The city of Rome has banned the circulation of all traffic within the fascia verde (green belt) from 08.30 to 17.30 on Sunday 14 October, to make way for the cycling event Gran Fondo Campagnolo Roma which involves some 5,500 cyclists.

The ban on traffic includes vehicles with permits to access the city centre and limited traffic zones (ZTL). However certain vehicles including electric cars, public transport and drivers with invalid passes are allowed to circulate. For a full list of permitted vehicles as well as the city boundaries see the Comune di Roma webpage www.comune.roma.it, and details of public transport can be found on Rome's mobility website www.agenziamobilita.roma.it.

The sporting event starts at 09.00 in Piazza di Porta Capena and consists of two routes: amateur cyclists follow a 95 km circuit while for the more experienced it is 150 km. The route takes cyclists through the historic centre, out the Via Appia Antica as far as the Castelli Romani before returning to the finishing line at Via Baccelli just after Porta S. Sebastiano.

Over the weekend there are initiatives to promote the event in the environs of the Baths of Caracalla which host an Expo Village and Bike Kid's Village for children. At the Villaggio Life medical personnel will perform free check-ups and offer advice against risks arising from cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, while the National Transplant Centre will promote organ donation.

Further details for the Gran Fondo Campagnolo Roma can be found on www.granfondoroma.it.