Marked as part of the prestigious UCI ProSeries, the newly-created Maryland Cycling Classic will become the United States’ top one-day professional race in its first year.
The race is scheduled for September 6, 2020 and was approved after a vote of confidence by the UCI and USA Cycling, the international and national governing bodies for the sport, and the 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.”
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.
