London’s flagship annual cycling festival will return “bigger and better” in 2026 despite being forced to take a hiatus next year, the mayor’s walking and cycling commissioner has pledged.
Ride London, the main sporting legacy event from the 2012 Olympics, will not take place next May, causing widespread dismay among thousands of cyclists who had already signed up for the 100-mile event.
Organisers are especially saddened to have had to scrap the associated “FreeCycle” child-friendly event that attracted thousands of families to an eight-mile route past central London landmarks on closed roads.
Very sad. This event is such a major part of our annual ride calendar. Our members love the challenge and raise huge sums for charities! Hopefully, you can make a triumphant return for 2026!
— LDN RIDERS (@LdnRiders) September 11, 2024
Really sad to read this especially so soon after the cancellation of the London Duathlon (and London Dynamo’s TT in Richmond Park) https://t.co/MgSUYVdZSU
— Eleanor Doody (@DoodyEleanor) September 11, 2024
Why can't @TfL arrange for roads to be closed in Central London so a no-frills Freecycle can go ahead ? Fewer barriers would make enjoying London's treasures easier.
— Paul Luton (@luton_paul) September 11, 2024
The 2025 Ride London was thrown into jeopardy in March when the UCI, the governing body of professional cycling, sought to move the date of next year’s Classique women’s race by a week, from May 23-25 to May 30-June 1.
London Marathon Events, which stages Ride London, at first pledged to continue without the women’s race but last week admitted this would be financially impossible, because sponsorship for Ride London is linked to TV coverage of the women’s race.
A total of 6,300 amateur cyclists who had already paid £99 to sign up for next year’s Ride London 100-mile event – which takes about 23,000 riders from London to Essex and back on closed roads – will be sent refunds by the end of the month.
The Classique, a three-stage race, also uses the central London closed route enjoyed by FreeCycle participants, but Transport for London cannot afford the cost of road closures and marshalling without cross-subsidy from the professional race.
Moving Ride London to a later date in 2025 to suit the UCI was said to be impossible due to the number of major events already planned in central London.
Will Norman, Sadiq Khan’s walking and cycling commissioner, said City Hall would look to refocus Ride London on encouraging more Londoners to cycle.
The event is due to return in 2026 with a “new concept”. It is not known whether the 100-mile event – akin to the London Marathon for amateur riders - will be retained.
However, cyclists pay £99 to take part in the 100-mile ride – generating about £2m in income to subsidise other Ride London activities over the weekend.
Mr Norman told the Standard: “Ride London, particularly the FreeCycle, is such a good celebration of cycling. We want to bring it back and have an event that gets even more people excited about cycling in London.
“Because of the need to take a pause, we want to use the time to make it bigger and better.”
Ride London also included 30-mile and 60-mile rides. These were to have taken place on the same day as the 100-mile ride, Sunday May 25 next year, though entry had not opened.
Ride London was launched by then mayor Boris Johnson 2013 and has been staged 10 times. It was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.
Ford signed a three-year sponsorship deal in 2023. In 2022 the event made a huge loss due to the absence of a headline sponsor.
Ride London claims to have inspired more than 300,000 people to get back on a bike or cycle more regularly. Participants have raised £85m for charity.
Hugh Brasher, chief executive of London Marathon Events, said: “We feel the time is right to take a pause this year and bring all stakeholders together to work on a new concept for the world’s greatest festival of cycling.”
Lee Scott, a cabinet member of Essex County Council, said: “We very much look forward to working with the organisers and partners on the vision for the event in future.”
A RideLondon spokesperson said: “Everyone who had entered the 2025 RideLondon-Essex 100 will get a full refund of the entry fee they had paid and for all add-on purchases such as photography. We emailed everyone who had entered to explain the situation and confirm that the refunds will be made by Friday September 27.”
