The Tour de France winner Alberto Contador proved the biggest draw at the annual Cycle Show. The Spanish rider was mobbed by fans and cycling enthusiasts at Earls Court in West London when he appeared for a question-and-answer session, during which he revealed that he was returning to Britain in December for a holiday.

The most-talked-about subject among the visitors is the announcement of a cycle hire project set to be introduced in London next summer, along with the routes of the first 2 of 12 cycling superhighways that will cross the capital.