A man was photographed brazenly riding a stolen bike down the Mall among thousands of other cyclists after it was taken from a participant in the Prudential RideLondon cycle event.

Images of the man riding the £2,600 green Trek Madone 4.9 down the road which links Buckingham Palace with Trafalgar Square were taken by official event photographers.

In images released by the Metropolitan Police today, he is shown wearing a safety helmet as he rides the bike, which belongs to a 42-year-old man taking part in the event, after it was stolen from nearby Green Park on August 3.

Pc Charlotte Brierley, of Scotland Yard’s Cycle Task Force, said: “The victim was about to take part in the FreeCycle event when his bicycle was stolen.

“The theft took place in the middle of a very busy event and we are urging people who were there who may have seen anything to come forward.

“As a result he could not take part in the event which he was looking forward to participating in.”

The bike was taken from close to Constitution Hill in the park before the event started at 1pm by thieves who cut the lock, police said.

The man is seen in the photographs wearing a blue cycle helmet, sunglasses, a blue and white striped T-shirt, beige/grey shorts and blue and white shoes.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: “An official RideLondon photographer taking pictures of all riders participating captured the stolen bike, with race numbers still attached, being ridden along the Mall.

“The victim found the images posted online by official photographers and subsequently passed them on to the Cycle Task Force.”

RideLondon saw up to 50,000 people of all ages, shapes and sizes take to the saddle to enjoy an eight-mile traffic-free route that took in many of London’s most famous landmarks.

Billed as the UK’s largest mass participation cycling festival, it took place a year on from Team GB’s gold rush on the road and in the velodrome at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Anyone with information about the theft can contact Pc Brierley on 07768 928456 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.