The 2021 RideLondon festival has been cancelled, and organisers will now offer a virtual event this year before focusing on bringing it back in 2022.
The 2021 edition had already been significantly scaled back, with no 100-mile sportive or men's WorldTour race, after the 2020 event was also called off because of the coronavirus pandemic.
"It has been confirmed today that the RideLondon festival of cycling, scheduled for the end of May 2021, will not take place due to the coronavirus pandemic," RideLondon said in a statement. "This decision has been taken by London authorities after engagement with partners involved in the planning of the event.
"Organisers of the event were looking at many different scenarios but with the extensive road closures required to put on the world's greatest cycling festival and the number of participants and spectators, a decision has been made to focus on delivering a virtual event for 2021 and to concentrate on bringing the event back in 2022."
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The women's professional race has also been cancelled. Having stepped down to a ProSeries in 2020, it was due to return to the women's WorldTour in 2021.
"We know it is very disappointing news that the events planned for May cannot take place, especially for charities, however, I am sure everyone understands why this decision has been made," Hugh Brasher, Event Director of RideLondon, said.
Organisers had already been looking at their options beyond 2021, as Surrey County Council said they would withdraw their support for the event following complaints from residents about the disruption.
The council said they remained "open-minded to hosting less disruptive, smaller family-focused events in future years".
“We are committed to encouraging cleaner, greener travel and recognise the health and well-being benefits from all kinds of sport including walking and cycling. We are actively seeking new opportunities within Surrey to encourage all sorts of people to get out and about on their bikes,” Surrey County Council’s Denise Turner-Stewart said.
