On June 15, New York City Sports Commissioner Kenneth J. Podziba will welcome the Skyscraper Harlem Classic to Marcus Garvey Park. The Classic will showcase amateur races as well as professional races featuring world-class cyclists. The event is New York City's oldest criterium race--a multi-lap race on a closed course with laps typically shorter than one mile. The pro men's and women's races will begin at 3:00pm and 4:10pm, respectively.

"Cycling in New York City has a long and storied tradition dating back to the 1800's when Madison Square Garden was first built for track cycling," said Commissioner Podziba. "The Skyscraper Harlem Classic will build on this tradition by blending a variety of skill-levels into one event, making it one of the most unique and competitive cycling events in the nation."

Headlining the Classic will be three-time United States Professional Champion and Giro d'Italia stage winner "Fast Freddy" Rodriquez, former US Elite Criterium Champion Rahsaan Bahati, Argentina's powerful sprinter Alejandro Borrajo and USA Crits Leader Jeff Hopkins. Past winners of the professional races include George Hincapie, famed Australian 6-Day rider Danny Clark and World Professional Pursuit Champion Mike McCarthy.

The race will be a flat, 4-corner .75 mile course around Mount Morris/Marcus Garvey Park located at 120-124th Streets between Madison and Fifth Avenue in Harlem. A pit will be provided for cyclists who need to change wheels if they crash or get a flat tire.

In addition, a messenger race will take place before the pro men's race. Four-rider teams will compete in a "package pass" relay race on a specially modified racecourse. The messenger teams will compete for a $1,000 prize list and a track frame offered by Affinity Cycles. 1984 Olympic Silver Medal winner Nelson Vails began his career as a messenger and went on to become Harlem's most famous cyclist.

"Harlem was long considered as one of the jewels of the American racing circuit, and every top rider wanted to win there," said John Eustice of Sparta Cycling. "It is my privilege to be able to bring this race back to its former glory."

The Skyscraper Harlem Cycling Classic was founded in 1973 by David A. Walker, a former Community Affairs Officer for the New York City Police Department. The event has always mixed community service with high-level professional racing. Over the past 35 years, Mr. Walker has given away hundreds of bicycles to winners of the children's races that traditionally kick off the day's activities at noon.

Live coverage of the event will be available on World Championship Sports Network and to a worldwide audience via World Championship Sports Network’s broadband network www.wcsn.com. Spectators can enjoy the live coverage on a jumbotron positioned just beyond the start/finish line on Mt. Morris Park West and 121st Street.

The complete schedule includes:
12:00 - 12:45 Children's and Community Race
1:00 - 3:00 Amateur Races
3:00 - Pro Women's
3:30 - Messenger Mania
4:10 - Pro Men's

For more information, please visit www.skyscraper-harlembikerace.com/.

For registration, please visit www.bikereg.com.

The New York City Sports Commission is the mayoral agency charged with attracting, facilitating and promoting professional, amateur and scholastic sports events in New York City. The Sports Commission has played an integral role in creating or developing many new sporting events, including the NFL Kickoff Live from Times Square, NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series™ Champions Week, the BMC Software NYC Cycling Championship, the AVP Brooklyn Open, the NAUTICA NYC Triathlon, the NYC Half-Marathon, the Union Square Street Sessions presented by Jeep®, the Wild Onion Urban Adventure Race, and the Men's Health Urbanathlon.