London 2012 time trials to start at Hampton Court

The Olympic Games Cycling Time Trial route for London 2012 will now start and finish at Hampton Court Palace in South-West London.

The course will run through the London Borough of Richmond, the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, Surrey and Elmbridge Borough (full details below).

Last month LOCOG (the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games) revealed the full cycling schedule for the London 2012 Olympics. Tickets go on sale next week on Tuesday March 15th.

LOCOG chair Seb Coe said: "Hampton Court Palace is a stunning venue that will showcase the area. We have worked closely with the UCI and our partners to ensure that we have the best possible sporting course for the athletes and we are confident of spectacular races and worthy winners."

Mayor of London Boris Johnson added: "This is another great example of how we are bringing events to the outer boroughs of the city so that all Londoners can feel the buzz of the Games. From the 4,000 year old Bronze Age heritage of Bushy Park, to the Tudor magnificence of Hampton Court Palace, this is a beautiful part of the capital and one that is steeped in history. There can be no doubt that this particular route will provide a stunning backdrop for Time Trial cycling in 2012."

Details of the full route are as follows:
• For the men’s route, riders will head south over Hampton Court Bridge and into Surrey (Elmbridge district) before heading west on Hurst Road for a loop around Knights and Bessborough Reservoirs before returning to East Molesey.
• The riders then head south on Hampton Court Way before heading along Weston Green Road and More Lane to Esher Green.
• The course then heads to Hersham and onto Burwood Road where the course enters into a hillier section. It then heads towards Cobham on Seven Hills Road and returns to Esher, continuing along Portsmouth Road, entering the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and Kingston town centre.
• The course then takes in the Market Place in Kingston before crossing Kingston Bridge into the London Borough of Richmond and heading north to Teddington and Strawberry Vale before heading south to pass through Bushy Park before the finish on Hampton Court Way.
• The women’s course uses many of the same elements as the men’s course but to meet the required distance there are the following key differences.
• From the start in Hampton Court Palace the course heads south over Hampton Court Bridge and directly joins Hampton Court Way (that is, the course does not loop around Knights and Bessborough Resevoirs). On returning to Kingston and passing over Kingston Bridge the women turn left and proceed along Hampton Court Road between Bushy Parks and Hampton Court Palace grounds to the finish (that is, the women do not use the loop through Teddington and Bushy Park).