Event: 3-4 August 2013
Britain’s largest mass participation cycling event, the RideLondon-Surrey 100 will start a day when cycling takes centre stage in London.
One year on from the Olympic Games, elite level racing in the capital is accompanied by what many are calling cycling’s London Marathon as 20,000 participants ride 100 miles on parts of the Olympic road race course, before the professionals take to the same roads.
Starting from the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the 20,000 will include Mayor of London Boris Johnson and Olympic gold medallist Joanna Rowsell – both finding common ground in the challenge of riding 100 miles for the first time.
Johnson’s ambition of turning London into a “paradise for cycling” will be first realised on Saturday, as an expected 50,000 cyclists of all ages and abilities fill eight miles of traffic-free streets in central London for the Prudential FreeCycle.
Saturday evening’s entertainment includes the Prudential RideLondon Grand Prix, with three criterium races starting on The Mall and following a 1.3 mile lap of St. James’ Park. Racing will feature around 100 of the world’s top cyclists from British and international teams who will line up against Olympic heroines Laura Trott, Joanna Rowsell and Dani King at 18:30. This race will be preceded by the handcycle race ay 17:00 and youths’ race at 17:45.
As riders complete Sunday’s RideLondon-Surrey 100, a peloton of 150 riders start the 140 mile men’s Prudential RideLondon Classic road race.
Starting from Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park at 12:45 and finishing in an expected bunch sprint on The Mall at 18:00, favourites include Tour de France green jersey winner Peter Sagan and Britian’s Ben Swift.
The BBC will be broadcasting extensive coverage of all the events, including live coverage of the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic on the red button.
The BBC schedule is:
Sunday 4 August
11:30-14:00 BBC2
16:30-18:30 BBC1
If you’re planning to take part or watch, see the full schedule and at www.PrudentialRideLondon.co.uk, with details on all road and bridge closures at www.tfl.gov.uk/prudentialridelondon
Saturday 3 August
09:00-16:00 Prudential RideLondon FreeCycle
Prudential RideLondon Grand Prix
17:00 Handcycle
17:45 Youths
18:30 Women
Sunday 4 August
Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100
06:00 Start: Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
10:00-17:00 Finish: The Mall
Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic
Start: Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park 12:45
Finish: The Mall 18:00
