Financial Times London Cycle Sportive

Formerly known as Ride Around London, the Financial Times London Cycle Sportive, supporting Access Sport will take place on Sunday 11th May and the route takes in many important landmarks from London’s Olympic history including a unique finish on the 1948 Olympic Velodrome at Herne Hill. The Velodrome has easy access for a London sportive, only 20 minutes from London Victoria.

The ride will start in the picturesque Dulwich Park, just a stone’s throw away from the iconic finish at the Velodrome, and the route goes out to the stunning Surrey Hills taking in Box Hill as cycled on by Mark Cavendish and Lizzie Armitstead in the 2012 Olympics.

All cyclists will have the unique experience of cycling around the Olympic track as part of their finish experience and will then be invited to stay and cheer on the other finishers whilst enjoying refreshments with family and other riders.

With three routes available, there's a distance for everyone:

The Short route (50km) heads out to the North Downs offering the riders some stunning views over the Kent/Surrey countryside and Biggin Hill prior to looping back North to rejoin the outward route back to Herne Hill velodrome. Total climbing on this route is 455 metres and has a maximum elevation of 275 metres.

The Medium route (100km) This route gives a total height climbed of 812 metres and again has a maximum elevation of 275 metres. The route heads out to the North Downs offering the riders some stunning views over the Kent/Surrey countryside and Biggin Hill, then the lanes between Reigate and Dorking where it then takes on the 2012 Olympic climb at Box Hill.

The Long route (162km/100 miles) heads out to the North Downs offering the riders some stunning views over the Kent/Surrey countryside and Biggin Hill, then the lanes between Reigate and Dorking where the long ride continues in to the Surrey Countryside before continuing in a Northerly direction back up onto the North Downs to re join the medium route on the North Downs Way at Ranmore Common. This route climbs 1098 metres and also has a max elevation of 275 metres.