The Ford RideLondon Classique, one of the world’s leading professional women’s bike races, will once again light up Colchester on Friday 24 May this year.
Colchester City Council has announced a free Spectator Zone in Castle Park from 11am on Friday 24 May, allowing spectators to watch and celebrate the thrilling finish of the opening stage of the Ford RideLondon Classique. This marks the third consecutive year that Colchester has hosted this prestigious event, promising an unforgettable experience for all attendees.
Located in the heart of Castle Park, the spectator zone will be bustling with excitement during the UCI Women’s World Tour event, the highest level of women’s racing in the world. There will be fun activities and catering available. Local schools are welcomed to join us for the colour and logo design competitions to showcase children’s creativity and talent by crafting a unique art piece celebrating this event. Local community and sporting groups will also be present to provide entertainment and information on their activities, including Essex Pedal Power, The Dry Skate Project, Essex County Council mobile library, Leisure World Colchester, Colchester Sports Park, and more to be announced.
Stage One of the Ford RideLondon Classique begins in Saffron Walden at 11am with the finish on East Hill, Colchester expected at 3pm. People can watch the finish in person on East Hill where they can still get a glimpse of the world’s best riders in person as they pass Colchester Castle once they are over the finish line.
Councillor David King, Leader of Colchester City Council, said: “It’s great that Colchester has again been selected to host another first-class cycling event. This will be an exciting gathering, a colourful spectacle we can all support, an opportunity to cheer on world class cyclists as they cross the finish line in our vibrant city. In late spring, when the weather should be beautiful, I cannot think of a better way to kick off the bank holiday weekend.”
In 2024, 20 of the world’s best teams will take part in the race, with four of cycling’s biggest names confirmed for the 2024 edition. These are world champion Lotte Kopecky, who will bring the UCI World Championship jersey’s iconic rainbow stripes through the city, and British cycling royalty Lizzie Deignan, who won a silver medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games and is a former world champion herself. Also confirmed are the last two winners of the Classique. Lorena Wiebes returns to the race looking to confirm her status as the best sprinter in the world, although she will have stern competition from Charlotte Kool, 2024 Classique champion and winner in Colchester 12 months ago.
The race continues Saturday, 25 May, in Maldon, before concluding on Sunday, 26 May on The Mall, following eight laps of central London.
For more information on Stage One of the Ford RideLondon Classique, please visit www.ridelondon.co.uk/the-classique/the-stages. More information on timings and local activations will be added in the coming weeks.
Page last reviewed: 19 April 2024