The Harlem Criterium: A Race Typology
In the early days of the To Be Determined Journal, when our team and website existed as “Team Sixcycle”, we published a series of “Race Typologies” that summarized some of the most memorable events on the East Coast cycling calendar. Unfortunately, many of these posts disappeared when we switched hosting services.
But we’re digging deep into our archives (a.k.a. the Wayback Machine) to resurface some of the articles, with the hope of recapturing how these events felt a decade ago. In honor of this past weekend’s Harlem Skyscraper Cycling Classic, we’re restarting the series with this post from 2013 on the very same race.
A lot has changed in the past 11 years, but Harlem is one of the longest standing events on the East Coast cycling calendar and here is our look at it’s history back in 2013:
The Harlem Skyscraper Cycling Classic
Genre: Criterium
Scoring: Scratch
Location: Harlem, New York
Setting: The Harlem Skyscraper Cycling Classic races along the outer border of Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park, specifically Mount Morris Park West, 120th Street, Madison Avenue and 124th Street. Home to the Pelham Fritz Recreation Center, Marcus Garvey Park features an outdoor pool, baseball field and two playgrounds. The park is surrounded by historic townhomes, many of which date to the turn of the 20th century, as well as a few more modern high rises. Bethel Gospel Assembly is located along the Southern edge of the park in the former James Fennimore Cooper Junior High School. In total it adds up to a unique and distinctly urban race environment.
Spectators: While the crowds do not compare to the early years of the race, when thousands of spectators would watch the Harlem Skyscraper Cycling Classic, the event remains one of the most popular in New York City with a mix of community residents and area cyclists watching the race from a variety of vantage points including the plentiful townhouse stoops that surround the course. The finishing straight on Mount Morris Park West is a hive of activity with team tents, vendors and food carts lining the inner barricades. The loudest cheers are reserved for the children’s races, featuring competitors age four to twelve.
History: The Harlem Skyscraper Cycling Classic was created in 1973 by Al Toefield, a former New York Police Officer who was heavily involved in the Century Road Club Association and co-founded the Kissena Cycling Club, and David Walker, an NYPD Community Affairs Officer in the 25th Precinct. Designed as a community event focused on racing and children’s cycling safety, the inagural edition drew 300 racers and 5,000 spectators who watched Robert Phillips, a 26 year old from Baltimore, defeat Patrick Gellineau of Trinidad.
Racers: Featuring large fields in most categories, New York racers represent the vast majority of competitors at the Harlem Skyscraper Cycling Classic. Following many years as a National Criterium Calendar event, in 2013 sponsorship changes reduced the scale of the race. That said, several Olympic level athletes still participated in this edition of the event, with Marcel Kalz of Team Rudy Project Racing winning in the Elite Men’s field. In the Elite Women’s field, local racer Amy Cutler from Team EPS/CSS P/B Shebell & Shebell took home the victory.
Terrain: The four corner course utilized by the race is flat and fast with wide sweeping corners generating average speeds close to thirty miles per hour for the Elite Men’s field. The pavement is in good condition but given the urban location there are various manhole covers and other minor obstacles on the course. Despite it’s non-technical nature, the course has a modest reputation for crashes, particularly in corner one. Wind is rarely a factor in the racing.
Conditions: The 2013 edition of the Harlem Skyscraper Cycling Classic took place under blue skies with a high temperature of 80 degrees and mild humidity. The pool at Marcus Garvey Park was crowded throughout the day.
Other Notes: The winner of the inaugural Harlem Skyscraper Cycling Classic, Robert Phillips, was awarded a color television for his victory.
The 2013 Harlem Skyscraper Cycling Classic on (OverExposed) Medium Format Film
A New York City based cyclist and sometimes photographer. Part adventure rider, part crit racer, and fully obsessed with an English bulldog named Winifred.
Instagram: @photorhetoric
E-mail: matthew@tobedetermined.cc
