HOW TO MAKE RIDE LONDON YOUR 2018 CYCLING CHALLENGE

There is no doubt the annual Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 has become an essential must-do event for many women cyclists and the cycling equivalent of competing in the London Marathon.

With the public ballot entry system closing on Friday, 5 January 2018 (or when 80,000 entries have been received, whichever is earlier), now is the time to make it your personal cycling challenge for next year.

Achieving a century ride (100 miles) is a dream for many roadies, but there is nothing that matches doing it on the capital city’s closed roads and finishing in front of 1000s cheering you on down The Mall. Being amongst around 25,000 riders on the start-line in Stratford gives you an electric feeling and an unforgettable memory. It is even more special for women riders as there are only about 6,000 or so brave enough to take it on.

Celebrating the London Olympic legacy makes RideLondon-Surrey really special and adds a unique feeling to your own personal challenge. Starting from Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in east London, it follows a 100-mile route on closed roads through the capital and into Surrey’s stunning countryside. With leg-testing climbs like Box Hill and Wimbledon Hill, it closely follows the route used by the world’s best cyclists at the London 2012 Olympics.

Shortly after the early morning start, riders 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.

Then there’s plenty of stunning Surrey countryside for 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 course 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 to the finish.

There’s a link to the entry page at the end of this blog and everyone who applies in the ballot will be notified of the results by post in February 2018. Once you've completed the online entry form you'll see a ‘thank you’ page - this means your application has gone through. The organiser will also send you a confirmation email. Everyone who takes part in 2018 Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 is required to pay an entry fee of £69.

www.prudentialridelondon.co.uk/events/100/entries