Former Mayor Michael Nutter, wife Lisa Nutter help lead return of Philadelphia Cycling Classic

With 12 days remaining before the Philadelphia Cycling Classic, former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and former first lady Lisa Nutter are cheering on the return of a race they say is an important part of the city’s cycling culture.

The couple recently spoke about their involvement in bringing the event back and about their own connection to the sport, which extends beyond advocacy and into competition.

While Lisa Nutter is known as a supporter of cycling, she is also a competitive athlete who competes in indoor track cycling races.

Michael Nutter noted her accomplishments on the track: “Four-time national champion in track cycling. Two different age groups.”

“For me, the competition is in the velodrome,” Lisa Nutter said, explaining the lightning-fast sport. “I’m a sprinter so our races are seconds long.”

Michael Nutter said he remains one of his wife’s biggest supporters.

“I video all of her races,” he said.

When asked whether he yells during the recordings, Lisa Nutter says, “He can narrate (saying) go baby, go-head baby. Go, now!”

The couple is now focused on the return of the Philadelphia Cycling Classic, a race that once ran through Philadelphia’s streets before ending in 2016.

“(It was) sad, quite honestly,” Michael Nutter said of the event’s disappearance after a lack of corporate sponsorship.

According to the Nutters, the effort to revive the race began when Philadelphia resident and former pro cyclist Carlos Rodgers approached Lisa Nutter with the idea of bringing it back after a 10-year hiatus.

“(He wanted) me to then connect him to Michael, and he was like, you know, I think this is a good time to reboot the race,” Lisa Nutter said.

Michael Nutter highlighted the event’s international reach.

“Thirty-two teams, ten countries represented,” the former mayor said.

The race features a 14.4-mile course. Male competitors will complete eight laps, while female competitors will complete four.

“It’s a shorter race, which means it’s a faster-paced race; it is a different race. That doesn’t make it less hard,” Lisa Nutter said.

The former first lady was also the person who openly questioned why male and female competitors in the race had different prize money amounts, with the males’ prize larger than the females’ prize.

Michael Nutter said that changed during his administration.

“Our race became one of the first international races that required what we call purse pairing. That the male and female riders. The big purses were the same,” he said.

Lisa Nutter said she began cycling after suffering knee injuries while running and believes the sport offers long-term benefits.

“Something you can do long into life,” she said.

The Philadelphia Cycling Classic is scheduled for August 30 and is expected to attract thousands of spectators. Lisa Nutter is serving as a co-chair of the event.

Lisa Nutter has ridden the course recreationally and said many European racers appreciate it because it reminds them of cycling in Europe.

The race begins and ends on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

Michael Nutter said the Philadelphia Cycling Classic reflects the city’s identity and gets spectators up close to the athletes as they ride the course.

Nutter says he and his wife’s push to have the race return is an extension of their years of public service to the city.

“(It’s) part of this larger thing called the city of brotherly love and sisterly affection and this is our town,” he said.