In September, Savills Cambridge was lead sponsor of the 2017 Savills Gog Magog Gran Fondo, which took riders through the beautiful South Cambridgeshire countryside, with just a little bit of Essex thrown in for the gradients.

Cycling can be a sport in which gruelling conditions test riders to the very limit. On the other hand, hopping on a bike can also be an extremely handy and pleasant means of commuting or seeing the countryside.

If you find yourself in the latter camp, the forgivingly flat terrain and dry climate of Cambridge and its surrounds probably go a long way to explain why cycling and the city are so closely linked. You might work up a bit of a sweat, but the chances are you won’t get soaked. According to the 2011 Census, 29 per cent of Cambridge's working residents choose to cycle to work, which is more than in any other local authority.

Cycle routes, currently in the process of being further improved by the Greater Cambridge Partnership’s Cross City Cycling scheme comprising five new projects, are the city's umbilical cord, linking students with their colleges and, in the face of heavy traffic, offering a great solution to the school run, too.

For me, cycling is about freedom, café stops and socialising with fellow aficionados and, above all, a real sense of achievement. From sit-up-and-beg bikes to machines with top-end carbon frames, bicycles are arguably as synonymous with Cambridge as the punts on the Cam.

Further information

Read more: View the 2018 event here