(BALTIMORE, Maryland) — The Maryland Cycling Classic, recognized as America’s top-ranked cycling race following a highly successful inaugural event in 2022, today announced UnitedHealthcare will renew as presenting sponsor in 2023. The Maryland Cycling Classic, presented by UnitedHealthcare, is set to return to Maryland on Sunday, September 3, 2023 for the second edition. The event includes a four-day weekend of family-friendly activities centered on health and wellness. More details will be announced March 15 at a press conference in Baltimore.
As part of the sponsorship, UnitedHealthcare will be fully integrated into the 2023 weekend of events, including official logo integration, start and finish marquis signage, field of play signage, commercial spots in regional, national and international broadcast feeds, community and educational program entitlements and activation, and presence marketing with exhibitor space and social and digital activation including videos. UnitedHealthcare also plans to partner with the Maryland Cycling Classic around local school visits that include bike safety education along with helmet and bike donations for children in Baltimore city and county schools. In 2022, UnitedHealthcare and Maryland Cycling Classic worked together to surprise 50 children with brand new bikes as part of the flagship program.
“UnitedHealthcare is honored to sponsor the Maryland Cycling Classic again this year. This event brings world-class athletes to Baltimore and the opportunity for us to demonstrate our continued commitment to community enrichment and wellness,” said Joe Ochipinti, CEO of UnitedHealthcare’s Mid-Atlantic region. “This is an event that brings people together and creates a positive impact in the communities we serve. We look forward to our continued partnership.”
The Maryland Cycling Classic is part of the prestigious UCI Pro Tour and is one of the top-ranked events in North and South America. The four-day weekend of events culminates with a world-class cycling race featuring teams that raced in the Tour de France and athletes from over 20 countries. Sep Vanmarcke of Belgium, one of the top one-day Classics riders on the world circuit for the past decade, was the winner of the inaugural event and young rising American star Neilson Powless of Team EF-Education, who was the top American finisher in the 2022 Tour de France, finished third.
“UnitedHealthcare was a perfect fit for the inaugural Maryland Cycling Classic last year,” said John Kelly, Chair of the Maryland Cycling Classic and Chief Innovation & Strategy Officer at Kelly Benefits. “They are a fantastic partner and we’re grateful for their continued support. We look forward to another great year together.”
Host partners of the Maryland Cycling Classic presented by UnitedHealthcare include the City of Baltimore, Visit Baltimore, Baltimore County, and the State of Maryland. The event is sanctioned by the UCI and USA Cycling and is managed by Medalist Sports, LLC of Peachtree City, Ga., and marketed and publicized by KOM Sports Marketing of Colorado Springs, Colo. The companies have been the industry leaders in producing professional road cycling events for the past two decades. The event is a production of the Sport & Entertainment Corporation of Maryland, led by Terry Hasseltine.
“The goal of the Sport and Entertainment Corporation of Maryland is to elevate the state as a premier sport tourism destination. Our partnership with UnitedHealthcare is a major reason why the Maryland Cycling Classic had the success it did during the inaugural event and why there is such a heightened sense of anticipation for year two,” added Hasseltine. “We’re thrilled that UHC is back on board as we continue our efforts to make Maryland a global sports destination.”
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