Mark Cavendish has urged London 2012 organisers (Locog) to rethink restrictions placed on spectators planning to watch the Olympic road race test event from its two key battlegrounds – the climb of Box Hill or at the finish on The Mall.
- Tour de France green jersey winner Mark Cavendish has urged organisers to rethink
While campervans and tents may line the Tour de France’s iconic ascents, with fans fighting it out for the best spot days in advance of the race passing through, the banks of Box Hill’s hairpins will remain off limits due to concerns about harm to wildlife.
The National Trust land is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation – and access will be limited to 3,400 spectators with wristbands, who will be allowed to view the race from one small section of the climb.
The race, part of the London Prepares test event series, is expected to reflect conditions at London 2012 and Tour de France green jersey winner Cavendish has called for a petition to force Locog into a u-turn.
“You can’t get on the Mall, you can’t get on Box Hill, which are the two key areas of the race,” Cavendish told the BBC’s Today programme. “Everywhere else you will be able to watch it but the two key areas of the race I think it might be quite difficult to see.”
“Maybe we can get some petition or something so that people can come and watch the road race.”
The restriction on spectators has been imposed after Locog commissioned detailed ecological surveys and reports of the area to ensure Box Hill is protected.
The peloton will tackle two laps of the 15.5km Box Hill circuit in the London-Surrey Cycle Classic and nine laps during the Olympic road race – but the pan-flat finish is primed for Cavendish to win first Great Britain’s first gold medal of the Games.
The 26-year-old, who will make an announcement on what team he will ride for in 2012 before the end of the month, will spearhead a five-strong British team at the test event on August 14.
- Access to Box Hill will be restricted to 3,400 spectators with wristbands
A high-quality field of sprinters is expected to recce the route, including Milan-San Remo victor Matt Goss (Australia), 2005 world champion Tom Boonen (Belgium) and Edvald Boasson Hagen (Norway), winner of two stages of this year’s Tour de France.
“Access to The Mall is restricted to emulate games time with an area restricted for services needed to deliver the race,” said a Locog spokeswoman. “An area of the Zig Zag Road in Box Hill is restricted as it is a site of significant scientific interest and therefore protected by The National Trust and Natural England.
“We are using the London Surrey Cycle Classic as a test for some of our spectator plans for 2012 in that area. Post test event we will be exploring with the National Trust and Natural England restrictions placed on the area around the Zig Zag road and whether the 3,400 spectator capacity can be reconsidered.
“We recognise that access to restricted areas should be given to specific groups of interested parties such as local residents and the cycling community. We will plan for the distribution of wristbands for the Olympic Road Race post test event.”
Simon Lillistone, who rode at the 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games, is Locog’s cycling road race manager and said they have a legal obligation to protect Box Hill.
“As a responsible organiser we have to respect the natural environment in which we are holding the race,” he added.
“There are European laws and legislations that mean that we have to respect the habitats in that area.”
