This year's Prudential RideLondon promises to be a world-class weekend celebration of cycling on August 1-2. Charles Raspin shifts into high gear
Part of the legacy of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games, Prudential RideLondon is an absolute must for everyone from cycling fanatics to families ready to enjoy London from a unique perspective. I went along last year, and had an absolute blast - though I lent my bicycle to my sister, and ended up hiring a Boris bike!
Prudential RideLondon is split into five events. Four of these are races or cycle challenges, but if (like me) you're a casual cyclist looking for nothing more than a fun day out, the FreeCycle is the one you're after. A great circuit of roads right in the middle of central London are closed and completely cleared of traffic, so you can enjoy a leisurely cycle through the greatest city in the world.
There's loads of fun events and stalls available along the way for kids and adults alike - last year I enjoyed delicious street food, decorated my bike with flags and ribbons, helped a younger cousin paint a plate by spinning it with pedal-power (faster! faster! too fast!), and listened to some great live music, and I barely scratched the surface. Anyone with even a passing interest in cycling will be overwhelmed by the tips and offers on display.
A fair number of landmarks are included along the way, like the Tower of London, so it's a great day for sightseeing in a London empty of cars and buses. And, of course, it's completely free - you can register online here.
The aforementioned races and challenges are spread across both days:
August 1
The Grand Prix is a series of high-speed races, including two youth races (future Olympians, take note), a women's criterium, and the 10th Brompton World Championship.
The Handcycle Classic will feature the world's top handcyclists racing over 15-miles, continuing the impressive displays we saw in our Paralympic games.
August 2
The Surrey 100 is an amazing opportunity to challenge yourself and help out a good cause - last year it raised over £10 million for various charities. Over 25,000 amateur cyclists will be tackling a 100-mile course around the now-quiet streets of Surrey and London. Entries are closed for this year, but you can spectate, and perhaps get fired up to enter for next time.
The Surrey Classic is another race between more than 100 of the world's top cyclists, following an extended version of the Surrey 100 route - a gruelling contest with a heart-stopping finish!
