Riders on the off road track at Redbridge Cycling Centre

Cyclists given chance to welcome Olympic flame when it comes to Redbridge

by Zjan Shirinian, News Editor Monday, May 28, 2012
12:45 PM

Cyclists will be hand picked to welcome the Olympic flame to Redbridge in a once-in-a-lifetime event.

The flame will set off from Redbridge Cycling Centre on Sunday, July 22, and the hunt is on for people to saddle up and send it on its journey through the street of the borough. The Redbridge leg of the Olympic torch relay will set off from the centre in Forest Road, Hainault at 7.19am.

Members of the public will not be permitted to enter the centre, but a lucky few cyclists will be asked to ride as the torch is lit.

A “celebrity cyclist” whose name has yet to be announced will join them.

Vision Redbridge, which is responsible for leisure services in the borough, is looking for cyclists of all ages and from different areas of the sport such as road, mountain bikes, BMX, and vintage/historic bikes.

Those wanting to take part will need to be on site by 6am.

To register your interest, email rcc@vision-rcl.org.uk,

The flame is in the second week of its 70-day tour of Britain.

When the flame comes to Redbridge, days before the opening ceremony, it will travel down Forest Road and Fairlop Waters Country Park, being taken on to a boat crossing the park’s lake. It will pass through High Street, Barkingside; Cranbrook Road; the grounds of Valentines Mansion off Emerson Road, Ilford; Bethell Avenue, Ilford; Ilford town centre; Clements Road and Clements Lane, Ilford; Winston Way, Ilford and Ilford Lane, Ilford. Twenty-six people will carry the torch.