Despite what you may think, there is a vibrant road racing scene in the Big Apple. The season starts at the end of February and runs until the end of September. Most weeks you can compete two or three times without having to leave all five districts. Racing in New York has always been an underground affair, and while the internet has made it so much easier, it can still be tricky to find the starting lines if you’re new to all of this. So if you’re interested in competing in Gotham, here’s some information you might find useful.
The races
As with most races in the United States, the New York races are divided into separate fields based on the United States Cycling Federation category system. Categories range from Cat. 5 for beginners to Cat. 1 for elite hobbyists. Points are awarded for first places (the depth depends on the type of race and the number of participants). Upgrades from one category to the next are based on earning a specific number of points in a 12-month period (with the exception of moving from Cat. 5 to Cat. 4, for which you must compete ten times) .) The vast majority of local races in New York (ie races you can ride a bike in) are circuit races consisting of multiple laps around a closed course. circle.
Usually there is a Pro/Cat combo. 1/Cat. 2/Cat. 3 field, a cat. 3/Cat.4 field and a Cat. 5 field. In some races, there are also separate fields for Women and Masters (i.e. riders over a certain age, usually 35 or 40 years old). Each field shuts down a few minutes after the previous field and competes for their own spots and prizes. The P/1/2/3 races are the longest with distances ranging from 30 to over 50 miles. Depending on the location and time of year, the fields fill to their limit, which can be up to 110 riders. The fields this big make for fast racing and while there are some successful breakaways, many of the races come down to a field sprint.
The places
Most of the New York City calendar is made up of what are called “park races” because they take place in a park. There are three main locations.
Central Park (Manhattan): Right in the middle of Manhattan, the six-mile Central Park Drive is the main weekend training ground for Manhattan’s thousands of cyclists. The start/finish line is on Cat’s Paw Hill on the east side, just north of the 72nd Street entrance from Fifth Avenue. The loop consists of rolling terrain with short power climbs. The east side is flat and fast culminating in a quick drop off at the top of the park. Harlem Hill, a large half-mile circular climb, begins the west side portion consisting of three additional rollers.
The section past Tavern on the Green as you get closer to the bottom of the park is fast, followed by a slight incline and slight downhill leading back to Cat’s Paw for the finish. The races take place on the weekend when the road is closed to traffic. They are usually 5-7 laps, starting at 6am or 6:30am so they can finish before the park fills up.
Getting there by bike: Central Park is bordered by 60th Street to the south, 110th Street to the north, Fifth Avenue to the east, and Central Park West to the west. You can enter from almost anywhere, and once inside you want to enter the main entrance of the park. The road drives counterclockwise, so follow the road until you reach the Boathouse restaurant just past the 72nd Street exit/entrance on the east side. The start/finish is at the top of the hill just past the Boathouse, which will be on your left.
Prospect Park (Brooklyn)): A staple for Brooklynites, the loop at Prospect Park is 3.4 miles long. The start is on the east side, just north of the Lincoln Road exit that leads to Ocean Avenue. The loop is mostly flat with a large circular climb at the top of the park leading to Grand Army Plaza and a corresponding drop at the bottom of the park where speeds can exceed 40mph. As in Central Park, the races are held on the weekend when the road is closed to traffic and early, usually at 6:30 am, before the park fills up.
How to get there by bike (from Manhattan): The easiest way to get to the park is by crossing the Brooklyn Bridge. Once over the bridge, go straight (although turn right) onto Adams St./Brooklyn Bridge Blvd. After crossing Atlantic Avenue, turn left onto Dean St. Follow Dean St. to Flatbush Avenue and turn right on Flatbush. Take Flatbush to Grand Army Plaza. The entrance to the park is at the top of the circle at Grand Army Plaza. Once in the park, drive in the opposite direction (clockwise) to reach the start/finish line.
Floyd Bennett Field (Brooklyn): Inactive, Floyd Bennett Field was New York’s first municipal airport. The old tracks and service roads now serve as a 2.3-mile-long race track. The course is flat and windy with some bumpy asphalt. Since no one else is around, there is never any traffic or pedestrians/runners to contend with, allowing for longer runs on the occasional weekend and midweek races as well.
How to get there by bike (from Manhattan): Once again, the Brooklyn Bridge is your best bet, and you’ll want to follow the signs to Prospect Park above. Instead of entering the park, turn right onto Flatbush Avenue just past the park entrance. Stay in Flatbush for just over 7 miles. Once past the Belt Parkway, look for the first break in the median to cross Flatbush Avenue. There is a bike trail that runs against Floyd Bennett Field and will lead to an entrance to the field and the racetrack.
The calendarWith several race series, the calendar is packed for most of the year.
Tea New York City Spring Cycle Race Series it is the oldest racing series in New York. Made up of ten one-day races, the Spring Series marks the beginning of the season. It traditionally starts the first weekend of March and ends at the end of April. Most of the races are held in Central Park, and in April, some are moved to Prospect Park. This year there was an individual time trial just for fun. There is a leader’s jersey and, in addition to the individual race payouts, there are trophies and prizes for the overall series winner, as well as the series winner in each category.
Tea cadence cup is a series of seven one-day races that take place at Prospect Park. Distributed in the calendar from February to August. In addition to the overall leader jersey, there is a king of the mountain competition and a sprint competition.
Tea New York Cycling Series It consists of five one-day races that take place at Prospect Park from May through August and have been staples on the calendar for a long time. In addition to the individual race awards, there are trophies for the series winners at each field.
Tea Cadence Tuesday Night Race Series it’s a season-long series at Floyd Bennett Field, as you might guess, on Tuesday nights. Short and intense, these races are tough and fun. There is a jersey for the overall leader of the series, as well as a green jersey for the king of the sprint.
Every Father’s Day, there is the harlem Skyscraper Cycling Classic, a four corner yardstick on the streets surrounding Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem. It’s not often that you race on the actual streets of New York, so this race usually fills up quickly and the course is packed with spectators. This year’s event will be the 36th in a row.
The end of August brings New York City’s most prestigious race, the Mengoni Grand Prix. Sponsored by Fred Mengoni, who helped bring Greg Lemond to Europe, George Hincapie is among the previous winners. Held in Central Park, the race is organized by the Century Road Club Association (CRCA) and is limited to a P/1/2 field, a Cat. 3 field and a Women’s field.
There are also plenty of races within easy reach of Manhattan, including two races also put on by the CRCA at Bear Mountain Racecourse in Harriman State Park. A 14 mile (22.4 km) scenic loop with many climbs and a 50+ mph descent.
Another career option — A word about the CRCA which is a club, in fact it is the largest in New York. The club hosts many races in Central Park throughout the year that are open to members only. It’s an attractive option for people who live in Manhattan and want to run in Central Park. For more information, visit the CRCA website at cRCA.net.
Some useful websites
You must have a USCF license (which you can obtain on the USA Cycling website) or an international UCI license. If you don’t have a license, you can purchase a one-day license at most races. One-day licenses are good for the cat. 5 fields only.
There are two excellent websites that will help you find out when the races will take place. NY Velocity.com is a New York cycling portal where you’ll find a list of upcoming races, race results, photos and much more.
The other site to keep bookmarked is BikeReg.com, which allows you to pre-register for most of the races listed above. The fields fill up especially in the summer, so registering in advance ensures you a spot and also dramatically simplifies the registration process on race day. Show your license, sign a waiver and take your number. That’s it.
Bicycle racing in New York is alive and vibrant. While not the typical road racing found elsewhere, circuit racing is tough, fun, and for the most part, about as safe as racing can be. With a six-month season and plenty of race series to fill the schedule, there’s a race in New York waiting for you.