Organisers of the Maryland Cycling Classic have announced this year's race, due to take place on September 1, will be postponed until 2025, saying the shipping disaster that caused the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March has heavily impacted traffic in the area, and holding the race could add to the difficulties for area residents.
The bridge, a section of Interstate 695, fell after being struck by a cargo ship in the early hours of March 26, killing six construction workers who were doing maintenance on the bridge. The Baltimore Sun estimated 30,000 trips per day now have to take a longer route on I-95 via the Fort McHenry Tunnel or I-895 through the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel to cross the Patapsco River.
The Maryland Cycling Classic is the only remaining one-day UCI race in the United States and is part of the UCI Pro Series.
After two years of postponement, after the COVID-19 pandemic struck during what should have been its inaugural edition, the Maryland Cycling Classic launched in 2022, with Sep Vanmarcke winning the inaugural edition and Mattias Skjelmose claiming last year's edition.
While the 196-kilometre race route, which starts in Sparks, Maryland and loops north toward the Pennsylvania border, went nowhere near the Key Bridge, it uses almost 50 kilometres of a major north-south artery, Falls Road, to reach Baltimore.
"The decision to pause the event additionally reflects a conscientious effort to respect the capacities of both Baltimore City and Baltimore County, recognizing the strain on existing resources and personnel due to the international tragedy of the Key Bridge collapse, compounded by the Labor Day holiday weekend when the Cycling Classic normally takes place and in turn, the likely need to make changes to the race course as a result," the press release stated.
Other factors include the 2024 calendar, revised to accommodate the Paris Olympics, which shifted the Grand Prix de Montréal and Québec UCI races a week later, putting two weeks between the WorldTour events and the Maryland Cycling Classic and affecting which teams could take part.
"This brief pause in 2024 will allow the event to return in 2025 with even more vigour and momentum," said Terry Hasseltine, Executive Director of the Maryland Sports Commission and President of the Sport & Entertainment Corporation of Maryland. "The Maryland Cycling Classic is a premier cycling event on a global stage. We have delivered a product that continues to grow and are excited about the path forward."
The race organisers consulted with stakeholders and local leaders, including the UCI and USA Cycling and race sponsors, who understood the decision, according to the press release.
"As chairman of the Maryland Cycling Classic and an avid cyclist and fan, I'm sad about the 2024 postponement, but fully support the decision, especially given the circumstances. Though we must pause this year, our commitment to the Maryland Cycling Classic remains unwavering and we will work to expand our reach and provide even more international exposure for the Baltimore region and state of Maryland in 2025," said John Kelly, President of Kelly Benefits Strategies.
