The Dirty Dozen is a one-day road cycling race in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, held annually on the Saturday before the

Halloween Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observanc ...

holiday in October. The event is contested over a course that features 13 of the steepest hills in the

Pittsburgh metropolitan area Greater Pittsburgh is a populous region centered around its largest city and economic hub, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The region encompasses Pittsburgh's urban core county, Allegheny, and six adjacent Pennsylvania counties: Armstrong, Beaver, ...

History

The Dirty Dozen was founded in 1983 by brothers Tom and

Danny Chew Daniel Paul Chew (born August 26, 1962) is an American former professional road racing and ultramarathon cyclist who twice won the Race Across America. He is also co-founder and promoter of the Dirty Dozen, an annual road bicycle race over Pitt ...

and their friend Bob Gottlieb, in an attempt to find and ride the steepest hills in Pittsburgh. Five riders participated in the first edition, though only three finished. The race has been held every year since 1983—except 1993 and 2020. In 1984, the Dirty Dozen was contested twice: once in January and once in October. The 2016 edition of the race was the first in which co-founder and promoter Danny Chew did not participate. He broke his neck in a cycling crash in September 2016 and suffered permanent paralysis. Chew provided live commentary during the race via videolink, and the event itself served as a fundraiser for Chew's ongoing care and rehabilitation.

Format

Competitors ride between hills at a neutral pace, and a whistle signals the rolling start of each hill. The top male and female riders on each hill score points, with the first place male rider scoring 10 points and the tenth place receiving 1 point. Only the first five women score points, although the men and women ride together. The final standings are established by cumulative points throughout the event. In order to qualify as a finisher, riders must complete each hill in the event without losing forward progress or dismounting from the bicycle. If a rider fails to maintain forward progress, he or she must descend to the bottom of the hill and ride to the top under their own power.

Route

The original Dirty Dozen route included 12 climbs, and there have been as many as 15, but since 1988 the race has typically featured the same baker's dozen of 13 hills. The course begins at the Bud Harris Cycling Track in Highland Park and finishes at the top of Tesla Street in Hazelwood, crossing 87 intersections in the city and nearby suburbs. 2016's version substituted Lawrenceville's Christopher Street for a seasonally closed Berryhill Rd.

Hills

# Center Ave./Guyasuta Rd. in Aspinwall # Ravine St./Sharps Hill in Sharpsburg # Berryhill Rd. between Saxonburg Blvd. and Middle Rd. in O'Hara # High St./Seavy Rd. in Etna # Logan St. in Millvale # Rialto St. across from the

31st Street Bridge The William Raymond Prom Memorial Bridge, commonly known as the 31st Street Bridge, is an arch bridge that carries vehicular traffic across the Allegheny River between the Pittsburgh neighborhoods of Troy Hill and the Strip District. The bridg ...

# Suffolk/Hazleton/Burgess streets on North Side # Sycamore St. on Mt. Washington # Canton Ave. in Beechview # Boustead St. in Beechview # Welsh Way on the South Side # Barry/Holt/Eleanor streets on the South Side # Flowers Ave./Tesla St. in Hazelwood

References

External links

"The Dirty Dozen"
fficial event website
"Riding Pittsburgh's Dirty Dozen"
ro
Bicycle Times Magazine"The Dirty Dozen: A Stupendous Bike Ride"
from WQED
YouTube link
{{Pittsburgh sports Cycle races in the United States Sports in Pittsburgh Recurring sporting events established in 1983 1983 establishments in Pennsylvania