{{Infobox cycling race | name = Liberty Classic | current_event = | image = | image_caption = | date = Early June | region = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | english = | localnames = | nickname = | discipline = Women's road | competition = | type = One-day race | organiser = Pro Cycling Tour | director = | first = {{start date|1994}} | number = 19 (as of 2012) | final = 2012 | firstwinner = {{flagathlete|Marianne Berglund|SWE}} | mostwins = {{flagathlete|Petra Rossner|GER}}{{quote|''6 times''}} | mostrecent = {{flagathlete|Ina-Yoko Teutenberg|GER}} }} The '''Liberty Classic''' was an annual women's bicycle race held from 1994 to 2012, simultaneously with the Philadelphia International Championship. The 57.6 mile race consisted of four laps of a 14.4 mile circuit through Philadelphia with five climbs up the famous Manayunk Wall.
It was part of the UCI Women's Road World Cup until 2001. From 2002, it was an Elite Women's Category 1 event under UCI race classifications.
==History== The Liberty Classic was the final leg of the inaugural 2006 Commerce Bank Triple Crown of Cycling for women. The Triple Crown was a one-week, three-race circuit, with the three races taking place in the Eastern Pennsylvania cities of Allentown, Reading and Philadelphia. The opening race was the Lehigh Valley Classic, followed two days later by the Reading Classic, with the Liberty Classic finale in Philadelphia three days after the Reading race.
In January 2013, the race's organizers announced that the 2013 International Championship and Liberty Classic had been canceled,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/philadelphia-international-liberty-classic-races-cancelled |title=Philadelphia International, Liberty Classic races cancelled |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=2 February 2015 |website=cyclingnews.com|access-date=17 June 2015}}</ref> with local media reporting a breakdown in the relationship between the organizers and the city authorities; however, in May 2013 a group of local politicians and promoters announced the revival of the men's and women's races as The Philadelphia Cycling Classic, under the direction of Robin Morton.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/finish-atop-manayunk-wall-to-spice-up-philadelphia-classic |title=Finish atop Manayunk wall to spice up Philadelphia Classic |last1=Malach |first1=Pat |date=28 January 2015 |website=cyclingnews.com |access-date=17 June 2015}}</ref>
==Past winners== {| class = "wikitable sortable" ! Year ! First ! Second ! Third |- ! 1994 | {{flagathlete|Marianne Berglund|SWE}} | {{flagathlete|Julie Young|USA}} | {{flagathlete|Dede Barry|USA}} |- bgcolor="#efefef" ! 1995 | {{flagathlete|Clara Hughes|CAN}} | {{flagathlete|Jeannie Golay|USA}} | {{flagathlete|Jacqui Nelson|NZL}} |- ! 1996 | {{flagathlete|Petra Rossner|GER}} | {{flagathlete|Jeannie Golay|USA}} | {{flagathlete|Karen Livingston|USA}} |- bgcolor="#efefef" ! 1997 | {{flagathlete|Edita Pučinskaitė|LTU}} | {{flagathlete|Rasa Polikevičiūtė|LTU}} | {{flagathlete|Karen Kurreck|USA}} |- ! 1998 | {{flagathlete|Petra Rossner|GER}} | {{flagathlete|Diana Žiliūtė|LTU}} | {{flagathlete|Gabriella Pregnalato|ITA}} |- bgcolor="#efefef" ! 1999 | {{flagathlete|Petra Rossner|GER}} | {{flagathlete|Karen Dunne|USA}} | {{flagathlete|Hanka Kupfernagel|GER}} |- ! 2000 | {{flagathlete|Petra Rossner|GER}} | {{flagathlete|Diana Žiliūtė|LTU}} | {{flagathlete|Vera Hohlfeld|GER}} |- bgcolor="#efefef" ! 2001 | {{flagathlete|Petra Rossner|GER}} | {{flagathlete|Anna Millward|AUS}} | {{flagathlete|Debby Mansveld|NED}} |- ! 2002 | {{flagathlete|Petra Rossner|GER}} | {{flagathlete|Laura Van Gilder|USA}} | {{flagathlete|Dede Barry|USA}} |- bgcolor="#efefef" ! 2003 | {{flagathlete|Lyne Bessette|CAN}} | {{flagathlete|Lynn Gaggioli|USA}} | {{flagathlete|Judith Arndt|GER}} |- ! 2004 | {{flagathlete|Petra Rossner|GER}} | {{flagathlete|Gina Grain|CAN}} | {{flagathlete|Laura Van Gilder|USA}} |- bgcolor="#efefef" ! 2005 | {{flagathlete|Ina-Yoko Teutenberg|GER}} | {{flagathlete|Regina Schleicher|GER}} | {{flagathlete|Laura Van Gilder|USA}} |- ! 2006 | {{flagathlete|Regina Schleicher|GER}} | {{flagathlete|Ina-Yoko Teutenberg|GER}} | {{flagathlete|Tina Pic|USA}} |- bgcolor="#efefef" ! 2007 | {{flagathlete|Ina-Yoko Teutenberg|GER}} | {{flagathlete|Regina Schleicher|GER}} | {{flagathlete|Gina Grain|CAN}} |- ! 2008 | {{flagathlete|Chantal Beltman|NED}} | {{flagathlete|Brooke Miller|USA}} | {{flagathlete|Ina-Yoko Teutenberg|GER}} |- bgcolor="#efefef" ! 2009 | {{flagathlete|Ina-Yoko Teutenberg|GER}} | {{flagathlete|Joanne Kiesanowski|NZL}} | {{flagathlete|Shelley Olds|USA}} |- ! 2010 | {{flagathlete|Ina-Yoko Teutenberg|GER}} | {{flagathlete|Shelley Olds|USA}} | {{flagathlete|Theresa Cliff-Ryan|USA}} |- bgcolor="#efefef" ! 2011 | {{flagathlete|Giorgia Bronzini|ITA}} | {{flagathlete|Shelley Olds|USA}} | {{flagathlete|Jennifer Purcell|USA}} |- ! 2012 | {{flagathlete|Ina-Yoko Teutenberg|GER}} | {{flagathlete|Rochelle Gilmore|AUS}} | {{flagathlete|Giorgia Bronzini|ITA}} |}
==See also== * Lancaster Classic * The Philadelphia Cycling Classic * Philadelphia International Championship * Reading Classic * List of road bicycle racing events
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.procyclingtour.com Official site]
{{UCI Women's Road World Cup}}
Category:Sports competitions in Philadelphia Category:Recurring sporting events established in 1994 Category:UCI Women's Road World Cup Category:1994 establishments in Pennsylvania Category:Women's road bicycle races Category:2012 disestablishments in Pennsylvania Category:Defunct cycling races in the United States Category:Women's sports in Pennsylvania