ON THE last day of the famous Tour de France race, Bournemouth will be filled with bicycles itself in a national event.

Sky Ride Bournemouth will be in town this Sunday and is designed to actively encourage people of all ages and abilities to get back on their bikes.

Sky Sports TV presenter Simon Thomas officially launched the event and will be kicking off the action on Sunday at 10am.

He said: “Come down with your bike or hire one and give it a go. Even if you’ve never done it before.”

He added: “I will be riding round on Sunday with everyone else as I’m getting back into cycling. I cycled loads as a kid. I love it.

“By 2013, we hope to have one million more people regularly and actively using their bikes.”

The 6.4km route will take in Meyrick Park, Bournemouth Town Centre, the Bournemouth Eye in the Lower Gardens and the Pier and those taking part are invited to join the route at any part, although the main entertainment will be at Meyrick Park.

The Sky cycle ride, which is expected to draw between 5,000-7,000 people, is held in partnership with Bournemouth Borough Council.

The mayor, Cllr Chris Rochester, and cabinet member for technical services, Cllr Michael Filer, also got on their bikes for the launch.

Mary Cutler, healthy schools co-ordinator at Kingsleigh Primary School in Kinson, said: “We’re a Healthy Schools Plus school and we’re also a Bike-It school so we took part in the Big Pedal earlier in the year. We’ve now got a new bike shed at the school, so there’s quite a big push on cycling.”

She added: “A lot of our children have passed their cycling proficiency test in the past few weeks so the timing with the Sky Ride is great.“ Ryan Gardener, aged nine, said: “I like cycling because it’s great to be outdoors and it’s a good way to get healthy.”

Team Sky professional road bicycle racer, John-Lee Augustyn will be leading the Sky Ride Bournemouth.

Sky Ride Bournemouth have teamed up with Front Bike Hire, which is based on Bournemouth seafront.

For more information, including a map of the route, visit the website at goskyride.com/Bournemouth.