It starts and endures healthily with jazz, the visual arts and food. For well over a century, the traffic of influence travels both ways, equally. And for a group of dedicated Harlem cycling enthusiasts, today’s opening stage of the Tour de France will be watched keenly. As will the subsequent stages right through until, three weekends from now, what’s left of the Peloton cruises from Paris’ financial hub of La Défense into the climactic eight laps of the Champs-Élysées.

Created in 1973 by the New York Police Department community affairs officer David A. Walker, the Harlem Crit (as many call it) promoted bicycling safety. Since then, the event has grown from a summertime staple in historically black Harlem to a worldwide attraction. In 2021, 215 racers spread over six different fields lined up to race. This year, more than 350 youth and adult cyclists—from amateurs to international professionals—will gather in Marcus Garvey Park.

Named after the famous Jamaican journalist and civil rights activist Marcus Garvey, the park is situated between Madison Avenue and Mount Morris Park West in Upper Manhattan. Steeped between blocks of historic brownstones and saturated with musical, artistic, and culinary history, the locale sets the stage for what may be one of the most tantalizing crit races of the year.

On race day, traffic barricades will line the four-corner, 3/4-mile course, bringing city traffic to a halt. Between grabbing a bite at the Uptown Juice Bar, competitors and community members will get a chance to see and meet new and familiar faces. For example, Harlem Crit winner and supporter, Nelson Vails will be on hand to witness the next generation of cyclists test their VO2 max and microburst training. Jason Marshall, a Harlem transplant and community staple, returns for his fourth appearance in the sold-out amateur field. And newly-minted female pro-cyclist Kaya Cattouse, representing LA Sweat, will make her debut this Juneteenth.

In the city that never sleeps, the Harlem Skyscraper Classic is sure to be a showstopper for these competitors and the community at large.