I bumped into the 2013 edition of the Prudential RideLondon Grand Prix accidentally while wandering around in Central London, which proves how uninformed I can be sometimes. I liked the race so I secured accreditation for this year’s race. It was a great day out and the crowd created a great atmosphere, equally cheering on every rider, not just the top 10.
However, it puzzled me that an event at such scale why would save a few pennies on course-wide PA system. I’m sure the commentary was great but if you were anywhere on the course other than the finish line, you had no idea what was happening in the race. It was great to see so many great riders, including Marianne Vos, fighting for the win but the lack of a PA system didn’t help much to make the uninitiated more informed. Maybe next year.
![Nikki Harris prepares for the 2014 RideLondon Grand Prix.](http://cyclephotos.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2014-road-cycling-ride-london-002-nikki-harris.jpg)
![The timing chip is being put on Marianne Vos' bike before the 2014 RideLondon Grand Prix.](http://cyclephotos.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2014-road-cycling-ride-london-003.jpg)
![Checks on Marianne Vos' bike before the 2014 RideLondon Grand Prix.](http://cyclephotos.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2014-road-cycling-ride-london-004.jpg)
![Lizzie Armitstead pins on her race number on her skinsuit before the 2014 Prudential RideLondon Grand Prix.](http://cyclephotos.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2014-road-cycling-ride-london-lizzie-armitstead-006.jpg)
![The wheel man](http://cyclephotos.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2014-road-cycling-ride-london-010.jpg)
![Marianne Vos and Lizzie Armitstead faces the photographers before the 2014 RideLondon Grand Prix.](http://cyclephotos.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2014-road-cycling-ride-london-011-marianne-vos.jpg)
![Marianne Vos, Lizzie Armitstead and 2013 winner Laura Trott lines up before the 2014 Prudential RideLondon Grand Prix.](http://cyclephotos.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2014-road-cycling-ride-london-013-marianne-vos.jpg)
![BBC presenter Jill Douglas talks to the riders minutes before the start of the 2014 Prudential RideLondon Grand Prix.](http://cyclephotos.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2014-road-cycling-ride-london-014-jill-douglas.jpg)
![Balancing act](http://cyclephotos.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2014-road-cycling-ride-london-015.jpg)
![Sarah Storey rides the 2014 Prudential RideLondon Grand Prix.](http://cyclephotos.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2014-road-cycling-ride-london-020-sarah-storey.jpg)
![Riders ride past the Buckingham palace in the last lap of the 2014 Prudential RideLondon Grand Prix.](http://cyclephotos.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2014-road-cycling-ride-london-021.jpg)
![Nikki Harris after the 2014 Prudential RideLondon Grand Prix.](http://cyclephotos.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2014-road-cycling-ride-london-022-nikki-harris.jpg)
![The podium of the 2014 Prudential RideLondon Grand Prix.](http://cyclephotos.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2014-road-cycling-ride-london-025.jpg)