Team Sky, Team Wiggins and JLT Condor are among the leading British cycling teams confirmed for this weekend's Jupiter London Nocturne cycling festival. One Procycling, NFTO, Madison-Genesis and Raleigh-GAC have also been confirmed on the pro race card in what promises to be an electric day and night of racing at Smithfield Market.
Taking place this Saturday 6 June, the 9th edition of the London Nocturne features an action-packed programme of street racing for elite and amateur riders alike. All events are free to spectators, who have a chance to catch some elite racing action around a tight circuit based in London's Smithfield Market.
Saturday night will see the largest ever elite field take to the cobbled streets for the London Nocturne, for which Jupiter are sponsors for the second year running. There will be 14 teams represented in the Santini Men's Elite Criterium, while 80 riders are confirmed to race in the Schwalbe Women's Elite Criterium.
Guernsey born 2014 elite race winner Tobyn Horton, leads the roster for Team Madison-Genesis and he will come up against stiff competition from Olympic star and fan favourite Ed Clancy, who will be saddling up for JLT Condor along with Kristian 'the dude' House. New entrants to the race field, Team Wiggins, are led by British team pursuit specialist Andy Tennant, whilst Team Sky brings Andy Fenn.
Team Giordina Triton rider Nicola Juniper took the win in last year's elite women's race and she is back to defend her title against a strong international Pearl Izumi Sports Tour team, which includes Scottish hot-shot Katie Archibald of Team USN and Rochelle Gilmore from Wiggle-Honda.
Double Olympic Gold Medallist Ed Clancy MBE said, "I'm pumped to be heading back to the Jupiter London Nocturne at Smithfield's market. Getting so close to the crowd around the tight circuit ignites the adrenaline rush, especially under the floodlights. I'm not too sure how I feel about the uphill sprint at the end, but looking forward to seeing how it plays out!"
Tobyn Horton, 2014 Elite race winner, added, "I think returning to any event as the defending champion always adds a little bit of extra heat to a race; the edge that I may have had will could be lost with the anti-clockwise change though. I'm excited to get to the circuit and race in front the electric crowd, it's a real buzz."
Both men and women riders will be racing for equal prize money; a £1,000 cash prize fund is at stake and there will also be £500 up for grabs for the most combative rider, which will look to induce some high octane maneuvers.
This year's event will also once again include the traditional F&F Folding Bike Race and Penny Farthing Race, culminating in the men's and women's Elite Criteriums.
The 10-lap Jupiter Race at 4pm is a new addition for 2015 as Jupiter Asset Management step up their event sponsorship in its second year. The Jupiter Race winners will qualify for the City Criterium at 6.30pm as corporate teams battle to be crowned the fastest business in the Square Mile.
Also included will be the Brooks Retro Criterium, Leigh Day Criterium and the Santander Cycles Race - the cycle hire race, sponsored by Transport for London (TfL), was one of the highlights last year and returns on a new fleet of Santander Cycles, aka Boris Bikes, in 2015.
For further details and the full programme, check out the event website at www.londonnocturne.com.
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