Philly has been cancelled

[LegendRider]

Wow. What a shame.

http://www.procyclingtour.com/2013_r...ncellation.htm

[AngryScientist]

wow, that is a damned shame. i've gone the last 4 years and just had a blast spectating. very unfortunate, i hope they pull it together and get it back on the calendar in 2014.

[Grant McLean]

Lance - the gift that keeps on giving ©

[FlashUNC]

Terrible news.

[Airflo]

Damn. I was actually going to try and spectate this year.

[e-RICHIE]

Philly - a retrospective atmo...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FS78yC1wQA

[AgilisMerlin]

wt(ph)

[shovelhd]

Philly will be back. That course is just too good to fade away.

[1/2 Wheeler]

Originally Posted by e-RICHIE

Philly - a retrospective atmo...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FS78yC1wQA

Thanks for the link. I had never seen that.

I don't think they had a clue how big it would get after that.

[rounder]

Bummer. I was there most of the past 15 years. Saw Lance wn a $million. Saw George win only to be disqualified for hanging on the team car too long after a flat and then won thhe next year, went with my wife and watched the Italian (can't remember his name) blow kisses to all the girls after he won...thought my wife was gonna faint. Love the race. Hope it returns and goes on forever.

[Aaron O]

I'm extremely disappointed...this is one of my favorite days. My wife loves going to Lemon Hill with a bottle of wine. The really annoying part is that I missed the last one because of the leg injury...I hope I didn't miss the real last one.

I'm not sure this had anything to do with Lance...the city has been charging more for events and cleanup and they've had problems with sponsorship the past few years. Manayunk also traditionally turns into a drunken frat party - and that might be part of the difficulty raising sponsorship.

[EnginCycle]

I feel this is the true reason.

http://pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=10173

[Ray]

A real damn shame (I used to go every year - Manyunk in the morning and Lemon Hill in the afternoon), but I wouldn't blame this one on Lance - this race has been on life support since it lost the US Pro designation. And the course has its charms, but I don't think that was its strong point - the Wall just wasn't selective enough, particularly with so many miles left after the last time up it. The race almost always ended in a field sprint.

I think the crowds and the way the city embraced the event and made it a big part of the calendar every year and it being so spectator friendly is what made it a great event. I hope it comes back too, but I wouldn't bet the ranch.

-Ray

[victoryfactory]

As all the race directors lash themselves to the masts
And all the sponsors rethink their support
and all the young riders wonder if it's a blessing or a curse to be a cycling talent

This could be a turning point for the sport.

But please don't forget that cycling has always been a drugged sport to some extent.

The drugs just got better as the sport and it's prizes got bigger.

If we do get to "drug free" competition in big time pro cycling, it will be the first time, not a return to some hazy memory of a pure innocent past.

VF

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by Grant McLean

Lance - the gift that keeps on giving ©

Nope Greg's fault..