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RideLondon will be returning to Essex next year, following the success of the new route.
The cycling festival, which includes a popular mass-participation event and professional races, was established in 2013 as part of the Olympic legacy from the London 2012 Games.
Having previously been held on the 2012 Olympic road race course through Surrey, taking in the iconic Box Hill, in 2022 the event followed a new route through Essex after Surrey County Council declined to extend the contract with the organisers to host the event.
London Marathon Events, the company behind RideLondon and the London Marathon, has announced that the event will be run in Essex once again, but with a potentially revised route.
Councillor Lee Scott, Essex County Council’s cabinet member for highways maintenance and sustainable transport, said: “RideLondon-Essex 2022 was a successful inaugural event, but we want to make RideLondon-Essex 2023 even better.
“The RideLondon route is undergoing a process of review and we will be asking residents and businesses for their input to build upon the spirit and success of this year’s event.”
The festival will feature the RideLondon-Essex 100-mile challenge, along with the RideLondon-Essex 60 and 30-mile inspiration rides and the ever-popular RideLondon FreeCycle, which gives riders of all ages and abilities a rare chance to cycle on traffic-free roads in central London.
Will Norman, London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner, said: “I’m delighted that RideLondon will be back in May 2023 to celebrate its 10th anniversary. I’m already looking forward to it returning after the success of the 2022 event, which was our most diverse and inclusive yet.
“RideLondon is one of the highlights of the year for our capital, with something for everyone to enjoy – from giving confidence to new cyclists, to enabling more experienced riders to push themselves.
“Cycling has seen a huge boom and it’s wonderful to see Londoners choosing green and sustainable modes of transport to get around. This is always a great event and I encourage cyclists of all ages and abilities to get involved.”
After the 2020 and 2021 editions were cancelled due to coronavirus, the 2022 event took riders from Victoria Embankment in Central London out through Chelmsford and back via Epping, before finishing on Tower Bridge.
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Hugh Brasher, event director of RideLondon, said: “We’re looking forward to building on the success of this year’s RideLondon-Essex, which saw tens of thousands of people, of all ages and abilities, take part in one of our mass participation rides and millions of pounds raised for charity.
“We look forward to continuing our partnership with Essex County Council and the London boroughs in 2023 and to delivering another truly inspiring festival of cycling.”
London Marathon Events is currently conducting a full review of the 2022 event alongside Essex County Council and other stakeholders. The routes for RideLondon 2023 will be announced once this review process is completed.
