Great Night Out at Smithfield Nocturne

 

June 7, 2008; London

Pictures by Larry Hickmott, Photo Album 1 by Gerry McManus
A British Cycling Elite Circuit Series Event

Top three on the night, series leader Graham Briggs, winner Geraint Thomas and second Rob Hayles.

 

Report

Welshman Geraint Thomas (Barloworld) showed again that the Giro D'Italia hadn't blunted his speed when he took victory in the Rapha sponsored Smithfield Nocturne on Saturday night in central London.

 

Thomas's attacking style finally saw him break clear of his four breakaway companions and he powered down the home straight packed with thousands of spectators ahead of Rob Hayles (Halfords-Bike Hut) and Rapha Condor Recycling.co.uk duo Graham Briggs and Dean Downing. Simon Richardson (Plowman Craven RT) had finally succumbed to the fast pace of the lead group and was caught a small group of chasers but held on to take fifth place.

The Elite race rockets off the start line....

 

The race started just as daylight was disappearing but the weather had stayed warm and dry after a sunny day in the capital. The attacks started from lap one with Tony Gibb exploding down the finishing straight to set the fast pace that was held throughout the race.

 

Thomas was the next to stretch his legs going clear with Gibb on his wheel and showing he was not just there to make up the numbers on the tight 1km circuit. It wasn't long before the continued attacking action saw breaks starting to appear in the long line of riders gritting their teeth to ensure they stayed in contact with the main field. Downing, Hayles, Richardson, Thomas and Simon Gaywood (Plowman Craven) had broken away and started to work together after a couple of laps of indecision. Briggs made contact with the leaders and immediately set about contributing to the pace on the front.

 

All the big teams were now represented in the front group and their team mates were riding tempo on the front of the main field controlling the speed and chasing down anything that dared to attack. As the race progressed it was Downing who attacked early to take the first of the sprint primes on the night. Ed Clancy (Landboukredit) was working hard to get into contention but his efforts were thwarted by Tom Southam (Halfords-Bike Hut) and Kristian House (Rapha Condor Recycling.co.uk) and thus gap to the leaders grew. Gaywood disappeared from the lead group to leave a quintet of riders all capable of winning the prestigious race and the lead steadily grew to 25 seconds.

A British hero from the Giro, Mark Cavendish got a roar from the crowd when he was brought up on stage before the final race.

 

Warrick Spence (Cyclefit-Serotta) did his best to bring the main field closer but Plowman Craven and Rapha were not allowing anyone to go clear. The rain started to spatter the circuit making the riders more nervous. Briggs touched wheels with Hayles and came down on the back of the circuit but remounted and eventually made contact after two laps of chasing.

 

The race was still only at half distance but with the big teams all in control the break stayed clear to fight for the big prize money. Clancy finally broke clear from the bunch with a small group in the final stages but the leaders were 30 seconds clear and still travelling rapidly. Thomas put in a number of attacks as the lap board showed five to go and the Welshman took a deserved win in front of an appreciative crowd.

Thomas cornering before the rain came down

 

Geraint Thomas
“I came here to have some fun,” said Thomas: “I wondered what I was doing when I went away so early but it was really good race. It is always good to race in front of a home crowd. It was a bit dodgy at times down at the bottom of the circuit and that’s why I was attacking so I could ride round there as slow as I could as I didn’t want to risk crashing.”

 

“I preferred to make it bit harder on my legs in the race rather than risk crashing. I have got a lot of serious training camps coming up and I didn’t  want to risk anything.”

 

“Plowman Craven and Rapha-Condor were strong and I knew I had to get into a break to limit the number of their riders that were with me. Coming out from the Giro I have got a lot of endurance and I had good legs all the way through. It was really encouraging to finish the Giro so strongly especially after all the work we put in for Mauricio (Soler) in the first week. To come 12th in the final time trial on the same time as Alberto Contador is not too bad is it really?”

The crowds for the race were all over the place on the course.

 

Graham Briggs
“I am please with the result,” said Briggs: “I had a crash on the bottom of the circuit when my back wheel went and Rob (Hayles) crashed into the back of me and I had to chase for two laps to get back on. I was last in the group coming into the last corner but I am pretty pleased really. I am just trying to get good results in all my races this year and if I manage to win the criterium series that would be a bonus. I am really enjoying riding with the team this year. I had raced in France before and had a bit of a bad time and I took time off the bike to re-assess what I wanted to do. I am enjoying being part of the team and enjoying racing again.”

 

Results

Thanks to James Pope of Face Partnership for the following results

 

Elite Race

1. Geraint Thomas, Barloworld
2. Rob Hayles, Team Halfords
3. Graham Briggs, Rapha Condor
4. Dean Downing, Rapha Condor
5. Simon Richardson, Plowman Cravan
6. Tom Southam, Team Halfords
7. Ed Clancy, Landbouwkrediet - Colnago
8. Dale Appleby, Rapha Condor
9. Evan Oliphant, Plowman Cravan
10. Kristian House, Rapha Condor
11. Tom Barras, Plowman Cravan
12. Jerosen Janssen, Pearl Izumi-Planet X-High 5
13. Jon Mozley, Pearl Izumi-Planet X-High 5
14. Jody Crawforth, Arctic Premier Racing Team
15. Tony Gibb, Plowman Cravan
16. Adam Duggleby, Shorter Rochford RT
17. Mark Christain, Team Isle Of Man
18. Matt Holmes, Arctic Premier Racing Team
19. Rob Partridge, Rapha Condor
20. Grant Bayton, Sport Beans-Willier
21. Neil Coleman, Plowman Cravan
22. George Atkins, Pearl Izumi-Planet X-High 6
23. Simon Holt, Rapha Condor
24. Dan Duguid, Sigma Sport RT
25. Darren Barclay, Arctic Premier Racing Team
26. Andy Tinsley, Pearl Izumi-Planet X-High 5
27. Marc Perry, Sport Beans-Willier
28. Jos Van Veldhoven, Rollapaluza
29. James Millard, Plowman Cravan
30. Marcis Bialoblocki, Sport Beans-Willier

 

Cat 3/4

1. Douglas Dewey, Team Tor 2000
2. Ben Wilson, Cycling Weekly
3. Jules Birks, Kingston Wheelers
4. Christopher Whorral, manx road club
5. Gavin Ryan, London Dynamo
6. Danial Clark, Brighton Mitre
7. Peter Wager, BC - Meudon
8. Werner Otto, Finchley Racing Team
9. Huw Watkins, Cyclefit
10. Guy Powdrill, Cyclefit
11. Will Hayter, London Dynamo / Cyclefit
12. Neil Pearson, Colour Tech RT
13. Joe Hemmant, Cyclefit
14. Jake Butler, In-Gear Development Squad/DFL
15. Paul Richards, Mosquito Bikes
16. Angus MacAlister, London Dynamo
17. Alex Palmer, Sigma Sport
18. Toks Adesanya, Addiscombe CC
19. Alec Leslie, John's Bikes RT
20. Harry Bulstrode, Thames Velo
21. Will Heddon, Glade CC
22. Torkel Dohmers, London Dynamo
23. Spencer Wilson, TEAM ECONOMIC ENERGY
24. Dermot Kealey, mosquito bikes
25. Adri Rouco, Rapha Condor Recycling
26. Jason Jeffers, Team Economic Energy
27. Alex Kirk, Shavedlegs.co.uk

Folding Bike Race

1. Keith Henderson Dahon
2. Nigel Foskett Airnimal Chameleon
3. Richard Bailey Xootr Swift
4. Andy Smallwood Dahon
5. Antonius Wubben Brompton
6. Wes Curtis Moulton
7. Will Carley Smith Brompton
8. Fergus Feilden Brompton
9. TBC 
10. Mark Oliver Dahon
11. Jereme McKaskill Brompton
12. Marcus Jackson-Baker Brompton
13. Richard Ostler Dahon
14. Russell Speed BROMPTON
15. TBC 
16. Nigel Saffey Brompton
17. Chris Phillips Brompton
18. Peter Buckney Brompton
19. Paul Bullett Dahon
20. Derek Stordahl Dahon
21. Darren Over Brompton
22. Richard Symmonds Brompton
23. Richy Spens Brompton
24. Will Butler-Adams Brompton
25. TBC 
26. Ian Taylor Brompton
27. Cliff Rice Brompton M3LX
28. Oliver Brock Bromton
29. Carl James Dahon
30. Alex Murray Brompton.

Girls Roller Challenge
1. Lilani Venelast 29.06
2. Ellie Davies 29.95

 

Boys Roller Challenge
1. Iago O'Flynn 27.51
2. Hisham Al-Ramah 27.75

More Images - see also Gallery at top of page for pictures by Gerry McManus

Thomas aims high -- next stop -- Beijing!

Thomas sprinting in the rain for a great victory cheered on by a massive crowd

Ed Clancy was also showing good form on the streets of London

Dean Downing was awesome at Smithfield and finished fourth

Not a running race but the start of the Folding bike race

Plenty of roller racing too with the kids from local schools providing the action

Folding bike race sponsored by Halfords

start of the 3/4 race

Douglas Dewy wins for Team Tor 2000 after the two riders dominated the 3/4 race with a long break. afterwards he spoke and said  he was delighted with his victory in front of the big crowd in the centre of London. “I am very pleased with that result,” said the 19-year-old:

 

“It was tough in the break but we made it work. The race was jumping around the place and attacks were going and being brought back so I decided to make a decisive move and I went hard and managed to take one guy with me and we made it count. It was really special riding in front of the crowd here. I have only ridden races where there crowd is this big and it is really awesome. Round ever corner, every time you sprint and every time you look up, the crowd are screaming at you. And they all know your name because they read it in the start sheet.”

 

“The time gap was coming down near the end,” continued the second cat from Somerset: “So we had to out the hammer down again. I have always been fairly good at time trialling so I just kept the pace high and hoped we would stay away. I attacked with five laps to go so I knew that my companion in the break wasn’t feeling too strong and he sat on my wheel for the last two laps so I put the hammer down on the last corner and he couldn’t come round me.”

Some close finishes kept the crowd screaming for more.

 

RELATED LINKS

2008 Preview

2007 Report