Leicester cyclists gear up for Skyride

The third mass participation city Skyride takes place in Leicester this Sunday. It follows on from the first two city Skyrides earlier this month, in Manchester and Glasgow, as well as one in Hounslow in London, which has seen around 34,000 people turn up altogether so far. Olympic medallists Sir Chris Hoy and Ross Edgar led from the front in Glasgow last week.

The Skyride Leicester route will be open and traffic-free from 10am-4pm and the route will take bikes to the Golden Mile, Belgrave Hall, Abbey Pumping Station, the National Space Centre and Abbey Park, while entertainment will take place at Belgrave Hall and St Margaret's Pastures.

Cyclists can meet at one of four outer city hub points - Glen Parva, Watermead Country Park, Evington Park and Braunstone Leisure Centre - and join a marshalled ride to the central route.

Leicester City Council is organising the event with British Cycling and Sky, and those behind the event are hoping to match the 15,000 people who took part in Manchester.

Cllr Ross Willmott, leader of Leicester City Council, has said: “We already have around 10,000 daily cyclists in the city but we want to increase that number significantly. The Leicester Skyride will be a fantastic opportunity for people of all ages to discover what a great city this is for cyclists."

The Skyride events form part of Sky's partnership with British Cycling and the aim is to get one million more people cycling in the next four years.

Victoria Pendleton, one of the elite riders supporting the summer activities, said: “I was amazed that so many people are not using their bikes. Cycling is a great way to stay healthy and it’s good for exploring and meeting new people. My message is simple, get on your bike and join us at one of the fantastic free events Sky has planned.”

And the final Skyride could well be the biggest – The Mayor of London’s Skyride on September 20. Visit www.goskyride.com to find out more information.