Cyclists can put themselves forward for RideLondon-Essex 2023 later this month.

Entries for the 100-mile mass bike ride will open on Wednesday, September 23 after more than 20,000 riders took part in the ride in May this year.

An organisers' statement reads: "For a second successive year, the iconic 100-mile challenge, the centrepiece of the world’s greatest cycling festival, will start and finish in central London and include a loop of Essex, offering people a unique chance to cycle on 100 miles of traffic-free roads.

"The first 10,000 places in the RideLondon-Essex 100 will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

"Once these entries are sold out, the remainder of the general entries will be available via a ballot, which will close at 5pm on Friday, October 28.

"Entry is £99.

"The entry page will be via https://www.ridelondon.co.uk/."

RideLondon's official charity partner for the coming year is Alzheimer's Society.

This year's RideLondon-Essex 100 event started at Victoria Embankment in central London before leaving the capital via the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and Woodford.

The route took in Epping, Ongar, Writtle, Felsted, Great Dunmow, Leaden Roding, Fyfield and Chigwell Row before re-entering London.

The May 2022 event also featured 60 and 30-mile rides along with the flagship 100-mile event.

The RideLondon festival is run by London Marathon Events and is a London 2012 Olympics legacy project.

Since 2013 - the first event - the festival has featured the RideLondon Classique, which is now part of the UCI Women's WorldTour series.

Dutch racer and 2022 European Games road race gold medallist Lorena Wiebes won all three stages of the Classique this year - the first time that the race has been held in Essex, having previously been held in Surrey.

Saffron Walden Reporter: Lorena Wiebes wearing a yellow jersey at The Women's Tour (Tewkesbury to Gloucester) in June 2022, after having won the RideLondon-Essex Classique the month beforeLorena Wiebes wearing a yellow jersey at The Women's Tour (Tewkesbury to Gloucester) in June 2022, after having won the RideLondon-Essex Classique the month before (Image: Ben Birchall/PA Wire/PA Images)

The RideLondon-Essex 100 2023 is set to take place on Sunday, May 28.

"The full format of the 2023 event and routes across London and Essex will be announced over the coming months," an organisers' statement reads.