The British Heart Foundation’s flagship fundraising event the London to Brighton Bike Ride will return in summer 2022, following a two year break due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Social distancing guidelines saw the event cancelled this year and in 2020, with the 54-mile ride last taking place in June 2019, when it raised £2m for the charity.

For its return the annual fundraising event will take place on 19 June, 2022, starting at Clapham Common and finishing on Brighton Seafront.

The charity hopes to raise more than £2.8m at next year’s event, which will see around 16,000 cyclists take part.

The ballot to enter the event has now opened. Entry is free and successful applicants will be notified by email in December and asked to pay a £45 entry fee.

“It’s incredible to announce the return of our iconic London to Brighton Bike Ride,” said BHF head of innovations and products Krystyna Grant.

“The event is the highlight in our calendar and we’ve really missed cheering on the cyclists as they heroically pedal the 54 miles from London to Brighton to raise funds for our life saving research.

“Covid-19 has had a huge impact on the events and charity sector, so it feels good to be back. Next year’s London to Brighton Bike Ride will be the biggest closed road cycle event in the UK.”

Next year will be the 45th year of the event.

Stephen Rowe, chief marketing officer at next year’s sponsor PureGym, added: “We are excited to be the official sponsor of the BHF London to Brighton Bike Ride. This iconic event is not just an opportunity to raise funds and awareness of the important work that the BHF do, but it brings people together from all walks of life and all abilities to help build a healthier nation.

Mel Bucknell, 34, was one of the thousands of cyclists due to take part in the London to Brighton Bike Ride in 2020 and plans to take part in next year’s event.

“I am thrilled that the physical London to Brighton Bike Ride is back. I was devastated when it had to be cancelled in 2020 because I had put so much mental and physical energy into preparing for it,” she said.

While its flagship London to Brighton bike ride was cancelled this year, the BHF’s off-road cycle event between the capital and the seaside resort was staged successfully last month. This raised more than £500,000 for the charity.

Earlier this month organisers of the London Marathon announced that BHF will be its charity of the year in 2022.

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