The 2017 Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic will become Great Britain’s first ever men’s UCI WorldTour race.
In its fifth year, the men's race has been awarded WorldTour status by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), putting it in the top tier of road races.
The women's race previously won top-tier status in 2016.
More than 100,000 riders participate in seven different events over the weekend of July 28-30 as part of the Prudential RideLondon event.
On the final day, Sunday July 30 this year, 25,000 riders will take on the challenge of the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 and another 5,000 riders will participate in the shorter mass participation challenge, the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 46.
The Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic rolls out from the spectacular setting of Horse Guards Parade in St James’s Park as the pro teams race through London and out into the beautiful Surrey countryside and the famous climbs of Leith Hill and Box Hill .
They then head back to the centre of the capital and the iconic finish on The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace.
Mick Bennett, race director of the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic, said: “We are extremely proud that the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic has been awarded UCI WorldTour status in just five years and is now one of the top tier of global races. It is a testament to the hard work done by everyone in the London & Surrey Cycling Partnership.
“Every year the race has grown in stature with the quality of the teams getting stronger and stronger. Last year we welcomed superstars such as Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas and saw former world champion Tom Boonen sprinting to victory after a fantastic race.
“UCI WorldTour status means the best teams and the best riders in the world will be taking part and I’m confident we will have a thrilling race that really will live up to its Classic name.”
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “The Prudential RideLondon Classic is one of the highlights of the greatest cycling festival in the world, and as Mayor, I’m delighted that this year the race will have its first ever UCI WorldTour status.
"With an array of superstar cyclists set to take part, the festival is guaranteed to help us inspire thousands more Londoners to take up cycling, and is yet another demonstration of how our great city attracts talent from around the globe.”
Denise Turner-Stewart, Surrey County Council's cabinet member for communities, said: "Achieving UCI WorldTour status is a great accolade for the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic which affirms Surrey's reputation as a world-class cycling destination and will doubtless inspire even more people from Surrey and beyond to take to two wheels.
"We're delighted to be welcoming many of the world's best riders to take on the challenge of competing on the county's roads this summer."
Four cyclists have died in the past three Ride London events, including two in 2016.
Richard Kell, 71, from Abingdon in Oxfordshire, died in hospital on August 23 last year after suffering injuries in a crash during the Ride-London 100 amateur race on Sunday July 31 that left him in a coma.
Mr Kell's death followed that of Robin Chard, also from Oxfordshire, who suffered a cardiac arrest at Kingston Bridge around 25 miles into the race .
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