Last weekend (3-4 August 2013), 20,000 cyclists descended upon London for the inaugural Prudential RideLondon cycling event, part of the governments Olympic legacy plans. The festival of cycling ran over the weekend consisting of a freecycle through London, an 8 mile open event which allowed riders to take in the sites of England’s capital city without cars. There was also a pro cycling event on Sunday which covered the Olympic road race 140 mile route from London to Surrey and back.
Benchmark International team member Paul McCarney took part in the Ride London-Surrey 100. The 100 mile route started at the Olympic park early on Sunday morning, passing through the heart of the city of London and out into the hills of Surrey. Taking in the gruelling Leith Hill and Box Hill in Surrey, the race then looped back towards the city once more and finally ending on the Mall in front of a large crowd.
Paul completed the event in just over 6 hours and managed to raise over £1000 for the CDLS Foundation, a charity which provides support for individuals suffering from Cornelia de Lange Syndrome and their families.