Essex Police has called on RideLondon participants who may have witnessed a serious collision during the event to come forward with camera footage or information. The appeal comes after a cyclist taking part in the sportive was involved in a collision with a motorist driving on a road that was supposed to be closed to non-event traffic, the driver then leaving the scene.
The cyclist suffered four fractured vertebrae when they were hit on Ongar Road in Fyfield at around 10.25am on Sunday 26 May, around 34 miles into the 100-mile route.
It is believed the vehicle being driven on the road closed to non-event traffic was a silver Ford Focus that had entered the course, the driver then involved in a collision before leaving the scene.
Essex Police said: "We believe there will be a significant number of people who will have witnessed what happened and we need them to come forward. If you have any information, CCTV, dash cam or other footage in relation to this incident, then please get in contact with us. Please quote incident 369 of 26 May.
"You can let us know by submitting a report on our website or by using our online Live Chat service available Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays) between 10am-9pm. Visit our website to find out more about our website reporting services. If you would like to make an anonymous report you can contact independent charity @Crimestoppers, by visiting their website or by calling 0800 555 111."
The event was moved to Essex in 2022 after Surrey County Council withdrew its support, councillors expressing a desire to host "less disruptive events". An SCC survey found that a "significant proportion of respondents were strongly opposed to the event", largely due to roads across the county being closed for almost all day on the Sunday it was held.
RideLondon moved to Essex and now also involves the three-day Women's WorldTour RideLondon Classique, this year won by a dominant Lorena Wiebes who took all three stages on her way to victory.
The transition to Essex has not been without issue. Ahead of the event making its debut in the county in 2022, two cyclists reported being assaulted while riding the route of the upcoming sportive, a driver in a black Ford pickup truck having pulled alongside them on the Epping New Road, near the Wake Valley car park, before throwing drawing pins at the cyclists and along the bike lane.
"Whilst in the cycle lane, a black Ford pickup truck pulled alongside us and threw several handfuls of drawing pins in our faces and along the cycle lane," the cyclist said. "Luckily we had sunglasses on so we were not injured and our bikes came out unscathed. I'm not sure why but I suspect it may be a local who is upset about the upcoming road closures."
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Last year, an Ongar town councillor called the sportive "restrictive" due to the road closures residents were subject to and said the event was not wanted because locals "can't get out of their own road".
The event's organiser London Marathon Events said that despite the early wet weather on the morning of this year's edition, more than 21,500 cyclists rolled out from the start at Victoria Embankment to tackle one of the three distances (100, 60 or 30 miles) all taking riders from central London into Essex before returning to the city for the Tower Bridge finish.