RideLondon Classique, May 26-28, ushers in the first of two Women’s WorldTour stage races to the United Kingdon, with the 2022 edition returning for a second year in its three-day format. There are two stages across Essex and then the final day of racing with circuits in downtown London for a total of 378.8 kilometres.
Stage 1 on Friday takes the peloton from King Street in Saffron Walden in north-west Essex for 149.7km of rolling roads in an east-bound direction to the historic city of Colchester. Wedged between intermediate sprints, the first one on a short 30km loop that brings the peloton back through Saffron Walden, are three queen of the mountains climbs. After the second sprint in Mistley, the roads flatten for the final 25km to the finish on a slight uphill in front of Colchester Castle.
Maldon is the base for stage 2, with 137.1km that use largely flat, open roads for a loop around Abberton Reservoir and finish with three laps back in the start city. The final circuits include three climbs to the west on the North Hill (1.5km at 5.2% average gradient) and then head to the short, steep Market Hill ascent (8.2% gradient) which launches riders the final 500 metres and the finish line.
Central London returns Sunday for a refresh on the circuit used in 2022. This time out, the peloton will make eight full laps for a total of 92 kilometres with the start and finish now next to St James’s Park along The Mall, the red-carpet styled road surface connecting Buckingham Palace to Trafalgar Square.
“This is a day for the pure sprinters who will be looking to add a famous win on The Mall to their palmares,” said Scott Sunderland, race director of the RideLondon Classique.
Famous landmarks scattered along the route include Piccadilly Circus, Parliament Square, Palace of Westminster, Big Ben, St Paul’s Cathedral and the River Thames when the race passes along the Victoria Embankment. Two intermediate sprints will be up for grabs on laps three and six for valuable bonus seconds and points.
