Sky Ride a huge success

An estimated 85,000 people took part in a record-breaking Mayor of London's Sky Ride on Sunday.

Sir Chris Hoy hails 'fantastic day'

Tens of thousands of people flocked to London on Sunday to take part in the biggest mass-participation cycling event ever held in the UK. An estimated 85,000 people of all ages and on bikes of all shapes and sizes enjoyed the Mayor of London's Sky Ride on roads which were closed off for the day. The route took in many iconic landmarks - including Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London. And the the Mayor himself said: "The sight of hordes of cyclists pedalling their way along traffic free roads, past some of London's most glorious landmarks, brought joy to my heart.'' Four-time Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy, who joined the cyclists to promote the event, said it was "fantastic" to be among so many people on bikes. "The best part of these events is that it doesn't matter if you are a novice or a more experienced rider - they have something for all ages and abilities. "The aim is to get a million more people cycling regularly by 2013 and I'm told we are on target for that. As a cycling fan and a cyclist I'm incredibly excited by it all."