Walton on Thames gets prepared for Olympic road race dress rehearsal

The finishing touches are being put to preparations for the London-Surrey Cycle Classic as Walton on Thames gets ready to welcome some of the world's best cyclists.

The 140km race on Sunday (August 14) will act as a rehearsal for the Olympic men's and women's road races next year, which will take place in Surrey and London, again taking in Walton on Thames.

Mark Cavendish, winner of five stages at last month's Tour de France, will be joined in the test race by Great Britain team-mates and riders from countries including Australia, America and Japan. Spectators will have unlimited access to watch the elite action for free along nearly all of the 80km loop of Surrey.

Road closures in Walton on Thames as well as other affected parts of Surrey and London, will be in place in some areas from 6am and some roads will not reopen until 2.15pm. This is to allow barriers to be put up and taken down, support staff and emergency services to take their place and crowds to arrive and leave safely. There will be several crossing points along the race route to allow emergency services and public transport to get in and out.

Spectators are advised to avoid Box Hill, where access is restricted to protect the environment, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Only people with an official wristband can gain entry to the 1.8km Zig Zag Road section. Local residents, children and cyclists received wristbands from LOCOG and all have now been allocated. The county council retained a small number for operational use.

Approximate times at which riders are expected to pass relevant points on the course:

·        The Mall – start 09:00 and finish 12:10

·        Bushy Park – 09:30

·        Hampton Court Palace – 09:35 and 11:40

·        Walton-on-Thames – 09:45

·        Ripley Village – 10:05

·        Gomshall – 10:25

·        Westcott – 10:30

·        Dorking – 10:35

·        Box Hill (restricted access) – between 10:40 and 11:20

·        Esher – 11:35

·        Kingston upon Thames – 11:50