This past Sunday, Philadelphia experienced an action-packed sports day unlike any in recent history.
While the Los Angeles Lakers would be booed that evening as they took on the 76ers in the NBA playoffs, the city was cheering on a Californian earlier that day at the First Union USPRO Cycling Championship race.
San Francisco native Fred Rodriguez won the grueling 156-mile race against a field comprised of the world's best cyclists, capturing an individual prize of $40,000.
Each of the cyclists circled the 14.4-mile race course, starting by the Philadelphia Art Museum and going to Manayunk and back.
Included in the race was the infamous Manayunk Wall, a 17 percent grade hill that makes the course impossible for all but the best cyclists.
The women's race, half the distance of the men's race, was also on the same course. Five-time winner Petra Rossner of Germany won the women's competition.
For many of the 750,000 who assembled along the entire race track, this was a day they had been awaiting for the entire year.
"I looked forward to this the whole year," said Philadelphia resident Jermaine Smith. "In addition, we also got the 76ers. Life doesn't get any better than that."
For others, the day was a family affair, with generations coming out to enjoy six hours of racing.
"No one could have asked for better weather," said Sandy Tolem, peering out from behind her sunglasses.
Tolem came from New York to enjoy the festivities, with her six-year old daughter and her mother.
The preparation of the course was a feat in itself, closing off the normally busy streets to traffic, fencing off the entire track and lining the course with police officers to prevent any disruptions.
Perhaps the most exciting part of the race happened in Manayunk, where what seemed like the entire town lined the streets to catch a view of the action.
Crowds were especially noisy along the Manayunk Wall, where residents rang cow bells and clapped as each bicyclist passed.
"This race is great, nothing can beat it," said Manayunk resident Steven Hatter, who watched the race at the Wall with a burger in one hand and a beer in the other.
"These athletes are amazing. I couldn't complete the race even if you gave me a whole week," Hatter said.
As great as this year's race was, Mayor John Street promised a better race next year.
"Next year, same time, same place," Street said to an enthusiastic crowd during the awards ceremony.
This year also marked the first time that Americans placed in the top three spots in the race. Rodriguez, racing for the Domo Farm Frites team, finished ahead of Trent Klasna and George Hincapie.
Rodriguez won the race in 5 hours, 57 minutes and 56 seconds, averaging 26.15 miles per hour over the entire race.
Rossner finished the 72 mile First Union Liberty Classic in 3 hours, 1 minute and 47 seconds, averaging 23.8 miles per hour and collecting $12,000 in prize money.
Over 350 men and women competed in the race. The oldest cycler was 48-year-old Kent Bostick, racing for the Realitybikes.com team.
The race, the longest running and richest single day cycling race in the United States, was the last event in the First Union cycling series. Earlier parts of the series were held in Lancaster and Trenton.
