RideLondon Classique confirmed as a three-day Women’s WorldTour event in 2022

The organiser of the RideLondon elite women’s race has confirmed to Cycling Weekly the 2022 event will be a three-day stage race. The event, which began in 2013 but was first run as a UCI race in 2016, had previously been a one-day circuit race in central London.

London Marathon Events also confirmed the mass participation events, which saw amateurs riding riding on closed roads out into the Surrey hills and back are still awaiting finalisation. Last year Surrey County Council withdrew its support and alternatives are to be announced.  

“The last two editions could not take place due to the pandemic so we have been working with stakeholders to confirm the new format and routes for 2022. Further details will be announced in due course,” said event director Hugh Brasher in a statement.

Last week the UCI announced details of the 2022 Women’s WorldTour calendar which showed the women’s RideLondon Classique would happen between May 27 and 29, adding a second British stage race to the series with the Women’s Tour.

“We are excited the UCI has accepted our proposal to extend the UCI Women’s WorldTour RideLondon Classique from a one-day event to a three-day race, culminating in a final stage in central London on Sunday 29 May,” said Brasher’s statement.

“This reinforced our commitment to promote women’s cycling which has been a fundamental pillar of RideLondon since its first edition in 2013.”

Not only did the race run alongside the mass participation events, there was also a men’s race., but organisers confirmed that will not return, the statement continuing: “…The men’s UCI WorldTour race ceased to be part of the event after the cancellation of the 2020 RideLondon festival of cycling.”

With its flat circuit around St. James’s Park with the finish on The Mall in sight of Buckingham Palace the race was traditionally a sprinter’s paradise, riders like Lorena Wiebes, Kirsten Wild and Coryn Rivera all winning.

However, Cycling Weekly understands the traditional circuit was to have been replaced by a much larger one, and while the two extra stages are yet to be finalised, the logistics of keeping the race within the Greater London conurbation means alternatives are likely to be found.