A CYCLING event will return to Essex for at least the next three years after Essex County Council reached an agreement with RideLondon to continue hosting the series.

RideLondon, which sees professional cyclists race through Colchester on their way to the finish line in London, was first held in 2013 as a legacy event following the success of the 2012 Olympics.

The event also features a mass participation ride where 20,000 riders cycle through Essex and finish at Tower Bridge.

Now, the future of cycling festival has been secured for the next three years after county hall and Ford RideLondon announced on Tuesday the event will continue in 2024, 2025, and 2026.

Essex County Council has been awarded £1.75 million in funding from the London Marathon Foundation as part of the partnership.

Essex County Council cabinet member for highways maintenance and sustainable transport, Lee Scott, said the authority is looking forward to being part of the event once again.

He said: “The Ford RideLondon Classique brings world-class sport to the county while the Ford RideLondon-Essex mass participation rides raise millions of pounds for good causes each year.

“The events bring thousands of people to the county every year and showcase our beautiful county on both the national and international stage.

“We very much look forward to this event improving even further in the coming years.”