philly.com/XXXX.
Scenery: The circuit links the hillside community of Manayunk with the scenic Ben Franklin Parkway. It also includes laps around Lemon Hill and Logan Circle. The most brutal part of the race is Lyceum Avenue, known as the Manayunk Wall. The Wall is 1-mile long with a steep, 17-degree incline. The riders take 10 climbs up the Wall.
The Water Hole: One stop along the Wall is Bill O'Brian's Water Hole. One year, Bill decided to spray some of the bikers with a hose to help them beat the heat. The next year he placed a misty shower that the cyclists could ride under. People gather in the yard to cheer on the cyclists as they ride through the mist.
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FUN FACTS
* The average speed of the riders is approximately 25 mph for the entire 156-mile race.
* Average speed up the wall is 8 to 18 mph, depending upon the rider, which lap, and what their role is on the team.
* Average amount of calories pro riders need to consume is 4,000, just for race to maintain energy. An average 140-pound cyclist will burn about 700 calories per hour.
* Average pro racer has about 5 to 8 percent body fat. Most non-elite athletes are around 20 percent.
* In training, many of the professional cyclists log approximately 20,000 miles per year (more than the average person puts on their car).
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WHERE TO WATCH
* The start/finish line is where the action is leading up to the 9 a.m. start for the men and the 9:10 a.m. start for the women. A large-screen TV broadcasts the cyclists from all points on the course. You can also get VIP tickets for the tent along the start/finish line on Champions Row.
* To see the riders power up the Manayunk Wall, get there early. Crowds really start to set in around noon. The Wall is a residential area, full of families and friends, with many parties going on during the race.
