The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games has announced that the men’s and women’s Olympic cycle road races for the 2012 Games will pass through the eastern side of Guildford borough.
Cllr Terence Patrick, Councillor responsible for the Olympics, said: “This is great news for the borough. We are very pleased to be part of these spectacular racing events during the opening weekend of the Olympic Games. They will attract many visitors and athletes to our area, providing a significant boost to the local economy. We have been working closely with Surrey County Council and our other partners to help support these road races. It will also give local people a chance to watch these great events in their own community”.
The route will start and finish in London and take in about 130 miles of Surrey roads, passing through or near towns including Walton, Weybridge, Byfleet, Dorking, Leatherhead, Oxshott, Esher, East and West Molesey, as well as lapping Box Hill a number of times. It will also pass through or near the villages of West Horsley, East Clandon, Gomshall and Ripley in the borough of Guildford.
One million spectators are expected to line the route which will provide a huge boost to Surrey’s and Guildford’s local economy. Kent’s staging of a leg of the Tour de France in 2007 generated an estimated £40 million.