The Women's Cycling Road Race Comes to Fulham on Sunday

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Roads closed once again until late afternoon

After the Men's Olympic Cycling Road Race passed through Fulham on Saturday July 28, the excitement begins again on Sunday with the Women's Race, which again passes through Fulham on both the outward and return legs.

Crowds gathered along Fulham Road and Fulham Palace on Saturday morning to watch the outward section of the Olympic Cycling Road Race.

The 156 mile long race began at The Mall at 10am then followed a route through Chelsea and the down Fulham Road and Fulham High Street to Putney Bridge.

From there the cyclists went through Surrey to Dorking and then several times around Box Hill, then followed the same route back, cycling east along Fulham Road towards the Mall finishing line.

The excitement built at 3.30pm as the onlookers gathered to see the cyclists return on their way to The Mall. At the boundary of Fulham and Chelsea there were just five kilometers to go.

The crowd cheered on the cyclists, headed by Alexander Vinokourov of Kazakhstan who had broken away from the leading group around the 10 kilometer mark. He went on to win the gold medal after accelerating going down the mall, leaving silver medallist Rigoberto Uran of Colombia trailing in his wake.

There were special cheers for the British riders, though there was disappointment for Mark Cavendish, who had been a favourite but failed to win a medal on the day.

On Sunday July 28, it is the turn of the ladies with 67 women taking part in an 87 mile race. The GB competitors are Nicole Cooke, Lizzie Armistead, Emma Pooley and Lucy Martin. The race begins at noon and the women are expected to reach Fulham Road around 12.10pm, returning around - 3.30pm, though of course these times are not guarenteed and the return racers are expected to be more spread out.

Those who want to watch the race can watch it on a giant screen at a special event in Bishop's Park.

Hammersmith and Fulham Council says that on July 29 ,Fulham and Fulham Palace roads are closed from 5am and will reopen as soon as possible.

For advice about travelling during the Olympics, visit Get Ahead of the Games.

 

 

July 29, 2012