Image: London 2012

Road race

The men's road race will take place on 28 July, with the women's held on 29 July. Both events will begin on The Mall, before the riders head south-west through the city. They will then cross the Thames at Putney Bridge and continue out through Richmond Park and past Hampton Court Palace.

The Surrey section of the course incorporates several circuits of a challenging loop around Box Hill (nine for the men’s Road Race, two loops for the women’s equivalent), before the riders head north through Leatherhead, Esher, Kingston, Richmond Park and back to The Mall for a dramatic finish.

The Mall is an iconic location in central London and a popular backdrop for formal ceremonies and major sporting events.

Its iconic red road will also give the effect of a giant red carpet for athletes participating in the road events that start and finish at the venue during the London 2012 Games.

Time trial

Held on 1 August, the time trials will begin and end at historic Hampton Court Palace in south-west London, and will incorporate sections of Richmond, Kingston-upon-Thames and Surrey. Both events are held over a single lap, with the variations in the men’s and women’s courses reflecting the different distances.

A former royal residence based on the banks of the River Thames in south-west London, Hampton Court Palace will provide a spectacular setting for the road cycling time trial.

The palace also boasts a rich sporting history: It is home to the oldest surviving real tennis court in England – one of fewer than fifty real tennis courts in the world. There is also an 18-hole golf course within the palace grounds.

Course maps

Road race

Men's time trial

Women's time trial

If this summer has inspired you to get on a bike...