RideLondon cancelled for 2025, organisers hope to return with new format

RideLondon has been cancelled for 2025, with the organisers saying that this is a "pause" not an end for the mass-participation cycling event, the UK's biggest. The news was announced on Wednesday afternoon, with those who have already entered promised a full refund.

The annual ride, organised by London Marathon Events, saw thousands of people ride 30, 60 or 100 miles on a closed-road course on a loop to and from London. It originally took place on a circuit around Surrey, on many of the same roads as the London 2012 road race, as an Olympic legacy event, before moving to Essex in 2022. The 10th edition took place this year.

It is unclear where and when RideLondon will return, but a "full strategic review" is set to take place. The 2025 RideLondon Classique, a Women's WorldTour event, had already been cancelled, due to calendar clashes.

The first edition was held in 2013, and it has run every year since, apart from 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid pandemic. It formed one part of the London Classics series of events, along with the London Marathon and Swim Serpentine, an open-water event. Over 10,000 places were open to participants until the news of its "pause".

"We feel the time is right to take a pause this year and bring all stakeholders together to work on a new concept for the world’s greatest festival of cycling," Hugh Brasher, CEO of London Marathon Events, said in a press release. "We have now staged 10 hugely successful editions of the event which has inspired more than 300,000 people to get back on a bike or cycle more and also raised more than £85 million for charity.

 "No event in 2025 means that we can focus on a full strategic review of RideLondon, which was first held as a London 2012 Olympic legacy event back in 2013, and design a new concept which will engage more riders of all ages and abilities and inspire hundreds of thousands more people to cycle more often."

Will Norman, London's walking and cycling commissioner, described the news as "disappointing". "It’s a fantastic event to celebrate cycling that brings together cyclists of all levels, from beginners to professional athletes," he said. "I am committed to working with all partners to bring back this hugely popular event in the future.‘’

"Essex County Council has been proud hosts of RideLondon for the past three years," Councillor Lee Scott, Essex County Council’s cabinet member for planning a growing economy, said. "Not only has this event brought substantial funding into our county to encourage physical activity but it has inspired many to get involved in physical exercise and take up active travel. We very much look forward to working with the organisers and partners on the vision for the event in future.”

The cancellation of RideLondon is the latest blow for domestic cycling in the UK. This week, it was announced that the prestigious Ryedale GP would not return, and recently the London Duathlon was also said to be going on hiatus.