Grant's Tomb Criterium: Harlem Race Sees Cyclists Circle Mausoleum

HARLEM, NY — A slew of cyclists will circle Grant's Tomb this weekend as part of an annual West Harlem bike race that loops around Riverside Drive.

The event, running from 6 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday centers, of course, on Grant's Tomb, the mausoleum near West 122nd Street containing the resting place of former President Ulysses S. Grant and his wife, Julia.

The Grant's Tomb Criterium is one of the biggest bike races in the tri-state area, according to its website — drawing nearly 700 racers in its most recent running. (The word "criterium" refers to a single-day bike race on a closed course.)

The following streets will be closed Saturday to make way for the Criterium:

• Riverside Drive (northbound and southbound) loop around Grant's Tomb between 120th and 122nd streets
• Claremont Avenue between West 120th and 122nd streets
• 120th and 122nd streets between Riverside Drive and Claremont Avenue

The closures will be at the discretion of NYPD, with no time given for when they would reopen, according to the Department of Transportation.

The race comes as the city faces a heatwave that forced organizers of the NYC Triathlon to cut the epic race in half.

Read more about the Grant's Tomb Criterium and view the event map on its website.