World's Largest Charity Cycle Ride is Coming to Fulham
Over 20,000 riders will take part in legacy festival next summer
The world's largest charity fund-raising cycle ride is coming to Fulham next next summer.
More than 20,000 amateur cyclists are set to ride down Fulham Road on Sunday, August 4, 2013 as part of a 100 mile cycling extravaganza.
Following the successful Olympic road race, the event will be one component of a two day Olympic legacy festival of cycling hosted by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson.
The weekend has been arranged to capitalise on the enormous popularity of the Team GB Olympic cycling team and to encourage cycling in the capital.
The August 4 event will follow a similar course to last month’s Olympic road race and is set to become the cycling equivalent of the London Marathon.
Known as RideLondon 100, the event will start in the new Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, then travel through the capital and into Fulham before heading for Surrey.
The event will be the perfect challenge ride for club and recreational cyclists and is likely to raise millions of pounds for good causes.
RideLondon 100 will start in the morning and will be followed by an elite race called the RideLondon Classic. This race could feature British greats such as Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish and will pass through Fulham in the early afternoon.
It is predicted that the weekend festival could attract over 200,000 visitors from outside the capital, lead to a major boost in cycling numbers and generate tens of millions of pounds in economic benefit.
July’s Olympic road race saw tens of thousands of people line the streets of Fulham to greet the cyclists. Despite extensive road closure, the council says it did not receive a single complaint from residents.
Cllr Greg Smith, Deputy Leader, says: "Last month’s Olympic race was enormously popular with Fulham residents and we are delighted that we will be able to relive that special sporting atmosphere next August. RideLondon will be a fantastic legacy of the London Olympics and I look forward to seeing many residents taking part."
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, says; " Our challenge is to ensure that 2012 is just the start, not the end of the benefits of hosting the Games. We need to capitalise on the incredible achievements of Team GB’s Olympic cyclists whose superhuman efforts will inspire thousands more Londoners to take to two wheels.
" I urge every Londoner and cycle fanatics from all over the country, if not the world, to mark the weekend of 3 August 2013 in their diaries for what I believe will become one of the world’s number one cycling events."
The exact route and details of road closures for RideLondon 100 and the RideLondon Classic will be announced next year. Residents will be fully informed of likely disruption well in advance.
Online registration is now open for cyclists to register their interest in RideLondon. You can register and learn more the weekend at RideLondon 100.
August 17, 2012
