Historic Battle in Edinburgh this Saturday

Kristian House and Cameron Meyer prepare to do battle on the Edinburgh cobbles.

Garmin-Transitions professional Cameron Meyer will be looking for an Australian victory in Scotland this weekend as he takes on the cream of British bike racing on the cobbles of Edinburgh at the Edinburgh Nocturne (3rd July). Meyer will look to improve on his third place from last year and will once again face Rapha Condor Sharp's Kristian House who out sprinted him to second place behind race winner David Millar.

House just takes Aussie Cameron Meyer on the line at Edinburgh in 2009.

"Last year I rode well and finished on the podium after helping my team mate David Millar win the race" said Meyer. "This year I am hoping for the win and joining me will be my Australian team mate Luke Durbridge who is in some great form. Together we hope to put in a good performance and take a win for the Aussies."

"I think the Pro Tour riders for sure will be watched but to me it's the UK teams which are of more danger in taking the win. They know how to race these circuits very well and are keen to show the pro riders how strong they are. It will be an exciting race."

Former British Road Race champion Kristian House will be one of the British danger men and is looking forward to returning to the tough cobbled Grassmarket circuit. The winner of a round of the Tour Series says "The course suits me quite well. It's a hard course with a good cobbled climb in it. There's not a lot of rest on it either so it provides a good chance for riders to break away."

"As always you have to watch key riders when racing and I think Russell (Downing) will be out to win. He's always up for a race".

Team Sky's Russell Downing will be one of a contingent of Pro Tour stars making the trip to Edinburgh with HTC-Columbia's Matt Goss and Jonny Bellis from Saxo Bank also on the start sheet. Scotland will be represented by the powerful Endura team who will have plenty of firepower from James McCallum, Ian Wilkinson and Jack Bauer who made the podium at the recent HTC Smithfield Nocturne.

The Edinburgh Nocturne is free to attend and racing starts at 6pm. The Elite event will get underway just before 9pm and full details are on www.edinburghnocturne.com

Matt Goss (Columbia) racing at Smithfield next to fellow Aussie Dean Windsor.

Previously ...
After a mega successful Smithfield Nocturne in London (report), the series moves to Scotland and Edinburgh where more ProTour cycling stars are confirmed to race on 3rd July. HTC-Columbia's Matt Goss, Saxo Bank's Jonny Bellis and Russell Downing of Team Sky will join Garmin-Transitions riders Cameron Meyer and Luke Durbridge who were confirmed earlier this month.

The Edinburgh Nocturne coincides with the start of the Tour de France which has meant that quite a few continental riders are available to race in Edinburgh, "Initially we were worried that a clash with the start of the Tour would make it difficult to get riders" commented Event Organiser James Pope. "However, there are only nine riders from each team in the Tour so the other riders have been looking for racing and have been contacting us eager to come to Edinburgh."

"We are really pleased to have four ProTour teams represented" he continued. "Meyer and Durbridge have already made their intentions clear about working together for the win so the caliber of racing is set to be superb."

Strong squads from British teams Rapha Condor Sharp, Endura and Motorpoint Marshalls-Pasta will all be ready to take on the continental pros. These teams are coming off the back of a packed criterium programme in June which included the HTC Smithfield Nocturne last weekend (19th June). Current National Criterium Champion Russell Downing will also be a strong contender and will be lining up against his old team mates from Motorpoint-Marshalls Pasta.

"It will be interesting to see if Russell gets any help from Motorpoint-Marshalls Pasta, particularly if they want to control Meyer" said Pope. "We also can't rule out the likes of Kristian House who came second last year out-sprinting Meyer. Kristian has said the circuit suits him so he'll be another danger man".

The event kicks off at 6pm and is free to attend. Other races include the Cycling Weekly Support Race, Edinburgh Team Challenge and Marshalls Pasta Folding Bike Race.

For more information go to www.edinburghnocturne.com