Thousands of cyclists are taking part in the Prudential RideLondon event which makes its way through west London on Sunday (July 31).

Amateur cyclists will take on the 100-mile course which sees them travel through Surrey and up famous Box Hill, as well as roads through Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster, raising thousands of pounds for good causes.

But also taking will be elite professional riders, with the most famous cyclist in the world also taking part.

Chris Froome, fresh from his third Tour de France victory, is among those taking part. He is racing as part of Team Sky as part of his training for the Rio Olympics which starts on Friday.

Other members of the Team Sky squad includes Geraint Thomas, Ian Stannard, Ben Swift, Christian Knees and Dutch sprinter Danny van Poppel.

But much like the marathon, what makes the event so special are the amateurs taking part, and their personal stories as they raise money for charities close to their heart.

Nigel Wakefield from Pinner is taking part in memory of his father, while Brentford and Isleworth MP Ruth Cadbury will be pedalling for Brentford FC Community Sports Trust (CST).

Such a huge event will obviously bring major disruption to roads around west London. Cyclists will cycle over Chiswick Bridge, Hogarth Roundabout, Hammersmith Flyover and through vast chunks of Kensington and Chelsea. Road closures and congestion on surrounding roads are to be expected.

And if you are one of the thousands planning to throng the streets, to support and friend or loved one or simply soak up the atmosphere, there are no shortage of pubs and beer gardens along the route to stop for refurbishments .