This weekend of 3-4 August sees the return of the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100, the UK's biggest sportive. The sportive is part of a weekend-long festival of cycling, with over 100,000 cyclists expected to take advantage of the capital's traffic-free streets.
Prudential RideLondon is now in its seventh year and there will be a wide range of events taking place on both Saturday and Sunday. Alongside the RideLondon sportive, there will be a 19-mile event open to cyclists aged 12 upwards, which aims to encourage the next generation of London and Surrey's cyclists.
On Saturday 3 August from 05:00 to 19:30, TfL is making central London roads traffic-free for FreeCycle and the UCI Women's WorldTour Prudential RideLondon Classique, as well as the Brompton World Championship Final.
Like its men's counterpart the next day, the women's RideLondon Classique is the richest one-day race in the cycling calendar, and a great chance to see the world's elite road cyclists compete.
On a more leisurely note, the FreeCycle event on Saturday will see a seven-mile traffic-free circuit, passing London landmarks such as Buckingham Palace and St Paul's Cathedral, open to cyclists of all ages and abilities.
Rides led by an experienced cycle guide will be travelling to the event from every London borough, making it even easier to get to central London to take part. Last year, more than 70,000 people cycled along the FreeCycle circuit.
Free festival zones with music and entertainment will be open at six locations along the route and bike mechanics on hand in case of any technical problems. This year, the event will be free of single-use plastic water bottles for the first time, with participants encouraged to bring their own refillable bottle and there will Thames Water fountains at all the FreeCycle Festival sites.
RideLondon-Surrey 100
On Sunday, thousands of amateur cyclists will be raising money for charity by taking part in the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100, 46 and 19 events.
The UCI WorldTour Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic event on the same day will see 150 of the world's best male cyclists take part in a 169km race through London and Surrey, with plenty of opportunities for spectators to cheer on the riders along the route.
Planning your journey over RideLondon weekend
On Sunday 4 August, from 04:00, roads throughout parts of east, central, west and southwest London and Surrey will be closed. Roads will begin to open once the events have passed and it is safe to do so, with the majority reopened by 18:00. All roads are expected to be fully open by 20:00. Thirteen river crossings will be closed for part of the day, including Westminster Bridge, Tower Bridge and Battersea Bridge but the Blackwall Tunnel will remain open.
With so many road closures in place, Tube and tail will be the best way to travel during the event weekend. If you must drive, TfL advise allowing plenty of time and prepare to take a longer route than usual. More information is available on the TfL website at tfl.gov.uk/ridelondon.
Will Norman, London's Walking and Cycling Commissioner, said: "This year's Prudential RideLondon is set to be the biggest and best we've ever had, and what's so special about RideLondon is that there are exciting events open to cyclists of all ages and abilities. Whether you're new to cycling and want to enjoy traffic-free streets in central London or come along to cheer the world's best riders from the World Tour, Prudential RideLondon is a huge celebration of cycling where everyone can get involved."
Whether you're taking part in the sportive, or simply taking the chance to enjoy a relaxed ride through a city free of traffic fumes, RideLondon is a highlight of the cycling year.
Find out more at tfl.gov.uk/ridelondon - and for news of the 2020 RideLondon ballot, stay tuned to Sportive.com.
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