Cycling will return to Baltimore for another lap around the county and into the city in 2024.

Weeks after the second Maryland Cycling Classic, the organization announced the race has been renewed for its third year in 2024, with four days of festivities and family-friendly activities focused on wellness throughout Labor Day weekend.

Organizers cited growth from the 2023 event as the reason for renewal, declaring the event surpassed “every major milestone in year two,” in its press release.

“We’re thrilled with the results of the 2023 Maryland Cycling Classic, especially the increased level of spectator and community engagement,” Terry Hasseltine, president of the Sport & Entertainment Corp. of Maryland, said in the press release. “Every major indicator showed an increase, marking an important year for growth in year two. This sets us up for a great event in 2024, and we look forward to building on this year’s success.”

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Event leaders said the 2023 event saw an estimated 80,000 spectators and almost 800,000 viewers of the race livestream. The inaugural Maryland Cycling Classic in 2022 drew about 70,000 spectators and 100,000 viewers. Media impressions jumped 200% year over year, too, event organizers said. Medalist Sports, the organization in charge of operating the race, said in September it was expecting the scale to increase. The event added 18 new sponsors or partners this year, KOH Sports, the marketing agency for the race, said.

“We had a strong roster of public and private partners for the 2023 Maryland Cycling Classic” said John Kelly, the event’s chairman. “Fantastic partners from outside Maryland invested in the event alongside several institutional partners with headquarters in Baltimore or Maryland. With support from the state of Maryland, City of Baltimore, and Baltimore County, we were able to elevate the entire weekend with impact at both the community and experiential level while sending a postcard of our state and its attractions to the world.”

The group of cyclists for the 2023 Maryland Cycling Classic featured elite talent, including members of six World Tour and Tour de France squads at the starting line. In an event with over 110 cyclists, it included top-ranked American Neilson Powless and tour stars Simon Yates and Hugo Houle. The winner of the race came down to the final stretch, with Mattias Skjelmose, a 22-year-old Danish pro, pulling away from three other leaders with roughly five miles to go before crossing the finish line on Pratt Street.

The Maryland Cycling Classic featured events in the Baltimore community outside of race day. In the days leading up to it, organizers hosted a school visit and bike giveaway at William Paca Elementary School and a welcome reception at the Reginald Lewis Museum to celebrate the achievements of African Americans in cycling.

“The Maryland Cycling Classic is not just a cycling race; it’s a celebration of athleticism, camaraderie, the power of community and, most importantly for me, the best city in Maryland and the best region of any region across the United States of America,” Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said in September.

aron.yohannes@thebaltimorebanner.com

Aron Yohannes

aron.yohannes@thebaltimorebanner.com

Aron Yohannes

Aron Yohannes joined The Baltimore Banner in June 2023 as a reporter. He previously reported on trending topics in sports for The Oregonian. He began his career covering the Milwaukee Bucks from 2012-2016 for SB Nation before working for the Seattle Seahawks from 2016-2018. Aron is Eritrean and a native of the north side of Milwaukee.

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