RideLondon is set to return in May next year, but in Essex instead of Surrey, after Surrey County Council ended its partnership with the event.
RideLondon, formerly known as Prudential RideLondon, is an annual cycling event which raises millions for charity.
Since the events fruition in 2013, it is estimated that it has raised £77m for multiple charities, including Macmillan Cancer Support and Alzheimer’s Society.
📣 @RideLondon returns in 2022, with a new format and a new partnership with Essex County Council!
— Essex County Council (@Essex_CC) November 2, 2021
Essex will be the joint host of a new 100-mile ride that will start in London, come to Essex and finish in central London 🚴♀️
Entries open Wednesday 10 November 👇 https://t.co/5sLgvRMA2z
New partner council
From 2013-2019 Surrey has hosted one of the events that is part of the wider cycling festival. However last year Surrey County Council held a consultation on the event's future, and decided not to continue to be involved.
Instead, the council said it plans to “focus on more community-led sporting events” because the benefits of the event were outweighed by the negatives.
The council said that there had been “strong concerns from many Surrey residents over disruption and negative impact on local businesses and services from the event, and concerns over anti-social behaviour of a small minority of sports cyclists”.
RideLondon returns with brand new routes
RideLondon has announced on its website that it is now partnering with Essex County Council. It is called RideLondon – Essex 100 and offers attendees the opportunity to cycle 100 miles for a charity of their choice.
Entries for the RideLondon – Essex 100 open on Wednesday 10 November. Entry is priced at £89 per person.
The bike ride will start and end in the centre of London, with part of the route going through 60 miles of Essex.
The full route will be announced in early 2022, with the full format of the event “to be announced in due course”, according to the RideLondon website.
Essex will host part of the UCI Women’s WorldTour from 27 – 29 May next year, whereas the RideLondon – Essex 100 will take place on 29 May 2022.
The event returns after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic. RideLondon has assured potential applicants that “if the RideLondon – Essex 100 cannot take place on 29 May 2022 for any reason, we guarantee that everyone who has paid for a place will be offered a full refund”.
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