Double Olympic champion wants Newham residents to come out in force

Double Olympic champion Laura Trott is urging Newham residents to come out in force and line the town’s streets to cheer on more than 16,000 cyclists during August’s Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 race.

The 22-year-old, who sprinted to victory ahead of fellow Brit Hannah Barnes in the inaugural Women’s Grand Prix during last year’s Prudential RideLondon, explained her passion for the sport came from cycling alongside her parents in and around London.

Starting from the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, cyclists head past Canary Wharf and through the City of London before cycling west along Piccadilly and the A4 at Hammersmith.

Riders first cross the River Thames at Chiswick and pass through Richmond Park and the heart of Kingston-upon-Thames, before crossing Hampton Court Bridge along the route made famous by both the road race and time-trial events during the London 2012 Olympic Games.

There’s also plenty of stunning Surrey countryside as cyclists head south past Newlands Corner, Abinger Hammer, Holmbury St Mary, Box Hill, Walton and Weybridge before eventually finishing on the Mall in London.

And Trott, who is also an ambassador for the Prudential RideLondon FreeCycle, where 55,000 people are expected to make the most of the vehicle-free roads in London 24 hours earlier on August 9, is expecting a winning weekend of two-wheeled action.

“Getting involved in the weekend is just a brilliant thing to do,” said Trott.

“It was really nice to ride the Surrey 100 with my dad and my uncle last year – the support throughout was amazing. I didn’t actually know my uncle was doing it until the day as my dad had surprised me.

I would definitely recommend doing it to anyone else or if you’re not riding just getting involved by watching. It is such an enjoyable sport and such a social sport that you can do it with your whole family.

“For me when I was younger that was really important to me because a lot of the time I spent with my dad was on a bike ride. You are out in the fresh air and what can’t you like about that.”

A host of British cycling stars will take part in the Prudential RideLondon – among them obviously will be Trott, just weeks after she competes for Team England at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

And Hugh Brasher, event director of RideLondon, said: “Laura Trott, who won the Grand Prix last time, will be around and taking part and there will be a whole host of top cyclists to meet, cycle with and get inspired by.

“There are some amazing cyclists taking part but really it is about the public coming down, getting involved, experiencing London, watching some of the greatest cycling bidding for Grand Prix glory, and in the 100 event there will be 24, 000 people doing a fantastic challenge, cycling 100 miles.”

? Prudential are proud to sponsor Prudential RideLondon, the UK’s biggest cycling festival on the August 9/10. Visit ridewithprudential.co.uk