World Record Holders in Pursuit of London Glory

 

Story posted June 4,

British Cycling Elite Circuit Series

Source: Event Press Release

Left: Silver medal winner in last years British Circuit Race championships, Ed Clancy and right, fellow world record breaker, Geraint Thomas.

 

Team Pursuit World Champions and Beijing Olympic gold medal prospects Geraint Thomas and Ed Clancy will return to race in the UK this Saturday evening. The pair were last seen in the UK breaking the Team Pursuit world record at the World Track Championships in Manchester. This time round they will be competing on the streets of London alongside the Best of British in the Smithfield Nocturne Elite Criterium, one of two Elite Circuit series races this week. The other will be at Brentwood on the Sunday.

 

The Smithfield Nocturne Elite event race will be the highlight of an action packed evening of bike racing around Smithfield Market in the heart of the capital. Thomas last raced in London at the Tour de France and the Barloworld pro is looking forward to return to the city, "It will be great to return to London as it’s not often we get the opportunity to race there,” he commented. “The Nocturne is obviously a different prospect to the Tour de France but I’m really looking forward to it. I’ve just come off the back of the Giro so I’m up for mixing it up in a crit race.”

 

Thomas will have had a week to rest his legs following a solid performance in the Italian Grand Tour where he placed 12th in the final time trial coming ahead of compatriot and time trial specialist David Millar. “I was pleased with my form in the Giro, especially in the final time trial. It bodes well for my preparation towards the Olympics. I’ve had some rest this week and have a free schedule so it was a perfect opportunity to race against some of my GB team mates and enjoy some action on the streets of London.”

 

The two record breakers are not the only major stars who will be thrilling the expected crowd. Two of the top teams in the country will be there with multiple crit stars in their line ups -- Rapha Condor/Recycling and Plowman Craven. The winner of the first round at Hillindgon on the other side of London, Graham Briggs (Rapha Condor/Recycling) is on the start sheet as is the man who was second there and in sensational form, Tony Gibb (Plowman Craven).

 

These two riders will however be just one of a number of stars who may well pull off the big one in London. Rapha have the likes of Dean Downing, Kristian House, and Chris Newton backed up by equally strong teammates whilst Plowman Craven can play a number of different cards because as well as Gibb they have the first winner of the Elite Circuit Series in 2003, Simon Gaywood along with Evan Oliphant and Tom Barras who have all shown themselves to be good in a crit bun fight.

 

These two teams however will not have the race to themselves as the race is packed with equally talented crit stars and when you have that many fast men in the one race, a brilliant race is to be expected. Team Halfords Bikehut will be flying their colours on the streets of London with top pros Rob Halfords and Tom Southam whilst Pearl Izumi too have shown themselves to be ready for the fight with the likes of Jon Mozely, Jersosen Janssen and Liam Holohan.

Graham Briggs, all smiles after winning the first round at Hillingdon.

 

And there are more likely victors! How about a Paris Roubaix winner? The Junior version that is as Andrew Fenn, fast on road or track, is entered as is a rider who knows his way round the streets, former winner Warrick Spence. And a dark horse underdog may be Andy Tinsley who has shown himself to be good at getting round the corners of a crit quick enough to upset the favourites.

 

One thing is for sure, as an opening salvo for the Elite Circuit Series next weekend, the race is a powder keg ready to explode on the streets of London and no there will, no doubt, be a big crowd there to watch it!

The Elite Circuit Series race will close a packed race programme which will also feature London commuters in the highly competitive folding bike race. This year it won’t just be Londoners fighting it out for glory as competitors have entered from as far a field as Barcelona and Slovenia.

 

“It is a long way to fly to race” said Enrique Casanovas from Barcelona. “We have been thinking of creating a folding bike race in Girona for several years so we are delighted to be able to join the event in London. The Brompton World Championships were hosted in Barcelona but we particularly like the format of the Nocturne and are looking forward to an exciting race”.

 

Full details of the Smithfield Nocturne can be found at http://www.smithfieldnocturne.co.uk/. The action will begin at 5pm and is free to attend for race fans and families alike.

 

START LIST FOR ELITE CIRCUIT SERIES EVENT

Last years winner: James McCallum

 

1. Geraint Thomas  Barloworld
2. Ed Clancy  Landbouwkrediet - Colnago
3. Dale Appleby  Rapha Condor 
4. Graham Briggs  Rapha Condor 
5. Rhys Lloyd  Rapha Condor 
6. Rob Partridge  Rapha Condor 
7. Simon Holt  Rapha Condor 
8. Dean Downing  Rapha Condor 
9. Kristian House  Rapha Condor 
10. Chris Newton  Rapha Condor 
11. Rob Hayles  Team Halfords 
12. Tom Southam  Team Halfords 
13. Tony Gibb  Plowman Cravan 
14. Simon Gaywood  Plowman Cravan 
15. James Millard  Plowman Cravan 
16. Tom Barras  Plowman Cravan 
17. Evan Oliphant  Plowman Cravan 
18. Neil Coleman  Plowman Cravan 
19. Simon Richardson  Plowman Cravan 
20. Alex Higham  Plowman Cravan 
21. Darren Barclay  Arctic Premier Racing Team 
22. Alister Tullett  Arctic Premier Racing Team
23. Jody Crawforth  Arctic Premier Racing Team
24. Matt Holmes  Arctic Premier Racing Team
25. David Law  Arctic Premier Racing Team
26. Steve Nunn  Arctic Premier Racing Team
27. Jos Van Veldoven  Rollapaluza
28. Paul Mill  Team Edwardes 
29. Jon Mozley  Pearl Izumi-planet X-High 5 
30. Matt Talbot  Glendene CC 
31. Liam Holohan  Pearl Izumi-Planet X-High 5 
32. Jersosen Janssen  Pearl Izumi-Planet X-High 5 
33. Stephen Adams  Pearl Izumi-Planet X-High 5 
34. Matthew Jones  Pearl Izumi-Planet X-High 5 
35. Raphael Deinhart  Pearl Izumi-Planet X-High 5 
36. Andy Tinsley  Pearl Izumi-Planet X-High 5 
37. Tom Smith  AWcycles.co.uk
38. Marcin Bialoblocki  Sports Beans-Willer 
39. Marcus Perry  Sports Beans-Willier 
40. Andrew Williams  Cwmcarn Paragon CC 
41. Adam Duggleby  Shorter Rochford RT 
42. Grant Bayton  Sports Beans-Willier 
43. Martin Freeman  Team Corley Cycles 
44. Karl Freeman  Team Corley Cycles 
45. Paul Delahunty  London Dynamo 
46. Martin Garratt  London Dynamo 
47. Ben White  Bike n Run London 
48. Warrick Spence  Cyclefit-Serotta

49. Daniel Rudd  CitiHub
50. Andrew Fenn  Dolan RT 
51. Mark Christian  Team Isle of Man 
52. George Atkins  Pearl Izumi-Planet X-High 5 
53. Dan Duguid  Sigma Sport RT 
54. Wouter Sybrandy Sigma Sport RT
55. Alex Wise  Sigma Sport RT .

 

RELATED LINKS

2007 Smithfield Nocturne Report

 

2008:

Smithfield Nocturne Press Release