The Tour of Britain is currently underway, featuring some of the best male professional cyclists of the moment. With a focus on the demands and needs of such competitions, but also a desire to get as many people as possible involved in cycling, the Places to Ride programme was born.

More than 150 facilities have been built or refurbished and over £15 million (€17.772 million) of funding has been made available to ensure that it is easier than ever for people across the country to get involved in all forms of cycling. The project is a collaboration between British Cycling, Sport England and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. It all started with funding to create a lasting legacy from the UCI Road World Championships.

The event was held in Yorkshire. That competition was the starting point for what is now a consolidated project that contributed to the Olympic and Paralympic successes in Paris. The ability to train and practice in increasingly well-prepared facilities plays a part in both competitive success and social benefits for all ages.

A new report highlighting the impact on communities across the country has been published now that all the investment has been allocated. In total, the programme has supported

Six skate parks

49 BMX and pump tracks

10 off-road trails

23 mountain bike trails

17 learn to ride projects for beginners

44 equipment and storage facilities

Seven clubhouse units

The Places to Ride programme aimed to tackle inequalities. As a result, 83 per cent of the projects focused on children and young people, 41 per cent on women and girls, 35 per cent on low socio-economic groupsand 41 per cent on participants with disabilities or long-term health conditions.

Funded projects tend to provide traffic-free spaces for riding, developed in partnership with the local community, which are able to host other community events or activities to maximise their social benefits.

Minister for Sport, Media, Civil Society and Youth Stephanie Peacock said, "In 2019, I watched with pride as Yorkshire hosted the International Cycling Federation's World Road Championships, reaffirming the UK's strong track record as a host of major international events. Today, the legacy of those championships lives on, with more than 150 community cycling facilities across the country benefiting."

British Cycling CEO Jon Dutton adds,"We want everyone to experience the joy of cycling. We are very proud of what our athletes achieved in Paris this summer. But for us, this is just the beginning of what needs to happen at home."

Tim Hollingsworth, CEO of Sport England, said, "Sport England is proud to be working with British Cycling to deliver more and better community cycling facilities through 'places to ride'. This project isproviding more opportunities for a wide range of people to cycle."

They have been the driving force behind the effort, ensuring growth over the past five years. Behind every project there are people who work hard, who make decisions and who coordinate the various departments, from the structural to the financial and beyond. On the other hand, there are those whose actions and results give shape and meaning to the investments and efforts. 

There are athletes who have achieved success alongside the anonymous people who enjoy these facilities every day. One of these is British Olympic cyclist Tom Pidcock, MBE. Pidcock, an Olympic champion and one of Britain's most prominent cyclists in recent years, with victories in all disciplines - cyclocross, road and mountain biking - said: "Access to quality facilities has been crucial at every stage of my development.... These spaces will play a huge part in making cycling accessible to people from all walks of life and encouraging more people to take up the sport."