A cyclist taking part in RideLondon suffered serious spinal injuries after being hit by a car driver in Essex, according to police. The driver reportedly "ignored stewards" and signs.
The event, which is supposed to take place on closed roads, saw tens of thousands of riders take part in 100, 60, or 30 mile loops from central London around Essex.
Last Sunday, 26 May, at around 10:25, a cyclist was hit by a car driver on Ongar Road in Fyfield, around 34 miles into the 100-mile route. They were left with four fractures to their vertebrae, after the driver, in a silver Ford Focus, collided with them, and then fled the scene.
As a result, Essex Police are asking for anyone with information, footage, or who witnessed the event to come forward. Given that thousands take part in the event, there should be many people who saw the accident. Ongar Road was supposed to be closed to traffic between 05:00 and 13:00, and it is unclear how a car made it onto the course.
In a statement, Essex Police said: "We believe there will be a significant number of people who will have witnessed what happened and we need them to come forward. If you have any information, CCTV, dash cam or other footage in relation to this incident, then please get in contact with us. Please quote incident 369 of 26 May.
"You can let us know by submitting a report on our website or by using our online Live Chat service available Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays) between 10am-9pm. Visit our website to find out more about our website reporting services. If you would like to make an anonymous report you can contact independent charity @Crimestoppers, by visiting their website or by calling 0800 555 111."
A spokesperson for RideLondon said: "We have been working closely with Essex Police to obtain witness statements and evidence to support the enquiry into this very concerning incident on Sunday 26 May where a car driver ignored stewards and closed road signage to drive onto the event route. We are currently assisting Essex Police and continue to support those affected by the incident."
Originally run in 2013 as an Olympic legacy event, RideLondon weekend used to see a men’s WorldTour road race, a women’s crit, a family focused Freecycle and of course the sportive that saw cyclists enjoy closed roads out to the Surrey Hills and back. Surrey Council decided to pull its backing in 2020 so Surrey’s loss is now Essex’s gain.
Now, there is a three-stage Women's WorldTour race - the RideLondon Classique - alongside the sportive. This year, all three stages and the overall were won by Lorena Wiebes of SD Worx-Protime.
