Top Cyclists To Race Through Wimbledon

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Street party as annual cycling festival comes through town

Wimbledon residents will line the streets of the town again this summer to watch the thousands of cyclists taking part in the annual Prudential RideLondon cycle ride as it passes through SW19 on Sunday August 4.

The peloton will pass through Wimbledon town centre on the return leg from the Surrey Hills, after cyclists have already travelled from the the start in Bushey Park, out to Surrey, before heading back to the finish line at the Mall via Raynes Park.

The last incline of the race is up Wimbledon Hill towards Wimbledon Common. The amateur cycle rides will be followed by the professional men's race on the same day.

The event involves riders taking part in the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100, and the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 46 – many cycling in aid of charity – as well as an afternoon race for the world's top professional male riders, the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic, which extends to 200kms.

This year again features a 19-mile event, starting in Sandown Park in Surrey and then taking in the final 19 miles of the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 route, going through south west London into Wimbledon, over Putney Bridge and into the centre of the capital to the spectacular finish on The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace.

This year's route will have seen the professionals start at a new location - Bushy Park, climb Box Hill in Surrey five times and they will enter the final sprint up the Mall via a different direction.

The Flamme Rouge (1km to go banner) will be on Birdcage Walk with the riders passing Buckingham Palace before sprinting up The Mall to the finish line. The race is slightly reduced in length from 183km to 169km.

The Love Wimbledon Cheer Zone will offer the folllowing at the bottom of Wimbledon Hill Road between 11am-5pm:

A live saxophone player and DJ will get the party started with performances throughout the day.
Balloon modelling and face painting with Elys Shopping from 11am-5pm.
Take a spin on the snowcone tricycle with the Ski Club of Great Britain team.
Enjoy bubble magic from a giant bubbles showman, performances between 11-5pm.

Cool down with a gelato from G Like Gelato.

Cycle up a storm on Virgin Active’s spin bikes and compete to win a free gym pass.

The amateur riders will start coming through Wimbledon town centre from 9.15am, with the bulk from noon to 3pm. The professionals will take the turn up Wimbledon Hill Road between 5.15pm-6pm.

Three-time 2019 Tour de France stage winner Caleb Ewan, who won the final stage on the Champs-Elysees, is the star attraction while for the first time since 2016, a Great Britain national team will take part. Their team includes 2018 national road race champion Connor Swift plus under-23 national road race champion Ethan Hayter.

The event is live on the BBC, with coverage of the professional's race from 3.35pm on BBC1.

A number of key roads in Wimbledon will be closed for 12 hours from 7.30am-7.30pm.

Albert, Battersea, Chelsea, Chiswick and Kingston Bridges will all be closed for most of the day while Wandsworth Bridge will be closed with access for residents only from 7am to around 7.30pm. Only northbound traffic will be able to use Putney Bridge and the only access onto the bridge will be from the Lower Richmond Road.

The A3 will be open, although the exit slip roads at Esher Common, Coombe Lane and Tibbet’s Corner will be closed.

Aigust 1, 2019