Still places left for RideLondon-Surrey 100

Places are still available for this year’s RideLondon-Surrey 100 ballot, as applicant numbers for the event haven’t yet hit the 100,000 shut-off mark.

This will be the annual London cycling festival's fourth year. In 2014 the then 80,000 places for the 100 mile sportive sold out less in than a month; little did participants know they were in for the drenching of their lives. In 2015 the sun shone brightly, but the 26,000-odd sportive riders were, at times, brought to a complete halt on a couple of Surrey Hills due to sheer numbers on the route. Both years some faced a shorter route - due to the bad weather in 2014, and in 2015, sadly, a fatality on Leith Hill.

Meanwhile it was announced this week that Evans Cycles has partnered with Prudential RideLondon as the event’s official clothing and retail partner for 2016. Its 60 stores nationwide will help participants prepare for the event with advice evenings and maintenance classes as well as training rides at the Evans Cycles RIDE IT sportive series.

Sign up before ballots close for Europe's biggest sportive RideLondon

Nick Wilkinson, Evans Cycles CEO, said of the partnership: “Cycling has enjoyed a real surge in popularity over the last few years and we’re very excited to be partnering with Prudential RideLondon. The event has captured the imagination of all types of cyclists and we share Prudential RideLondon’s aim of inspiring everyone to experience the fun and freedom of riding. We are committed to growing the future of cycling and this announcement follows the launch of our four year partnership with British Cycling’s Go-Ride programme where together we will deliver over two million opportunities for young people to get into cycling by 2020.”

Endura will produce the official clothes for the 2016 event, making the garments in Scotland using Italian fabrics.

Hugh Brasher, Event Director for Prudential RideLondon, said: “Evans Cycles is the perfect partner for Prudential RideLondon with its network of stores nationwide and extensive range of services and support. We look forward to working with Evans Cycles to make the world’s greatest festival of cycling even bigger and better.”

Last year more than 95,000 people participated in five separate event on traffic-free roads in London and Surrey over the weekend of 1-2 August. Professional events, including the RideLondon-Surrey Classic, RideLondon Grand Prix and the Prudential RideLondon Handcycle Classic also take place over the same weekend in the capital.

This year’s Prudential RideLondon will take place over the weekend of Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 July 2016. Entries for the RideLondon-Surrey 100 ballot will close at 5pm on Friday 8 January.