Olympians and ex-WorldTour riders to race on streets of London this weekend

The City of London Nocturne, a prominent criterium event, is making its return to the British racing calendar this weekend after an eight-year hiatus. The event, previously known as the Smithfield Nocturne, will feature charity pro-am races on Friday followed by elite criteriums on Saturday evening. Among the notable participants are Olympians and former WorldTour riders, underscoring the event’s high calibre and renewed significance within the domestic racing scene. Key competitors include current British criterium champions Cameron Mason of Alpecin-Premier Tech and Kate Richardson from Handsling Alba Road Development Team. Former WorldTour professionals such as Ryan Gibbons, a former South African champion, and Alex Dowsett, a six-time British time trial champion and two-time Giro d’Italia stage winner, are also set to compete, with Gibbons racing in the elite event and Dowsett participating in the charity pro-am relay. Olympic gold medallist Ed Clancy will lead a pro-am team, while Olympic silver medallists Josie Knight and Ollie Wood will race in the women’s and men’s elite criteriums respectively. The elite races are classified as UCI Pro Criterium events, similar to prestigious international criteriums like the Tour de France Saitama and Singapore Criteriums, though they do not award UCI ranking points. Instead, the races contribute towards the Rapha Super-League, a domestic points competition that attracts many of Britain’s top teams and riders. The races will take place on a 1.3km closed circuit in the City of London, starting and finishing on Queen Victoria Street near Bank Station, with the women’s race commencing at 8pm and the men’s at 9pm on 13 June. Broadcast live on TNT Sports and HBO Max, the event promises to deliver high-quality racing action to a broad audience. The return of the City of London Nocturne not only revitalises a historic race but also provides a platform for British riders to compete at a high level in a vibrant urban setting. With strong fields and significant media coverage, the event is poised to become a key fixture in the UK’s cycling calendar once again.