The Road Race is a mass start race for men and women scheduled for the first and second days of the full sport competition of the Olympic Games. The events will start and finish on The Mall in central London, a location well used to hosting the start and finish of major cycling events.
The riders will race around a course that passes through six London boroughs – Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham, Wandsworth, Richmond upon Thames, and Kingston upon Thames – before heading into Surrey and through the districts of Elmbridge, Reigate and Banstead, Guildford, Woking and Mole Valley before returning to central London for the finish. The course will also pass through Richmond Park and Bushy Park.
This announcement follows extensive consultation with the relevant local authorities to find routes that will provide an outstanding experience for athletes and spectators.
The Road Race is provisionally scheduled to take place on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 July.
The men’s race will take place on the Saturday and last for approximately six hours, and will be 250km in length with 145 riders. The women’s race will take place on the Sunday and last for 3½ hours, and will be 140km in length with 67 riders.
Seb Coe, Chair of LOCOG, said: ‘This extends the Games into the south west of London and Surrey. We are delighted to be bringing such high profile and exciting events here, and which will be bringing the Road Race into challenging cycling terrain through many new boroughs and districts.
'Following our medal success in Beijing, the Road Cycling events really will bring the magic of the Games to life for many thousands of spectators.'
