July 23, 2013, 11:12 am -- /EPR NETWORK/ -- On August 4th, around 150 of the world's top cyclists will compete in the biggest ever professional one-day race in Britain. Sponsored by Prudential, RideLondon Classic is expected to become a highlight of the UCI's official race calendar, and has attracted the participation of all the major cycling teams.
The 125-140 mile race is the blue-ribbon event of the RideLondon cycling festival taking place during the first weekend of August. Charting a similar course to the London 2012 Olympic Road Race, the Classic starts from the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park at 12.30pm, winding up at the Mall in the heart of the capital. Along the way, the race will take in nine London Boroughs and large swathes of Surrey.
A provisional startlist released on July 19th named 16 teams, including MTN-Qhubeka, Champion Systems and NetApp-Endura. British interest comes in the form of Kristian House, Ian Bibby and current series leader Evan Oliphant. Also racing is Sacha Modolo, who finished second behind Brit Mark Cavendish at the 2011 London-Surrey Cycle Classic Olympic, which took place on similar roads. Tour de France riders including Matt Goss are expected to take part.
RideLondon is part of the Olympic legacy. Alongside the Classic, other events include the Freecycle recreational ride, a women's Grand Prix Criterium and a mass-participation race that will see 20,000 cyclists compete on 100-mile route.
LondonTown.com has revealed details of cheap London hotels close to the start of the race, all available at discounted rates exclusively from the site. Among the hotels on offer is the RE London Shoreditch Hotel. Located on Hackney Road, a couple of miles from the Olympic Park, the RE is offering twin rooms for £74 per night – a 73% discount from the standard rate.
Even closer, the Holiday Inn Express Stratford is offering a 62% discount on twin rooms, bringing the cost of a stay down to £91. The Holiday Inn is around ten minutes' walk from the Olympic Park. To take advantage of the deals, and to see more cheap London hotels, visit LondonTown.com, where you can also find further information on the 2013 RideLondon Classic.
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