Maldon is set to host the first stage of RideLondon Classique, a race featuring the best female cyclists in the world, it was announced today (Friday, 18 February).

The first stage of the Classique, a three-day UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) Women's WorldTour road race, will start and finish on Friday 27 May in Maldon.

The second stage will begin in Chelmsford and finish in Epping, while the final stage will take place in central London on Sunday 29 May.

Details of the exact routes will be announced in the coming weeks.

It comes as the route for the inaugural RideLondon-Essex, taking place later that weekend, is revealed - with 25,000 cyclists set to ride on traffic-free roads throughout Essex and London on 29 May.

In total, 65 miles of Essex roads are included in the 100-mile event route, which will begin in central London, enter Essex via Epping Forest and pass through Chipping Ongar and villages such as Fyfield and Leaden Roding before reaching Great Dunmow.

Felsted will mark just over halfway in the ride, as cyclists head back south towards Chelmsford on the 2014 Tour de France route, heading west towards Writtle, then back towards Chipping Ongar and into London before finishing at Tower Bridge.

60-mile and 30-mile routes will also be available to participants.

Roads on the routes will be fully closed on the day.

Councillor Lee Scott, cabinet member for highways maintenance and sustainable transport at Essex County Council, said: "With our beautiful countryside and picturesque villages, there's a lot more to Essex than a lot of people realise and we're looking forward to showcasing the county to riders and spectators alike."

This is the first year of a partnership between RideLondon, an annual festival of cycling which has been cancelled for the past two years due to the pandemic, and the county council.

Hugh Brasher, event director of RideLondon, said: "We have designed routes that showcase the very best of Essex, including a section of the 2014 Tour de France route, which will bring back fantastic memories for so many people who welcomed that event to the county so enthusiastically."

He added: "It's an amazing sight to see so many cyclists on traffic-free roads, riding for all sorts of reasons, including raising important funds for charity, adding to the £80 million the event has raised since starting in 2013."

The partnership will see communities across Essex receive funding from The London Marathon Charitable Trust.

Catherine Anderson, executive director of The London Marathon Charitable Trust, said: "During the seven years RideLondon was held in Surrey, we awarded more than £4.9 million to projects locally that inspired activity.

"We're very excited to have the same impact in Essex and create a lasting legacy from this partnership."

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