Tower of London

On the morning of Sunday July 31, tens of thousands of cyclists will gather at first light in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park before setting off for a century. After a fast start through east London, the route cuts its way through the heart of central London on a veritable sightseeing tour of some of the capital’s most iconic sights, including the Tower of London. Riding through the centre of London, on roads normally clogged with vehicles, is an exhilarating experience.

Ripley

Bushy Park, where the first ‘hub’ is located with a feed station, toilets and mechanical support, comes soon after Richmond Park, and then the route makes a hasty exit out of London on wide roads. You’ll pass Hampton Court, where Sir Bradley Wiggins was crowned Olympic time trial champion in 2012, and through the suburbs of Molesey, Walton-on-Thames and Weybridge – a great opportunity to get sucked along in a group and get your average speed up for a fast century. By our reckoning, it’s after West Byfleet where the Surrey countryside truly begins and the road between Pyrford and Ripley is a beauty, climbing gently before descending (watch out for the sharp corner) towards and over the River Wey before continuing to the first significant climb of the day.

Newlands Corner

The first marked climb of the route is Newlands Corner. It’s a steady climb of around 1.1 miles at an average gradient of five per cent, on a fairly smooth, wide road – a chance to properly warm-up the legs before Leith Hill. The descent from Newlands Corner is fast and sees the route roll past the halfway mark at 50 miles. Inexperienced cyclists might begin to feel the pinch here but keep it steady – there’s still a long way to go.

Box Hill

By this point, with 65 miles in your legs, another climb may be the last thing your legs want but, in truth, there’s little to worry about with Box Hill, providing you haven’t burnt all of your matches earlier in the day. It’s a gentle climb, rising for 1.5 miles at around four to five per cent and the gradient never gets too taxing. Settle into a steady gear and enjoy the view from the zig-zags on the way up.

Wimbledon Hill

After descending from Box Hill, the route turns back to London on fast, wide roads – a chance to spin out the legs after the punchy Surrey circuit. Just like the way out of London, it’s really beneficial to be in a group here as the roads are ideal for zipping along at a brisk pace. However, with the end seemingly in sight, it’s easy to get carried away. Keep eating and drinking – just as you should have done through the whole ride – and be prepared for one final sting in the tail: Wimbledon Hill. With more than 90 miles on the clock, this one can really hurt, particularly if you’re not expecting it. Wimbledon Hill may be less than half-a-mile long, but it’s relatively steep in places and, after the fast run-in from Box Hill, can come as a shock to the system.

Houses of Parliament and The Mall

From the top of Wimbledon Hill, you’ll descend into Putney – work that lactic acid out of your legs from the climb – and from there all you’ll have ahead of you is five miles to the finish. Of course, with 95 miles in the legs, five miles can crawl by, but thankfully the road back into the centre of London is, once again, fast and flat. The reward? Flying past the Houses of Parliament, most likely cheered on by spectators lining the route, and a finish in front of Buckingham Palace on The Mall – muster everything you can for a sprint finish on one of Britain’s most iconic roads.

Sponsored by Continental Tyres, the official tyre of RideLondon 2016