SUNDAY 30 JULY...TV newsreader and presenter Fourth Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 Matt Barbet spent four years as newsreader at the BBC before switching to Channel 5 where he became

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PRUDENTIAL RIDELONDON // 53

SUNDAY 30 JULYSTART: 05:45-09:15 QUEEN ELIZABETH OLYMPIC PARKFINISH: FIRST RIDERS WILL REACH THE MALL AT 09:35, LAST RIDERS AT 17:45 (APPROX)

Celebrating the legacy for cycling created by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 takes place on closed roads in the capital and Surrey’s stunning countryside. With leg-testing climbs and a route made famous by the world’s best cyclists at the London 2012 Olympics, it is a truly spectacular event for all involved.

54 // PRUDENTIAL RIDELONDON

About 25,000 cyclists are expected to be on the Start Line for the 2017 Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100. Riders will start in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and finish on The Mall in St James’s Park, central London, shortly before 150 professional cyclists race in the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic, which this year becomes Britain’s first men’s UCI WorldTour race, on an extended version of the route.

CHARITY As well as the personal challenge of completing the route, participants’ involvement will also benefit good causes. Since the first Prudential RideLondon in 2013, the amount raised for charity has gone up each year, smashing records. In 2013, £7+ million was raised, which went up to £10+ million in 2014 and £12 million in both 2015 and last year. In total, the event has raised more than £41 million for charity in four years.

Riding for charity is a key element of the sportive; the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 aims, over time, to become the largest charity fundraising cycle event in the world. Thousands of cyclists will be supporting hundreds of charities and will ensure the event becomes the charity fundraising equivalent of the London Marathon (the world’s largest annual one-day fundraising event) on two wheels.

2017 CHARITY OF THE YEAR: BLOODWISEBloodwise is the UK’s leading blood cancer research charity – and it funds world-class research into all the 137 different types of blood cancer identified to date, including leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma. Bloodwise offers support and advice to anyone affected by the disease – while campaigning, raising awareness and championing the needs of blood cancer patients.

BLOOD CANCER FACTS• There are three main types of blood cancer – leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma• Blood cancer is the third biggest cancer killer, claiming more lives than breast and prostate cancer• Blood cancer affects people of all ages and genders, regardless of lifestyle• Blood cancer is the fifth most common cancer, and the most common cancer among children and young people• One person is diagnosed with blood cancer every 14 minutes – that’s 38,000 people a year • Today 104 people in the UK will be diagnosed with blood cancer• There are currently nearly a quarter of a million people living with blood cancer in the UK• Sadly, 14,000 people a year will die from blood cancer

BLOODWISE FACTS• Bloodwise currently funds more than 1,000 researchers, across 220 research projects• Since Bloodwise was founded in 1960, triathletes, runners, cyclists and supporters have helped the charity invest more than £500 million in blood cancer research• More than 600 cyclists will be fundraising at Prudential RideLondon to beat blood cancer

DONATEIf you’d like to make a donation to beat blood cancer, please visit bloodwise.org.uk

The blood cancer research charity

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2018 PUBLIC BALLOT The public ballot entry system for the 2018 Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 will open to all applicants at PrudentialRideLondon.co.uk on Monday 7 August 2017.

PRUDENTIAL RIDELONDON FIXING CHALLENGEThis year’s Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 will see four riders attempt to complete the Fixing Challenge, which is a follow-up to the acclaimed 2016 documentary Fixing Dad.

Fixing Dad saw filmmakers Anthony and Ian Whitington help their dad Geoff to regain his health and reverse his Type 2 diabetes through significant changes to his diet and lifestyle, including taking on the challenge of riding the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100.

The Whitingtons were determined to create a legacy from the huge success of the film and to give hope to others struggling with obesity or Type 2 diabetes and, in conjunction with Prudential RideLondon, launched the Fixing Challenge.

Anyone who entered the ballot for the 2017 Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 could nominate themselves, or someone they cared about, to be ‘fixed’ through mentoring and support from the Whitington family for six months leading up to the 2017 Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 and on Ride Day itself.

More than 2,000 people applied to be part of the Fixing Challenge and the four chosen riders were:

ADRIAN HIGHAM, 49, from Brookland, Kent: antiques dealer Adi lost his wife 14 years ago when his children were just two and six months. His weight ballooned and he started the Fixing Challenge weighing 25 stone. He was hugely inspired by

Fixing Dad and wants to fix himself. “I want to beat this. You’ve proved that you can.” Support rider: Michael Greenslade, one of his customers.

CHERRY KELLY, 44, from Skegness, Lincolnshire: Serving police officer Cherry weighed 15-and-a-half stone and said she needed to act now to make lifestyle changes, saying: “I’ve put on half a stone a year over the years and if I keep going like that I’m not going to survive

to be a decent age. I need help.” Support rider: Ned Kelly, her husband.

CRAIG RUSSELL, 41, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire: Craig, who works for the National Probation Service, has Type 2 diabetes and had seen his weight go up to 24 stone through his sedentary lifestyle and poor diet. He

has three children, who are his motivation and Craig believes if he can change, his children will follow. “I really need Fixing. I want to be an example to them.” Support rider: Rachel Russell, his wife.

MAUREEN WEBBER, 56, from North Yorkshire: Maureen and her two sisters were all diagnosed with cancer between 2011 and 2013. Tragically her older sister lost her fight with lung cancer but Maureen and her younger sister both

recovered from breast cancer. Since then Maureen has put on weight and says she needed the Fixing Challenge to inspire her to get back into healthy shape. “Things have gone wrong. My husband and I are carrying far too much weight and I have gone through cancer, which has added to the family stress.” Support rider: Ian Webber (Maureen’s husband).

The Whitington brothers have been mentoring the four Fixees since February, encouraging them to change their diet and increase their exercise through cycling with the ultimate aim of completing the 2017 Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100.

The finished film will be shown after this year’s Prudential RideLondon.


FAMOUS FACESOnce again the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 has attracted some famous faces from the world of sport and entertainment.

An illustrious field of Olympic medal-winning rowers will be on the Start Line at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park with a combined total of six medals between them, including three gold.

Heather Stanning has two of those gold medals, which she won alongside Helen Glover in their imperious coxless pairs partnership that was unbeaten for four years and was bookended by famous wins at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Mark Hunter was inches away from matching Stanning’s feat of two Olympic gold medals but had to settle for silver at London 2012 alongside Zac Purchase in the lightweight double sculls. Four years earlier the duo had won gold at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

The other two medallists, Jessica Eddie and Olivia Carnegie-Brown, won silver medals in the women’s eight boat at last summer’s Rio Olympic Games.

Derek Redmond may never have won an Olympic medal but his name will forever be etched in the folklore of the Games. In 1991 Redmond was part of the Great Britain team that won gold medals in the 4x400m at the World Athletics Championships and he has become synonymous with Olympic spirit for his now famous 400m semi-final at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. Redmond’s hamstring tore after 250m of the race but he refused to stop and was eventually – and now iconically – helped down the home straight and over the line by his father Jim.

From the world of entertainment, Josh Cuthbert – who is a member of the popular boyband Union J who found fame via The X Factor – will be clipping in his cleats this year, as will another singer who found fame through a TV talent show.

Lemar finished third in Fame Academy and since then has had seven top 10 UK singles and sold more than two million albums. He has also won two Brit Awards and three MOBO awards and will be riding the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 for a second time after his debut last year.

Martin Johnson succesfully completes the 2016 Prudential RideLondon

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WHO’S WHO

MATT BARBETTV newsreader and presenterFourth Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100

Matt Barbet spent four years as newsreader at the BBC before switching to Channel 5 where he became a presenter and correspondent for 5 News. He spent two years at ITV where he appeared on Daybreak and This Morning before returning to 5 News in 2014. Matt is a very

keen cyclist and was the presenter of The Cycle Show on ITV4 and regularly hosts the ITV coverage of cycling races including the Tour of Britain.

JOSH CUTHBERTCharity: Pancreatic Cancer UKSinger, Union JPrudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 debut

Josh Cuthbert is a member of popular boy band Union J who became famous when they finished fourth in The X Factor. The band won a record deal soon after and their debut single Carry You was released in June 2013. Their self-titled debut album followed in October

2013 and peaked at number six on the UK Albums Chart. Their second album You Got It All was released in December 2014.

OLIVIA CARNEGIE-BROWNCharity: SportsAidOlympic silver medallist, rowingPrudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 debut

Olivia Carnegie-Brown moved up through the ranks of British Rowing to win an historic silver medal in the women’s eight in the Rio Olympics last summer. Carnegie-Brown also won a European Championships gold medal last summer.

COLIN CHARVISCharity: SparksFormer Welsh rugby union captain Third Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100

Colin Charvis is a former captain of the Welsh national rugby union team and was capped twice for the British and Irish Lions. Charvis, who retired in 2009, scored 22 tries for his country and previously held the record for most tries scored by a forward in Test match rugby.

In 2013 he completed the ABSA Cape Epic, a 700km, seven-day race across Africa.

JESSICA EDDIECharity: SportsAidOlympic silver medallist, rowingPrudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 debut

Like Olivia Carnegie-Brown, Jessica Eddie was a member of the women’s eight team that won silver medal at last summer’s Rio Olympics – the first British team in history to do so in this discipline.

MARK HUNTER, MBEOlympic gold medallist, rowingSecond Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100

Mark Hunter won an Olympic gold in the lightweight double sculls at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and came agonisingly close to repeating the feat four years later with partner Zac Purchase at the London Olympics only for the Danish team to come through in

the final stages to snatch gold from them.

Mark also won two world championships gold medals and after retiring from the sport in 2013, he took on the NOMAN Barcelona to Ibiza race and won the 200-mile ocean rowing race.


MARTIN JOHNSON, CBECaptain of the England rugby union team that won the World Cup in 2003Fourth Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100

Martin Johnson is a former World Cup winning rugby international captain and widely regarded as one of the greatest locks to have ever played. He toured three times with the British and Irish Lions, becoming the only man to have captained them on two separate tours. He also led

Leicester Tigers to consecutive Heineken Cup victories and to six league titles. After retiring in 2005, he was appointed the team manager of the England rugby union side, a position he held from 2008 until 2011.

ALLAN LAMBFormer England cricket captainThird Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100

Allan Lamb is a former cricketer who played for and captained the England team throughout the 1980s, playing a total of 201 international matches. He retired in 1995 and has featured on the presenting teams for Sky Sports and Channel 5’s cricket coverage. He set up his own

business, Allan Lamb Associates, in 1986, focusing on corporate hospitality.

Between 2005 and 2007, he featured alongside fellow cricket hero Ian Botham in an advertising campaign for the English Beef and Lamb Executive, known as ‘Beefy and Lamby’. Cartoon characters were created for each of them, with the duo providing the voices for the adverts alongside legendary cricket commentator Henry Blofield.

LEMARSingerSecond Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100

Lemar is an English R&B singer-songwriter and record producer. Lemar has had a run of chart success in the United Kingdom, Europe and Australia. He rose to fame after finishing third on the first series of British talent show Fame Academy.

Since then, Lemar has had seven top 10 UK singles and sold more than two million albums. He is one of the most successful artists to come out of a reality TV show. Lemar has also won two Brit Awards and three MOBO awards to date.

DEREK REDMONDCharity: SportsAidOlympian and world gold medallist, athleticsPrudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 debut

Derek Redmond is one of Great Britain’s best ever 400m runners but he is now more famous for an iconic moment on the track during the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. In the semi-final of the 400, Redmond tore his hamstring on the back

straight. In tears, he pulled up injured but was desperate to finish and hopped his way around the track before being helped across the line by his father Jim. This moment has become one of the most iconic images in Olympic history. Redmond was part of the Great Britain 4x400m team that stunned the USA to win gold medals at the 1991 World Championships but injury forced him to end his athletics career early. He went on to play professional basketball for Birmingham Bullets and has helped the next generation of athletes in his role of director of development of sprints and hurdles at UK Athletics.

HEATHER STANNINGCharity: SportsAidOlympic double gold medallist, rowingPrudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 debut

Heather Stanning is one of Great Britain’s golden brigade from the Rio 2016 Olympic Games where she won her second Olympic gold medal with coxless pairs partner Helen Glover. Heather also has two world titles, two European titles and four World Cup victories on her CV and,

alongside Glover, formed one of the most successful ever British Olympic partnerships. Heather has now retired from rowing and has returned to the Army. She continues to take on challenges, however, and completed her first Virgin Money London Marathon in April.

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LAURA WRIGHTCharity: SportsAidSingerPrudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 debut

Laura Wright is an English soprano who shot to fame by winning chorister of the year when she was just 14. She has recorded three solo albums and sung the national anthem ahead of rugby union internationals at Twickenham and performed ahead of NFL and rugby league

matches. Wright also performed at the opening ceremony for HRH Prince Harry’s inaugural Invictus Games.


PELOTON RELAYThe 100 miles of the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 can also be tackled as a team. Riders enter as a team of four (all men, all women or a mixed team of two men and two women).

The riders form the team at set points along the route in order to finish as a full team of four on The Mall. Each rider completes a different distance of the challenge while all can enjoy the satisfaction of cycling across the Finish Line on The Mall.

The first leg begins at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and heads west through the capital to the scenic Surrey countryside, passing many historic London landmarks along the way. The second and third members of the team join at different points to take on the challenging Surrey Hills sections, while the fourth joins the trio to ride the last 25 miles on the glory leg to the Finish Line on The Mall.

Rider 1 – 100 miles Rider 2 – 74 milesRider 3 – 53 milesRider 4 – 25 miles

For details on entering the 2018 Peloton Relay, please email [email protected]

AMSTEL RIDE TOGETHERNew for 2017 is the Amstel Ride Together event which enables riders to take on the iconic 100-mile challenge together, riding in teams of four from the Start at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to the famous Finish on The Mall. Teams must be all men, all women or a mixed team of two men and two women.

Riders by Age

Age Group Men Women Total 18-19 141 31 17220-29 3033 1466 449930-39 6183 2027 821040-49 7699 1861 956050-59 5108 1180 628860-69 1238 158 139670-79 110 10 12080-89 4 0 4 23,516 6,733 30,249*

*Please note 25,000 riders are expected to start on 30 July 2017

OLDEST AND YOUNGEST PARTICIPANTS

Oldest RidersThe oldest man: Leonard Hoffman – 8/05/1934The oldest woman: Jenny Smith – 06/09/1942

Youngest RidersThe youngest man: Jack Whittall – 4/03/1999The youngest woman: Sophie Hobson – 17/04/1997

Total birthdays on Ride Day

Men Women Total55 26 81

FACTS AND FIGURES FOR PRUDENTIAL RIDELONDON-SURREY 100

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COUNTRIES REPRESENTEDCountry Men Women Total United Kingdom 22472 6508 28980United States 142 38 180Ireland 115 23 138South Africa 66 24 90Italy 67 5 72United Arab Emirates 56 12 68Germany 55 10 65Netherlands 42 16 58France 46 10 56Belgium 37 6 43Switzerland 30 9 39Spain 28 8 36Australia 32 4 36Hong Kong 28 1 29Canada 21 8 29Jersey 23 5 28Guernsey 17 6 23New Zealand 20 2 22Nigeria 17 2 19Sweden 18 1 19Isle of Man 13 0 13Norway 9 1 10Qatar 8 1 9Gibraltar 8 0 8Poland 3 5 8India 6 1 7Luxembourg 7 0 7Austria 6 1 7Singapore 5 2 7Turkey 7 0 7Monaco 5 1 6China 5 1 6Russia 5 1 6Denmark 6 0 6Malaysia 6 0 6Egypt 5 0 5Iceland 5 0 5Philippines 5 0 5Japan 4 0 4Lithuania 3 1 4Uruguay 4 0 4Thailand 3 1 4Indonesia 3 0 3Portugal 2 1 3Zimbabwe 1 2 3Kenya 1 2 3Brazil 1 2 3Albania 2 1 3Slovenia 1 1 2Malta 2 0 2American Virgin Isles 2 0 2Barbados 1 1 2Taiwan 1 1 2Uganda 2 0 2Ukraine 2 0 2Vietnam 2 0 2Zambia 2 0 2Slovakia 1 1 2


RIDERS BY OCCUPATIONCountry Men Women TotalAccountant 1136 301 1437Actor 30 6 36Administrator 301 401 702Advertising 99 17 116Agricultural, Forestry and Fishing 30 10 40Agriculture 33 9 42Airline Cabin Crew 4 4 8Airline Pilot 49 1 50Ambulance Service 37 4 41Analyst 167 53 220Apprentice 8 1 9Architect 273 30 303Armed Forces 112 24 136Artist 60 26 86Banker 784 114 898Beautician / Hairdresser 7 12 19Building Trade 559 21 580Building Society 6 3 9Business Owner 940 163 1103Catering 144 33 177CEO 366 59 425Chairman / President of Company 147 7 154Civil Aviation – Cabin Crew 7 12 19Civil Servant 171 36 207Clergy 10 0 10Clerical 26 16 42Communications 126 25 151Construction 390 10 400Consultant 877 137 1014Data Processing / MIS Manager 59 1 60

Venezuela 2 0 2Saudi Arabia 2 0 2Finland 2 0 2Ghana 2 0 2Cyprus 2 0 2Afghanistan 0 1 1Argentina 1 0 1Benin 0 1 1Bermuda 1 0 1Brunei Darussalam 1 0 1Botswana 1 0 1Cote d’Ivoire 1 0 1Algeria 1 0 1Western Sahara 1 0 1Greece 1 0 1Hungary 1 0 1Jordan 0 1 1Saint Kitts and Nevis 1 0 1Laos 1 0 1Lebanon 0 1 1Mexico 1 0 1Pakistan 1 0 1Turks & Caicos Islands 0 1 1TOTAL 23,516 6,733 30,249*


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Data Processing / Systems Analyst 152 19 171Data Processing Engineer 48 1 49Data Processing Manager 96 7 103Data Processing Programmer 61 0 61Dental Assistant 4 4 8Dentist 66 26 92Designer 379 106 485Doctor 393 197 590Driver 268 7 275Economist 18 2 20Editor 45 21 66Education – Support 48 46 94Electrician 169 3 172Engineer 1583 79 1662Events and Operations 36 56 92Film Maker 31 6 37Finance and Investment – Support 129 53 182Financial Analyst 437 77 514Firefighter 116 6 122Forestry / Game Keeping 10 0 10Haulage 35 0 35Health and Fitness 127 132 259Healthcare Professional 167 259 426Homemaker 26 214 240Hospitality 20 13 33Hotel 18 3 21Hotel and Leisure Industry 37 14 51Housewife 7 53 60Insurance 265 36 301Investment Broker 39 1 40IT Professional 942 111 1054Labourer 22 1 23Lawyer/Barrister 174 112 286Lecturer 82 36 118Legal Profession 322 101 423Librarian 6 6 12Local Government 115 37 152Machinist 40 1 41Manager 765 278 1043Manufacturing – Production Management 145 5 150Manufacturing – Shop Floor 45 0 45Marketing 505 258 763Mechanic 66 0 66Media and Publishing 145 63 208Military Services 139 19 158Musician 50 8 58Newsperson 21 3 24Nurse 73 193 266Other 2625 900 3525Paramedic 18 10 28Pharmacist 15 11 26Photographer 49 4 53Physician 10 3 13Physiotherapist 36 32 68Pilot 51 3 54Plumber 34 0 34Police 361 95 456Politician 4 1 5Postal Worker 47 3 50Printer 31 1 32


Programmer 31 1 31Psychiatrist 2 2 4Public Relations 62 47 109Public Service – Manager/Professional 174 91 265Public Service – Support 31 22 53Public Transport 60 3 63Public Service Support 1 0 1Publishing 28 4 32Radio / TV 47 10 57Recreation Worker 8 2 10Restaurants 35 3 38Retail – Manager 66 29 95Retail – Support 32 20 52Retail Trade 205 32 237Retired 782 116 898Sales – Support 3 2 5Sales Professional/Manager 1013 164 1177Salesperson 250 37 287Scientist 205 111 316Secretary 4 63 67Security 22 3 25Self-employed 240 126 364Shop Worker 19 7 26Social Worker 31 16 47Solicitor 64 27 91Sports Person 62 26 88Stock Exchange 11 0 11Stockbroker 16 1 17Student 280 152 432Surveyor 255 14 269Systems Analyst 12 7 19Taxi Driver 19 0 19Teacher / Education 511 356 867Trade and Craft 46 6 52Transportation 96 19 115Travel and Tourism 52 28 80Unemployed 62 27 89Waiter / Waitress 8 1 9Web Designer / Developer 32 4 36Writer / Journalist 54 12 66Youth / Community Worker 18 8 26Totals 23675 6871 30544*


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PRUDENTIAL RIDELONDON-SURREY 100 SCHEDULE

THE START The Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 will start in wave starts between 05:45 and 09:15 at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on Sunday 30 July.

At Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park there are six start areas (Green, Yellow, Blue, Orange, Pink and Black).

Participants are seeded, with their starting position indicative of ability and fitness, to deliver a safe and enjoyable event for all.

ROAD CLOSURESThere will be extensive road closures from early morning to ensure the route is secure and ready for the event. Check tfl.gov.uk/ridelondon for full details of the road and bridge closures on Sunday 30 July.

THE ROUTEThe route is 100 miles in length from the official Start in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to the Finish.

The 25,000 amateur cyclists will head past Canary Wharf, towards the City of London, passing the Tower of London before cycling west along Piccadilly and the A4.

Riders will cross the River Thames at Chiswick and pass through Richmond Park and the heart of Kingston upon Thames, before crossing Hampton Court Bridge along the route made famous by both the road race and time trial events during the London 2012 Olympic Games.

There’s plenty of stunning Surrey countryside for the riders to enjoy as they head south past Newlands Corner, Abinger Hammer and Holmbury St Mary before tackling the biggest ascent on the route at Leith Hill.

After a short descent, it’s onto the next challenge: the world-famous zigzags of Box Hill. After heading north through Leatherhead, Oxshott, Esher and Kingston, the route takes riders back into London over Putney Bridge to cross the River Thames for a final time.

The route then follows the Embankment all the way alongside the Thames, heading past some of London’s most famous landmarks as it makes its way across Parliament Square and up Whitehall.

THE FINISHThe route then swings left at Trafalgar Square, with riders streaming under Admiralty Arch before a spectacular finish on The Mall.

HUBS & DRINKS STATIONSThe four Hubs on the route will be key welfare points for participants and will offer food, drinks, toilets, medical facilities and basic mechanical assistance. For any mechanical services, labour will be free, but participants will be required to pay for any parts.

Riders have been asked to bring drinks bottles with them as no cups will be provided at these locations to help to reduce litter.

The four Hubs and eight Drinks Stations (with toilet facilities) will be adjacent to the route in the following locations:

WESTMINSTER (Mile 10 – Drinks Station)CHISWICK BRIDGE (Mile 17 – Drinks Station)PEMBROKE LODGE, RICHMOND PARK (Mile 22 – Drinks Station)HAMPTON COURT GREEN (Mile 26 – Hub)PYRFORD VILLAGE (Mile 38 – Drinks Station)NEWLANDS CORNER (Mile 48 – Hub)WESTCOTT VILLAGE (Mile 62 – Drinks Station)BOX HILL SUMMIT (Mile 68 – Drinks Station)LEATHERHEAD (Mile 75 – Hub)ESHER (Mile 82 – Drinks Station)KINGSTON (Mile 86 – Hub)WIMBLEDON COMMON (Mile 91 – Drinks Station)

TOILETSIn addition to the toilets at the start, there are facilities at each Hub, Drinks Station and at regular intervals along the route.

PELOTON RELAY JOINING POINTS The Peloton Relay joining locations are co-located with Hubs.

HAMPTON COURT GREEN..................................(Mile 26)NEWLANDS CORNER.............................................(Mile 48)LEATHERHEAD CAR PARK..................................(Mile 75)

DISTANCE MARKERS There will be a distance marker every 10 miles to indicate the distance the cyclists have travelled at that point. This will be complemented by 95-mile and 99-mile markers to help cyclists to get through the final few miles.


THE ROUTE IN DETAILSee below for a detailed guide to the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 route from Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park out through London and Surrey and back to the Finish Line on The Mall outside Buckingham Palace.

EAST LONDON Riders head out of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park through Poplar and Stepney and towards Tower Bridge before continuing along the Embankment by the River Thames. Several London Underground stations serve this section of the route: Tower Hill, Monument, Mansion House, Temple and Embankment.

PICCADILLY TO HAMMERSMITHRiders turn off the Embankment and head through Trafalgar Square along Pall Mall and up St James’s Street before turning left onto Piccadilly for a five-mile section along the A4. The following Piccadilly line stations will put spectators within a five-minute walk of the route along the A4: Piccadilly, Green Park, Hyde Park Corner, Knightsbridge, South Kensington, Gloucester Road, Earls Court and Barons Court. West Kensington Station on the District line is also right next to the A4.

CHISWICK TO MORTLAKEAt mile 17, riders turn south off the A4 at Hogarth roundabout onto the A316 to cross the Thames at Chiswick Bridge. They then ride for a short spell on the A205 before turning up East Sheen Lane and into Richmond Park at Sheen Gate. Mortlake Station is the best place for spectators to get off to view this point of the route.

RICHMOND PARKOnce through the gates of Richmond Park, riders turn west along Sawyer’s Hill then left at Richmond Gate and head south along Queen’s Road. The closest stations to this part of the route are Richmond Underground Station on the District line and Richmond National Rail Station.

KINGSTON UPON THAMESAfter leaving Richmond Park at Kingston Gate Lodge, riders continue south along Queen’s Road before turning west onto the A308 through Kingston town centre. The route passes through Kingston twice – at roughly 25 miles and 86 miles – so supporters stationed here will have two opportunities to cheer the riders on. Kingston, Norbiton and Hampton Wick Stations are a short walk from the route.

HAMPTON COURT PALACEAfter crossing Kingston Bridge, riders continue along the A308 to the first Hub on the route at Hampton Court Palace. Hampton Court Railway Station is the best way to get to this point of the course.

WALTON-ON-THAMESFrom the 27-mile point at Hampton Court Bridge (where

riders in the 46-mile sportive leave the route), riders follow Hurst Road (A3050) past Molesey Reservoirs and through Walton-on-Thames to Weybridge.

WEYBRIDGEAfter the 33-mile point, riders turn south along the B374 Heath Road and cross the railway line by Weybridge Station.

WEST BYFLEETThe route continues south through Brooklands before turning west on the A245 through Byfleet and West Byfleet. It’s a short walk from West Byfleet Station to the route on Old Woking Road. A couple of miles later, riders swing south onto the B367 Coldharbour Road through Pyrford and Ripley before crossing over the A3 as they start heading through beautiful Surrey countryside to West Horsley.

NEWLANDS CORNERAt West Horsley, the route turns right at the roundabout onto the A246 Epsom Road through East Clandon and opens out to a dual carriageway then turns left down Shere Road. After a mile-and-a-half, riders reach Newlands Corner, arguably one of the loveliest areas on the route.

ABINGER HAMMERFrom Newlands Corner riders will continue east through Gomshall past the halfway point and on to Abinger Hammer. Gomshall Station has a limited service on Sunday. They will turn south down the B2126 Felday Road which becomes Horsham Road until they reach Holmbury St Mary. From here the route continues onto Holmbury Road and hits the most southerly point of the sportive, turning left onto Ockley Road at Forest Green.

LEITH HILLThe route then turns north up Etherley Hill and onto Abinger Road, where riders will find smaller leafy lanes and more beautiful Surrey countryside before heading onto the big climb of the sportive up Leith Hill Lane. Climbing the hill, the route hits Guildford Road, at which point it turns east to Westcott and the 63-mile point. The route then continues eastwards towards Dorking.

DORKINGDorking is a great place to watch the action – a mixture of town and countryside – but the riders will have to push on through the town and on to the next challenge of Box Hill.

BOX HILL & LEATHERHEADAfter the summit of Box Hill, riders take a left turn to Headley and on to Leatherhead. The third Hub will be based at the Swan Shopping Centre in Leatherhead at the 75-mile mark.

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OXSHOTTFrom Bull Hill, riders turn onto Randall’s Road and head north to Oxshott, which spectators can access by train. The route then continues north through Esher Common.

ESHERRiders pass through Esher turning onto the A307 at Esher High Street before passing Sandown Race Course and heading towards the Surrey-London border. Now on Portsmouth Road (where riders in the 46 sportive rejoin the route), riders head back towards London.

KINGSTON UPON THAMESRiders get their first glimpse of the Thames since leaving it behind at Hampton Court 60 miles ago. Kingston will be holding a huge festival to welcome the cyclists passing through the town.

WIMBLEDONThe sportive crosses the A3 again and, staying with the A238, reaches Raynes Park Station and on to the 90-mile mark just before Wimbledon. The route then

runs alongside the Wombles’ famous home, Wimbledon Common. This is the last large green space on the route as riders head back into the city.

PUTNEYPutney is a great place for spectators; well connected with East Putney Underground and Putney Railway Station, it is also the point where the route crosses the Thames for the last time.

CHELSEAAt Putney Bridge Underground Station, the route will fork right up New King’s Road then turn right down Ashburnham Road for a last view of the river along Chelsea Embankment.

THE FINISH: WESTMINSTERThe final mile will see riders head past the Houses of Parliament and up Whitehall before a left turn through Trafalgar Square. The Finish Line will now be in view as riders pass under Admiralty Arch and along The Mall to finish facing Buckingham Palace.


LOVE WHERE YOU RIDEIn 2015, Prudential RideLondon launched the Love Where You Ride campaign to encourage everyone who takes part in the world’s greatest festival of cycling to get behind this simple idea. This year, we’re determined to see even more riders dispose of litter responsibly on every training ride and during the Prudential RideLondon weekend.

Riders in the 100 and 46 will go through some areas of outstanding natural beauty, including Richmond Park and its famous deer, Box Hill, Leith Hill and Wimbledon Common. Please respect your environment and get rid of litter quickly and safely at the Drinks Stations and Hubs located along the route. As well as providing plenty of litter disposal areas along the sportive route, Clif Shot

Energy Gels will be handed out, which have a patented pack featuring a ‘litter leash’ tab to ensure the torn-open top of the gel stays attached to the pack for easy disposal.

Furthermore, riders are encouraged to carry two refillable drinks bottles that they can refill at the water stations and to put all rubbish in their back pockets.

The Love Where You Ride scheme is not just restricted to the sportive riders, the pro cyclists in the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic will dispose of their litter in ‘green zones’.

A Love Where You Ride top-tube sticker (see right) will also be given to every cyclist taking part in the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 sportive.

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SUNDAY 30 JULYSTART: 09:15-09:45 QUEEN ELIZABETH OLYMPIC PARKFINISH: FIRST RIDERS IN THE MALL AT 11:19 (APPROX)

The Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 46 was introduced to the Prudential RideLondon weekend last year and it was an immediate success. Aimed at younger cyclists and riders just getting into the sport, the 46 starts at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in east London and finishes on The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace, taking in 46 miles of traffic-free roads in between.


About 5,000 riders are expected to take part in the sportive in 2017, which is designed as the ideal first mass-participation sportive for novice riders.

Taking part in the event this year is double Olympic boxing champion Nicola Adams who is looking forward to experiencing her first mass-participation cycling event. She is the mentor to Prudential’s PruGOals programme which is supporting 300 Teach First students and teachers as they prepare to ride the event as part of a wider initiative to challenge young people to achieve their goals.

Adams, who won gold medals at both the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Games, said: “I do cycle as part of my boxing training but I have never cycled 46 miles before so I will be upping my training.

“It’s going to be a huge challenge for me but I’m really excited to be taking part. I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of the sights. We start off at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and I have not been there for a while so it will be nice to ride around there.”

Also riding the 46 this year is the six-time Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy who is swapping the boards of the velodrome for the roads of London and Surrey.

Hoy is Great Britain’s second most decorated Olympian with six golds and one silver medal.

Former Welsh international and British Lions rugby star Shane Williams will also be taking part in the 46.

THE STARTThe 46 will start in waves between 09:15 and 09:45 at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on Sunday 30 July.

THE ROUTEMILES 0-27The Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 46 starts in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and follows the same route as the 100 (see pages 71 and 72) until Hampton Court Bridge at the 27-mile point.

MILES 27-46After heading south through Thames Ditton and Western Green, the route turns to the east at the Scilly Isles, taking riders back into London through Kingston and over Putney Bridge to cross the Thames for a final time.

Riders then follow the Embankment all the way alongside the River Thames, heading past some of London’s most famous landmarks.

THE FINISHAfter making their way across Parliament Square, up Whitehall and left at Trafalgar Square, riders will stream under Admiralty Arch before a spectacular finish on The Mall.

WHO’S WHO

NICOLA ADAMSBoxerPrudential RideLondon-Surrey 46 debut

Nicola Adams won gold medals at both the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games – with her victory in London ensuring she was the first woman in history to be an Olympic boxing champion. The 34-year-old from Leeds also won a gold medal at the 2014

Commonwealth Games and has now turned professional winning her first two fights in the paid ranks as she looks to become the first female in history to have won both an Olympic and World Championship title.

SIR CHRIS HOYOlympic cyclistPrudential RideLondon-Surrey 46 debut

Sir Chris Hoy is an eleven-time world champion and six-time Olympic champion in track cycling. His overall haul of seven Olympic medals – with one silver adding to the six gold – makes Hoy the second most decorated Olympic cyclist of all time as well as the

most successful Scottish cyclist ever.

His first Olympic medal came in the team sprint in Sydney in 2000 where he won a silver alongside Jason Queally and Craig MacLean. After that the gold rush started, with a victory in Athens in 2004 followed by three gold medals at Beijing 2008 and two at London 2012.

Hoy retired from cycling in 2013 and has since competed in professional motor racing.

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SUNDAY 30 JULY13:40 HORSE GUARDS PARADE, CENTRAL LONDON

FINISH: THE MALL AT 18:07 (APPROX.)

History will be made when the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic returns to the roads of

London and Surrey in 2017 as it will be Britain’s first ever men’s UCI WorldTour race.


The Union Cyclist Internationale (UCI) awarded the Classic WorldTour status following its fourth edition last year which was won in thrilling fashion by Belgium legend Tom Boonen.

WorldTour status means the Classic is now at the highest level of world cycle races in addition to being the world’s richest one-day race. This has led to a record number of UCI WorldTour teams entering this year’s race with 13 in total making the trip to London including Team Sky, BMC Racing, Orica-Scott and Trek Segafredo.

Moving up to UCI WorldTour status means the size of the teams have gone up with seven riders per team as opposed to six in previous years.

The fifth edition of the race will once again start at the iconic location of Horse Guards Parade in central London before going out through the capital to Kingston Upon Thames, Hampton Court and then over the River Thames into Surrey. After 57km of racing, the first challenge the riders will face is the 2.4km climb of Staple Lane in the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The peloton will then race through Dorking before taking the southern approach to the ascent of Leith Hill, the highest point in Surrey. With another two circuits of a loop through Dorking and up the testing 6.7 per cent climb to Ranmore Common, this year’s race is set to be a true classic.

The riders will then race up the famous zigzags of Box Hill, through Leatherhead, Oxshott and Esher before returning back through Kingston Upon Thames. From there the peloton heads towards central London, through Raynes Park, Wimbledon, over Putney Bridge and alongside the River Thames through Chelsea. The closing stages of the race go through Parliament Square and up Whitehall to the famous 1km to go marker from Trafalgar Square through Admiralty Arch, where the riders will start the final sprint along The Mall towards Buckingham Palace and the Finish Line.

CONTINENTAL TYRES KING OF THE MOUNTAINSThe Continental Tyres King of the Mountains challenge at the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic will provide a competition within the main race for the 150 professional male riders taking part in the event. The KOM competition involves a series of climbs within the race; points are awarded to the first six cyclists who reach the top of each designated climb first.

Each Continental Tyres King of the Mountains climb is indicated with a sign at the start of the ascent and a line on the road at the summit to mark the end of the ascent.

There are five opportunities for Continental Tyres King of the Mountains points to be scored at Staple Lane, Leith Hill, twice at Ranmore and at Box Hill.

Prize money is awarded to the first four cyclists who cross the line in each climb.

The Continental Tyres King of the Mountains title is given to the cyclist who receives the most points and achieves the highest position over the designated climbs, and who is therefore the best individual climber in the race.

CONTINENTAL TYRES SPRINT COMPETITIONThe Continental Tyres Sprints competition will provide a competition with points being awarded to the first four cyclists who make it over the sprint line at five points on the course.

A sign 1km before the sprint line indicates to the riders that the sprint is coming up. A line on the road and a gantry will indicate the sprint line.

The five sprint points are at: Hampton Court, Dorking (three) and Wimbledon Village.

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THE TEAMS > UCI WORLDTOUR TEAMS

BMC Racing Team / USA / bmc-switzerland.comBMC Racing won the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic in 2015 when JP Drucker was victorious. His surprise win was his first professional victory and he’ll be looking for a repeat when he returns this year. BMC Racing are one of the peloton’s leading teams and they will no doubt be bringing a strong line-up with a number of potential winners alongside Drucker.

Bora – Hansgrohe / Germany / bora-hansgrohe.comIrish sprinter Sam Bennett will have high hopes of being in the mix if this year’s Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic comes down to a sprint on The Mall. The 26-year-old is improving year on year and has two wins at the Tour of Slovenia and a stage victory at Paris-Nice on his list of accomplishments for 2017. Jan Barta, the reigning Czech time trial champion, will be among the riders supporting Bennett.

Cannondale-Drapac / USA / slipstreamsports.comCannondale-Drapac are one of the ever-presents at Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic having sent a team to the race in every one of the four editions so far. The American team have got a strong all-round squad with a number of one-day specialists including Sep Vanmarcke who was fourth in 2015 and is a specialist in single day racing.

Lotto Soudal / Belgium / lottosoudal.beGerman sprint king Andre Greipel will lead the Lotto Soudal team at the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic and if the race comes down to a sprint on The Mall you can count on him to be in the mix. The 34-year-old has an incredible 140 career wins to his name including 11 Tour de France victories and 22 across all three Grand Tours.

Orica-Scott / Australia / greenedgecycling.comOrica-Scott scored a podium finish at last year’s Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic when Michael Matthews sprinted to third. Matthews has since moved on but the Australian squad will be confident of more success with a strong, well-rounded team coming to London. Danish fast man Magnus Cort Nielsen, who won two stages of the Vuelta a Espana last year, will be one to watch, as will South African all-rounder Daryl Impey.

Jersey ss.standard BMC

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9/11/2016 ORICA - SCOTTFRC-PROGIORDANA FRC PRO MOCK


Quick-Step Floors / Belgium / quickstepfloorscycling.comQuick-Step Floors return to London as defending champions but the man who won last year won’t be among their line-up in 2017. Tom Boonen, who sprinted to victory on The Mall last year, retired after Paris-Roubaix in April but the Belgium team will still be confident of repeating his win this time round. They are currently the number one ranked team in the world and in Fernando Gaviria have one of the most talented sprinters around. The Colombian won four stages of the Giro d’Italia this year, his first Grand Tour, and already has 19 professional wins after just two years as a professional.

Team Dimension Data / South Africa / africasteam.comThe South African team has been built for stage wins and one-day races and the riders have already racked up 20 wins this season. Mark Cavendish, Steve Cummings and Scott Thwaites make up a strong British contingent in the squad while Norwegian Edvald Boasson Hagen is someone who could thrive on the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey course.

Team Katusha Alpecin / Switzerland / teamkatushaalpecin.comMaking their Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic debut, Team Katusha Alpecin’s line-up shows they really mean business with the two biggest names on their roster, Tony Martin and Alexander Kristoff, both scheduled to be on the Start Line. German powerhouse Martin is the reigning and four-time world time-trial champion while Kristoff will be the man the team will be trying to set up for a sprint finish on The Mall. The Norwegian has two Classic victories on his CV, the 2014 Milan-San Remo and the 2015 Tour of Flanders.

Team Lotto NL-Jumbo / Netherlands / teamlottojumbo.comTeam Lotto NL-Jumbo came agonisingly close to winning the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic in 2015 when Mike Teunissen finished a close runner-up in 2015 and they will be hoping to go one better in 2017. The former Dutch national champion Dylan Groenewegen has been their most prolific rider this year winning on five occasions.

Team Sky / Great Britain / teamsky.comThe British powerhouse squad will be looking for their first victory in the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic and will once again be bringing a strong team to the race. Geraint Thomas, who has worn the Yellow Jersey at this year’s Tour de France, made a brave solo bid for victory last year but was caught with two kilometres to go. Sadly his crash at the Tour de France means it is very unlikely he will be at the Classic this year but Italian sprinter Elia Viviani, the reigning Olympic omnium champion, will be and he’ll be desperate to secure Sky their first win.

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THE TEAMS > PRO CONTINENTAL TEAMS

Team Sunweb / Germany / teamsunweb.comAustralian Michael Matthews, who was third last year while riding for Orica-Scott, will be leading Team Sunweb at this year’s Classic, looking for another podium finish in 2017. Matthews, who has won stages in all three Grand Tours, will have a strong team in support of him including the new Dutch road race champion Ramon Sinkeldam and Mike Teunissen who was second in the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic in 2015.

Trek Segafredo / USA / treksegafredo.comTrek Segafredo will be making their Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic debut in 2017 and they will have lots of options when it comes to picking a team for victory. German powerhouse John Degenkolb and Belgium’s up-and-coming classics specialist Jasper Stuyven would both be strong contenders for victory.

AG2R / France / www.cyclisme.ag2rlamondiale.frOne of only two French UCI WorldTour teams, AG2R have a roster packed with talent that includes Tour de France star Romain Bardet and the Belgium national champion Oliver Naesen. This will be the first time the team will have taken part in Prudential RideLondon.

UAE Abu Dhabi / UAE / uae-abudhabi.comBritain’s Ben Swift has twice been so close yet so far to winning the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic and he will be back in 2017 for another crack at victory. Swift was second in 2014 and third in 2015 while riding for his former team Team Sky. The Yorkshireman moved to the new UAE Team Emirates team for the new season and he will be the team’s protected rider in London.

Androni – Sidermec – Bottecchia / Italy / androniteam.itFormer Vuelta a Espana stage winner Francesco Gavazzi will lead the Italian Androni – Sidermec – Bottecchia team at the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classc. Gavazzi, who has ridden for WorldTour teams Lampre and Astana in the past, won a stage of the 2011 Vuelta. The Italian team will be made up entirely of home-based riders.

Aqua Blue Sport / Ireland / aquabluesport.comAqua Blue Sport are in their debut season and are Ireland’s first ever team to compete at UCI Pro-Continental level. They have a roster packed with proven talent including the 2014 Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic winner and ex-British champion Adam Blythe. Another of their leading lights is new USA champion Larry Warbasse who won a stage of the Tour de Suisse last month.


Caja Rural-Seguros RGA / Spain / teamcajarural-segurosrga.comThe Spanish team made a strong impression at last year’s Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic with Jonathan Lastra getting into an early break which helped him win the Continental Tyres Sprint Competition. Lastra returns this year along with Dylan Page, who was 16th at the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic last year.

CCC Sprandi-Polkowice / Poland / cccsport.euThe Polish team have become an unmistakable part of the professional peloton, predominantly because of their unmissable bright orange jerseys. However, the team has plenty of class in its ranks too and they have 15 wins to their name already this season with Maciej Paterski claiming five of them.

Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise / Belgium / sportvlaanderen-baloise.beThe all-Belgian outfit are, unsurprisingly, made up of riders brought up on the northern Classics style of racing which should serve them well on the testing Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic course. Their top performer in last year’s race was Jonas Rickeart who returns to London this year.

Israel Cycling Academy / Israel / israelcyclingacademy.comAustralian Zak Dempster is a man familiar with British racing having spent two years riding with the British continental team Rapha Condor Sharp in 2010 and 2011 and he will be hoping to make as big an impact in the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic as he did in 2013 when he finished sixth overall. The team will also include two national champions: Roy Goldstein (Israel) and Krists Neilands (Latvia).

Wanty – Groupe Gobert /Belgium / wanty-groupegobert.beWanty – Groupe Gobert have propelled themselves into the consciousness of casual cycling fans with a number of attacking displays in their first ever Tour de France this year. The Belgium team have a roster packed with talent including British all-rounder Mark Mcnally who was 10th at last year’s Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic.

Wilier Triestina – Selle Italia / Italy / wilier.comOne of the most famous and flamboyant Italian riders of his generation Filippo Pozzato will lead the Wilier Triestina team at the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic. The 35-year-old has enjoyed a long and successful career with a win in Milan-San Remo in 2006 and two Tour de France stage wins being the pinnacle. Though Pozzato is the headline name, his younger team-mate Jakub Mareczko may well be the one to watch. The 23-year-old sprinter has three wins to his name in 2017 and two second places in this year’s Giro d’Italia.

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2013: INSPIRED FRENCHMAN ARNAUD DEMARE IS THE INAUGURAL CHAMPIONBritain’s Chris Froome may have dominated the Tour de France in 2013 but it was a Frenchman who won the inaugural Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic as Arnaud Démare emerged from the pack to take victory in a bunch sprint in front of huge crowds on The Mall by a clear bike length from Italian Sacha Modolo.

It was not only a shock victory for Démare, who did not figure among the pre-race predictions, but an emotional one too for the FDJ.fr rider who had lost his long-time coach, Hervé Boussard, who suffered an epileptic fit at the age of 47 a few weeks previously.

Démare had been outsprinted in the Olympic road race 12 months previously, finishing 30th on The Mall, but this time he was a clear winner. He threw both arms above his head as he crossed the line and pointed his fingers at the sky.

“One year after the Olympic Games this is a victory that’s a symbol of something for me,” said the then 21-year-old. “It’s even more important because I lost my trainer, who died a month ago, so it’s very emotional for me.

“The course was harder than last year at the Olympics but I was feeling great on the way back to London. I was at the centre of the group and I told my two teammates to open the field – I had the legs, I just needed one opportunity.

“In the final stages I thought a lot about my trainer who had been with me since I was a junior, and that carried me to the line.”

Démare was joined on the podium by his countryman Yannick Martinez, from La Pomme Marseille, who followed Modolo, a Bardiani Valvole rider, across the line in third place.

Sky rider Ben Swift was the first Briton in 10th place, while Garmin-Sharp team leader David Millar finished in 100th place. Of the other pre-race favourites, Gerald Ciolek was 11th while double Tour de France green jersey winner Peter Sagan dropped out.

Ramon Sinkeldam of Team Argos-Shimano made the most of his position in a long-time breakaway to win both the King of the Mountains prize and the sprint title.

The first significant break came in Weybridge when Sinkeldam and seven others escaped to open up a gap that grew to nearly five minutes by the time they started the first climb of the day at Newlands Corner.

British under 23 champion Mike Cuming of Rapha Condor JLT did much of the work, supported by Démare’s teammate Dominique Rollin, who won the first King of the Mountains points.

Sky’s Norwegian rider Gabriel Rasch initiated the chase at the head of the peloton, the gap eventually closing to four minutes as they attacked the testing slopes of Leith Hill for the first time.

Sinkeldam was first over the category-two climb, but Sky

THE HISTORY OF THE RACE


began to organise the chasers as the field tackled the second Leith Hill loop. With the leading group down to seven, Sinkeldam topped Leith Hill first for a third time with Sagan’s Cannondale teammates now pushing hard at the head of the chasers.

The leaders held a 2:30 advantage as they started the short sharp rise up Box Hill while behind them Millar and his Garmin-Sharp teammate Jack Bauer led the peloton charge up the famous climb, reducing the lead to just over a minute as they swept over the top into the fast descent towards Leatherhead.

Bauer led Britain’s Simon Yates and Rollin’s teammate Yoann Offredo in a three-man splinter across the gap, but the peloton were not far behind and the bunch chased hard on the run-in to London through Leatherhead, Cobham and Esher.

The leading group broke up as they sped towards Kingston leaving Offredo and Zico Waeytens of Belgium a minute clear with less than 20km to go. Offredo was doing all the work so the gap came down rapidly and the entire race was back together shortly after they re-crossed the Thames at Putney Bridge for the last dash towards The Mall.

Millar showed briefly at the front as they passed the Houses of Parliament, raising hopes of British fans, but it was the French supporters who had cause to celebrate as the inspired Démare turned off Horse Guards Parade and struck for the line.

2014: ADAM BLYTHE WINS THE BATTLE OF THE BRITSAdam Blythe won a battle of the Brits to claim victory at the second Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic, beating his old friend and sparring partner Ben Swift in a dramatic sprint finish on The Mall.

The two Sheffield-born cyclists were part of a five-strong group that shot up Whitehall and under Admiralty Arch after 200 kilometres of hard racing over the wet and muddy roads of the Surrey Hills after the torrential rain earlier in the day which had caused the morning’s sportive to be cut from 100 to 86 miles.

Team Cannondale’s Slovenian rider Kristijan Koren led them up The Mall with the Finish Line and Buckingham Palace in the distance. But Blythe launched his attack with 50 metres to go, surprising Swift, Team Sky’s pre-race favourite, to take a hard-earned victory for the unfancied NFTO Procycling team.

Blythe threw his arms in the air as he crossed the line, a roar of triumph breaking out from his mud-spattered face.“It’s hard to say how much this means to me,” said Blythe afterwards. “But you could see how emotional it was as my face said it all. OK, it’s not like I won the worlds or anything, but this is a very big race for a British rider to win, especially in this setting in front of the Queen’s house. I hope she was watching.”

Swift was one of the race favourites and appeared to be in a perfect position to show his famed finishing speed after five Sky teammates, including 2012 Tour de France winner

P R L M E D I A G U I D E 2 0 1 7


Sir Bradley Wiggins, had worked hard in the middle part of the race to get him into a breakaway group.

“It would have been nice to have won but I am really happy with second,” said Swift. “I’ve known Adam since I was seven years old and we’ve got a lot of history, so I knew he was the one to watch. I knew I needed to keep an eye on him and I could see he was looking for me on the run-in. I tried to react to his move but he’s a really fast sprinter and once he got the jump on me he was away.”

Koren’s challenge faded as the two Britons raced away and Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe took third for Omega Pharma-Quick-Step ahead of Philippe Gilbert, Belgium’s former world champion from the BMC Racing Team.

Seventy kilometres earlier it was Gilbert who had made the decisive move of the race on the approach to Box Hill.

There had been a number of early attacks from the 147- man field as the riders set off under the welcome warming sun, which had moved in to replace the morning’s deluge.

The first significant break came in Richmond Park after 13km when six riders got away and established a gap of just over a minute, an advantage they held through the early stretches out into Surrey’s narrow country roads, many of them still smeared with rain wash.

Wiggins and teammate Ian Stannard did much of the work as Sky took control of the peloton, their intention to close the gap and get Swift into contention for any later break.

The plan worked perfectly, and when Gilbert made his move, Swift was one of 10 men who leapt to his wheel.

As Sky stepped off the gas, Cannondale were forced to do the bulk of the work at the front of the chasing group as

they tried to get their sprinter Elia Viviani back in touch. But with less than 50km to go the leading 11 had stretched their gap to more than a minute and it began to look as if they would never be caught.

They charged down Headley Heath and into Leatherhead, Gilbert and Swift keeping the pressure on at the front. Then Gilbert attacked again between Raynes Park and Wimbledon, splitting the group and dragging five clear of the rest.

The Belgian appeared to be on a mission to win with a long run for home and another kick briefly took him and Alaphilippe away from Swift and Blythe with Koren in tow behind. But the trio closed the gap by the time they reached Putney High Street and it was five riders who crossed Putney Bridge for the run alongside the River Thames towards Westminster.

At this point it looked like anyone’s race, though the smart money was on Swift. Blythe had other ideas, however, and he timed his final push to perfection.

“In the last kilometre I knew I had plenty in the tank,” he said afterwards. “I just wanted to make sure I got everything out and didn’t leave it too late to make my move. I knew that if I was close to Swifty I’d have a chance. I hugged close to the barriers and had a go. Now I feel like I can mix it with the big boys.”

Two of the early breakaway riders won the day’s other honours. Steve Lampier of Node4 Velosure made it a great day for British cycling by claiming the King of the Mountains title, while Dutchman Steven Lammertink, Team Giant-Shimano’s stagiaire, won the sprint contest.

It was Blythe, however, who won the most important sprint of the day.


2015: DRUCKER DELIVERS DREAM WIN Jean-Pierre Drucker produced the sprint of his life to win the third Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic beating Britain’s Ben Swift and Dutchman Mike Teunissen on The Mall to claim the first victory of his professional career.

The 28-year-old was part of an eight-strong group of cyclists that burst clear of the peloton with a quarter of the 200-kilometre race to go before four riders hared up Whitehall and under Admiralty Arch in pursuit of glory.

Team Sky’s Swift led them up The Mall with the Finish Line in sight, desperate to make amends for last year when he lost by inches to Adam Blythe.

But Drucker had been tailing him home and the Luxembourg rider launched his attack with 50 metres to go, surprising the Briton and Lotto NL-Jumbo’s Teunissen to take a hard-earned victory built on brilliant teamwork by his experienced BMC Racing Team.

Drucker threw his arm in the air as he crossed the Finish Line to thunderous roars, a huge grin breaking out on his bearded face.

“To get my first professional win in front of Buckingham Palace is so special,” said Drucker. “The crowd here is so crazy about cycling; it’s fantastic to get my first win here.

“I love racing in England. I did the Tour of Yorkshire this year and that was fantastic too. After getting my first pro win here, I love it even more.”

Swift broke his shoulder in the Yorkshire race but fought his way back from surgery to bid for victory in this event,

still smarting from last year’s defeat. He led the three medallists in a hard chase along Millbank to reel in Teunissen’s teammate Sep Vanmarcke, who had made a lone bid for victory 12km out.

Once they’d overpowered the Belgian, all the smart money was on the Sheffield man, a renowned finishing kicker. But Drucker had finished just behind ‘Manx missile’ Mark Cavendish in California earlier this year and was confident of his chances.

“I was feeling good all day and at the end I just kept my eye on Swift,” said Drucker. “I could see he was very motivated and really wanted victory in front of his own crowd. I knew he would go for the win, but I worked hard as well.

“I’m a fast guy too and I just tried not to make any mistakes. I love it when it’s hard and that was our plan. We tried to make it a hard race by moving guys to the front. It always feels so good when a plan works out.”

As for Swift, in the end he was happy enough to make the podium for the second year in a row after missing three months’ training, although he admitted to miscalculating his finish.

“I had to go really hard in the last few kilometres and I started to cramp up a little bit from the effort of chasing,” said Swift. “Even though I’d have loved to have won, I’m really, really happy. I had three months out of competition so this is a really nice way to come back to racing and get a good result straight away. It was good to be on the podium.”

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Madison Genesis rider Erick Rowsell, brother of Olympic gold medallist and Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 rider Joanna, was among a group of five who then escaped as the peloton rattled through Byfleet to Ripley and on to the sun-splashed Surrey countryside.

Another Briton, Peter Williams of One Pro Cycling, was also in the breakaway, along with the young Italian Riccardo Stacchiotti of Vini Fantini, Topspot Vlaanderen’s Sander Helven, and Lander Seynaeve of Wanty-Groupe Gobert.

They opened a gap of five minutes with just over a quarter of the race gone and stayed away over the first four of the event’s five categorised climbs up Leith Hill and over Ranmore Common three times.

Rowsell, from Sutton, was racing in his own backyard and the Surrey man used his local knowledge to lead up the narrow lanes and over the summits, amassing enough points that would see him win the King of the Mountains competition, while Williams concentrated on securing the sprint title.

BMC sent their young Dutch stagiaire Floris Gerts up the road to try to bridge the gap, and by the time they’d completed the three Ranmore loops, he had replaced Seynaeve among the leaders. The peloton broke up on the third Ranmore climb, and Lotto NL-Jumbo charged out to reel them in like a pack of wolves hunting down their prey.

Seven men reached the base of Box Hill with just over 50km to go. But their time alone was numbered and Gerts’s team-mates Philippe Gilbert and Rohan Dennis emerged from the pack for the first time to lead the chase up the slopes, driving on at the top in an attempt to leave the race sprinters in their wake.

With an hour’s racing still to go, it was now a case of heads down for the city. Cavendish briefly launched himself out in front with Dennis, then eight burst clear to open a gap that grew to more than a minute as they reached Kingston for a second time.

Among them were Swift, Drucker, Vanmarcke and Tuenissen. The gap grew to two-and-a-half minutes and with just 15km to go the main field called off the hunt.

Vanmarcke attacked as they skirted Wimbledon Common and he opened a 16-second lead as he crossed the river at Putney Bridge. But he was he gasping for air, and the lead vanished as Swift led the chasers on the run-in to along Millbank and past the Houses of Parliament.

It was a hard slog. Too hard as it turned out for the Briton, as Drucker burst off his shoulder for the win of his life.


2016: BOONEN SNATCHES VICTORY ON CLASSIC DEBUTTom Boonen provided a perfect demonstration of one-day bike racing to clinch the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic, timing his effort to perfection to win a race that seemed beyond his grasp until the final metres.

The 35-year-old Belgian (who has since retired) showed why he was one of the greatest one-day racers of his generation as he emerged from the obscurity of the pack and powered past Mark Renshaw on the rails to take the final sprint by two bike lengths.

The former world champion has won the famous Paris-Roubaix four times and the Tour of Flanders on three occasions, but this was his Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic debut, coming a full decade since his last victory in the British capital.

With just 10km to go, it looked like the win would go to Team Sky’s Geraint Thomas after the Briton had ripped the race apart, closing down the day’s big break involving defending champion Jean-Pierre ‘Jempy’ Drucker and flying away from the field up Box Hill to open an apparently unassailable lead.

Thomas had a minute’s lead with less than 20km to go, and half a minute as he crossed Putney Bridge for the final push towards St James’s Park. But just when it looked as if this would be the diligent domestique’s day in the sun, the pack closed and Thomas finally ran out of gas.

After a day of breaks, and an unsolicited 25-minute pause for public safety at 47km due to congestion on the roads, it was a large group that turned the final corner into the finishing stretch with Buckingham Palace ahead up the road.

Renshaw made a mistake as he moved away from the barriers and Boonen, virtually anonymous for the rest of the 202km race, grabbed his chance, bursting across the line before opening his arms in wide celebration.

“I’m really happy to win,” he said. “It’s 10 years since I’ve won in London. It was a hard day as everyone was going bananas all day long. Everyone was fighting for every metre of the road.

“It was only with about 35 to 40km to go that we started to pull back the break and it finally came back together with 5km left.

“Then the team got well organised going into the final corner and I was really happy with my sprint.”

So often the lead-out man for Mark Cavendish, Renshaw made his own bid for victory today and almost matched the famous sprinting speed of his Dimension Data teammate before falling just short at the line while his Australian counterpart Michael Matthews (Orica-BikeExchange) was third.

Much of the pre-race attention had been on Chris Froome, Britain’s three-times Tour de France winner, and his Sky colleague Ben Swift who has twice finished on the podium here. But it was their colleague and compatriot Thomas who made a bold bid for glory in a move pre-planned by Sky to throw the sprinters off their game.

It so nearly worked. Never before has anyone managed to break clear on this course – not in the 2012 Olympic road race, nor in the first three editions of the Classic – but Thomas got to within five kilometres before being swept up.

“We wanted to ride aggressively today so I made a move on Box Hill hoping someone would come with me but I found myself out on my own,” Thomas said.

“It was a bit of a spur of the moment thing but I’d bought my ticket by then so I just had to bite the bullet and try and go. But I was always going to be up against it.”

Drucker’s bold bid to defend his title was not entirely in vain as he finished top in the Continental Tyres King of the Mountains competition, level with Britain’s Matthew Holmes, while Jonathan Lastra, another of the early breakers, took the Continental Tyres Sprints contest.

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SUNDAY 30 JULY...TV newsreader and presenter Fourth Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 Matt Barbet spent four years as newsreader at the BBC before switching to Channel 5 where he became