Olympic golden girl Victoria Pendleton backs Bradford event

The city has been chosen as the only one in Yorkshire to host the family-oriented Sky Ride, which will take in Bradford’s landmarks along traffic-free streets, so cyclists can enjoy the day on their bikes.

Miss Pendleton, who won the gold medal in the Women’s Individual Sprint Event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, said the event was an opportunity to get back into cycling or to take up the sport for the first time.

She said: “The Sky Ride is trying to encourage people to dust the cobwebs off their bikes, get out during this mass participation event and enjoy cycling around the city without the traffic, in a safe environment, just enjoying the day and getting cycling in a slightly different, non-training event.

“The roads are closed off within the city, there’s a specific cycle route and you can just ride around at your own leisure and enjoy the scenery and buildings you usually see from the car.”

A total of 12 such events will be taking place across major cities this summer, including London, Manchester and Glasgow, to encourage thousands of people, of all ages and abilities, to take up cycling.

The event has been organised by digital television company Sky and British Cycling, which it sponsors, and aims to build on the success of similar events last year, which saw more than 110,000 people taking part nationally.

Miss Pendleton said: “I went to the first one in London and I have been to events in Manchester.

“It’s really lovely because you get young children through to adults, people who don’t do cycling often and people who don’t cycle ever, and it’s just a really relaxed atmosphere.

“Some people don’t cycle in the city because they lack confidence with the traffic or they feel safer in their cars, so it’s just an opportunity to really get out there and enjoy your day and see if you can get into cycling.”

The event will take place in Bradford on Sunday, August 29. For more information go to goskyride.com.