Philly Week becomes Pennsylvania 'Triple Crown'

With the USPRO road championship no longer decided on the Manayunk Wall, organizer Threshold Sports has announced that the Sunday race in Philadelphia will now be the culmination of a three-race series in and around south-eastern Pennsylvania. The other two legs of the series will likely be the Lancaster circuit race on Sunday, June 4 and another mid-week race to be determined. The last time a series involving the Philly race, now known as the Philadelphia International, occurred in 1993, when a young Lance Armstrong knocked off all three races to claim the $1 million bonus.

“The second race needs to be on a very hilly, tough circuit”, said Threshold's Jerry Casale, who indicated that Mt. Penn in Reading or a course over some of the tough hills found near Allentown, Bethlehem or Easton, are frontrunners.

According to a statement by Threshold, "While each of the three races will have its own winner and prize list, the emphasis will be on what rider and team can win the overall series, determined by adding up points scored in each race." However, with Wachovia not renewing it's title sponsorship, it is unclear whether a prize like the $1 million for winning all three races will be on the table.