Morning:
14°c
Elle Macpherson calls on Londoners to get on their bikes
17.06.09
Supermodel Elle Macpherson joined Olympic champion cyclist Victoria Pendleton and television presenter Gethin Jones today to encourage the British public to get on their bikes.
This summer four cities will close many roads to traffic and thousands of people will take to the streets on their bicycles.
Ms Macpherson, 45, who lives in London's Notting Hill, said: "There's going to be this huge community, this surge of people riding their bikes and hopefully rediscovering a very simple pleasure."
Skyride, a campaign by Sky and British Cycling, will hold the mass participation events in Manchester, Glasgow, Leicester and London.
Australian Macpherson, who wore black sunglasses, a white vest and black leggings while posing on a bike, added: "You don't have to be an Olympic champion to cycle. Get out there and enjoy the environment and enjoy being with the family."
Research by YouGov revealed 38% of the adult British population own a bike, which is over 17.5 million bikes, but of these bike owners 42% haven't used their bikes so far in 2009, which is 7.4 million unused bicycles.
Pendleton, 28, who won a gold medal in the women's sprint in Beijing last year, said: "It's a great opportunity for people who have got a bike at home but haven't really had the motivation to get out there and use it as much as they could.
"The great thing about cycling is you don't have to be a particular size or age to do it, anyone can do it."
Television presenter Gethin Jones, from Cardiff, will be cycling over 500 miles, from Manchester to Glasgow to Leicester to London, to promote the campaign and the 31-year-old said: "I can't wait for the challenge. I'm having to go further than I've ever been before on a bike."
The Skyride events are taking place in Manchester on Sunday August 2, Glasgow on Sunday August 23, Leicester on Sunday August 30 and London on Sunday September 20.
