RideLondon returns for 2022 with new format
Melanie May | 18 February 2022 | News
RideLondon, which was unable to take place in 2020 or 2021 due to restrictions caused by the pandemic, returns this May with a new format and routes.
In a new partnership with Essex County Council, RideLondon 2022 will include the following mass participation events that will all take place on Sunday 29 May.
- RideLondon-Essex 100: the 100-mile challenge will start on Victoria Embankment in central London, head into Essex via Epping Forest where it will follow a section of Stage Three of the 2014 Tour de France route, before heading back to London and a finish at Tower Bridge. General entries are closed but charity entries are still available.
- RideLondon-Essex 60: a mid-level ride that follows the same route as the 100-mile challenge for the first 32 miles before it reaches Ongar, in Essex, and then turns back towards central London and the Tower Bridge finish. Entries for the RideLondon-Essex 60 (£50) will open this afternoon.
- RideLondon-Essex 30: a mass participation ride for those just getting into cycling which, like the 100 and 60, starts on Victoria Embankment and heads north east through London before reaching Woodford and turning back and returning for the Tower Bridge finish. Entries for the RideLondon 30 (£25) will open this afternoon.
- FreeCycle: open to all at no cost, FreeCycle provides cyclists with eight miles of traffic-free roads in central London to enjoy, plus a number of festival zones. Registration for FreeCycle and will open in March, when the event start and finish times will be revealed.
Advertisement
RideLondon aims to improve the diversity of participants taking part in the mass participation events, with particular focus on increasing the numbers of women and people from under-served communities taking part.
To tackle this, RideLondon has committed to offering a number of entries for RideLondon-Essex 100, 60 and 30 to cycling groups from under-served communities such as the Black Unity Bike Ride groups, Cycle Sisters and Brothers on Bikes.
Hugh Brasher, Event Director of RideLondon, said:
“We’re incredibly excited to be bringing RideLondon back in 2022 after the last two editions were cancelled due to the pandemic. We return with exciting new routes into Essex thanks to a new partnership with Essex County Council and an increased ambition for RideLondon to be genuinely for all.
“Statistics on cycling participation and our own data from the previous seven RideLondon editions clearly show that women and under-served communities are in a minority when it comes to getting on a bike. We want to change that and for RideLondon to reflect the extraordinary diversity of this wonderful, multicultural city.”
Samra Said, Chairperson of Cycle Sisters, said:
“We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to safely enjoy cycling as a means of exercise, personal growth and forming social connections.
“Cycle Sisters was set up to address the under-representation of Muslim women in cycling and through our Muslim women’s cycle groups, with volunteer Ride Leaders acting as role models, we’ve created a space where hundreds of women across London have discovered the joy of cycling. We’re delighted to have been supported by RideLondon this year, which will enable more of our members to participate and experience the excitement and challenge of this iconic event.”
In total, 25,000 riders are expected to participate in the RideLondon-Essex 100, RideLondon-Essex 60 and RideLondon-Essex 30 events on traffic-free roads in London and Essex. All will start on Victoria Embankment between 06:00 and 09.30 with the last finisher expected to roll over Tower Bridge by 18:00.
RideLondon was established by the Mayor of London in 2013 as a legacy event from the 2012 London Olympic Games.
Related posts
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.