May 1, 2006 – Twenty-one professional men’s cycling teams will take part in the first ever Pennsylvania Triple Crown of cycling scheduled to take place June 4-11, according to series organizer Pro Cycling Tour, of Norristown, PA.

Sixteen U.S. professional teams and six foreign teams will compete in tough road races in Lancaster, PA on June 4 and Reading June 8 before tackling the granddaddy of American pro road racing, the 22nd annual, 156 mile Philadelphia International Championship on Sunday, June 11. Among the six foreign teams entered will be two European Pro Tour teams – CSC and the Prodir-Saunier Duval team, headed by 2004 Philadelphia winner Francisco Ventoso from Spain. For the first time ever there will be overall prize money awarded to the top point scorers in the combined three event series for both men and women. A total of $130,000 will be up for grabs during the week.

Reigning USPRO champion and winner of last year’s Philadelphia Championship, Chris Wherry, will also be returning with his new powerhouse domestic team, Toyota-United. Racing beside Wherry on his Toyota-United team will be Argentinean sprinting sensation Juan Jose “J.J.” Haedo, fresh off two stage wins in the Amgen Tour of California and a recent victory in the final stage of the Ford Tour de Georgia. Top American teams scheduled to compete include Navigators Insurance, Health Net, Colavita Olive Oil, and Jelly Belly. A significant and exciting new highlight of this year’s race will be the elimination of the “first American across the line” national champion designation, a factor that has often negatively influenced the tactics of American teams in the race. “There have been years when teams have cared more about having the first American finisher than fighting for the overall win”, says technical director, Ron Ruggiero. “Now there will be none of that since the only thing that matters is getting a teammate across the line ahead of everyone else.”

The Pennsylvania Triple Crown has been designed to test the pros on three distinctly different race courses. The ninety mile opener in Lancaster has moved from an evening week day event to Sunday but will be on the same challenging seven mile circuit through the city that has gained the reputation of being one of the toughest road race circuits in the U.S. Says veteran pro racer and commentator, John Eustice “There’s no hiding on the Lancaster course. It’s a constant challenge, up, down, around turns, there’s no let up, no chance to rest and what it lacks in long climbs is more than made up by relentless testing of endurance and positioning.” The 75 mile Reading Classic will be a different challenge altogether with a tough climb on each 7 mile lap and a final last lap diversion – a one mile crunching ascent of Mount Penn less than one mile from the finish back in the center of town. PCT course designer, Jerry Casale, who was also technical director of the 1996 Olympic road racing events in Atlanta, says “This is truly a world class course and one that is made for tough riders who can deliver a severe, last lap punch.” After two days rest, the field will line up for The 22nd Philadelphia International Championship, the richest and longest single-day cycling road race in the U.S. Held over the classic 14.4-mile loop between the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and the infamous Manayunk Wall, this year’s race will be wide open among the most evenly matched teams in the race’s history. It will determine the final outcome of the Triple Crown for both men and women and will award $85,000 in prize money. Brian Walton, a partner with Cadence Cycling and Multisport Centers in Manayunk and a top five finisher in the event 3 times, offers his perspective as “Philly is the one race of the year that all the pros want to win. It has everything, speed, endurance, a tough climb each lap but, most importantly huge enthusiastic crowds that sweep you along. The adrenalin starts pumping just thinking about it.”

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the City of Philadelphia and local ABC affiliate, WPVI-Channel 6 are sponsors of the race.

UCI Foreign Teams

-Barloworld Pro Cycling Team (Great Britain)
-Belgian National Team
-Caico Pro Cycling Team (Puerto Rico)
-Prodir – Saunier Duval (Pro Tour) (Spain)
-Team CSC (Pro Tour) (Denmark)
-Team Sparkasse (German)


UCI America Professional and Continental Teams

-AEG Toshiba-JetNetwork Pro Cycling Team
-Colavita Olive Oil-Sutter Home Wines Cycling Team
-Health Net presented by Maxxis
-Jelly Belly Cycling Team
-Jittery Joe’s – Zero Gravity Pro Cycling Team
-Kodak Gallery.com-Sierra Nevada Cycling Team
-Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
-Nerac / Outdoorlights.com Cycling Team
-Priority Health Cycling Team
-Rite Aid Pro Cycling
-Successfulliving.com Cycling Team
-Target Training Cycling Team
-Team Monex
-Team TIAA – CREF Cycling Team
-Toyota – United Pro Cycling Team
-VMG Racing Team (U23)