Memories of the Olympics came flooding back as more than 20,000 amateur and professional cyclists powered through Kingston during the inaugural Ride London festival.

Thousands of residents and visitors took to the streets to cheer on the riders as they made their way from the Olympic stadium in east London to the Surrey Hills and back to the capital in a gruelling 100-mile round trip.

Roads were closed and buses diverted from the town centre as the cyclists twice passed through Kingston – the only town on the route included in both departing and returning legs of the race.

Among those taking part was Kingston councillor Simon James, lead member for sustainability and sport, who finished the course in five hours and 42 minutes.

Coun James said: “I thought it was great. There was probably stronger support in Kingston than anywhere else.

“Even as I came through for the first time at about 8.30am, there was a really good crowd. The atmosphere was brilliant.”

Pete Weller tweeted: “I thought it was a fantastic day. Plenty of action all through the day, support was great for all the amateurs.”

But not everyone was happy with the event.

Louise Mason had to abandon her car and walk a mile-and-a-half to her house in Stoke Road, in the private Coombe estate, after road closures prevented her from driving home at 5.50am.

The 56-year-old had walked her dogs at 4.45am to avoid the closures, only to return an hour later and be turned away by race marshals.

Once she got home, she said she felt “under house arrest” until the restrictions were lifted at about 7pm.

Mrs Mason said: “I was stuck there for 14 hours. Everything was shut. You couldn’t get in and you couldn’t get out.

“I don’t mind bikes rides as long as they’re well planned, but I thought it was a bit selfish.

“It was all for the riders and not for the residents.”

  • Will you welcome Ride London back next year? Leave a comment below or email ross.logan@london.newsquest.co.uk