NOCTURNE SERIES NEWS
Night Time Racing comes to Edinburgh
12/03/09
The City of Edinburgh will be host to a spectacular evening of night time cycle racing on Saturday 30th May 2009. The Nocturne Series has proved immensely popular since its first event in Smithfield, London in 2007. The unique concept of events means that there’s something for everybody, whether they’re taking on the tight corners in even tighter lycra into the Grassmarket, hurtling down descents in the folding bike race, or taking a more sensible option and enjoying the scenery in local bars.
The Nocturne Series has been awarded Bronze in Sports Tourism category at the 2007 Visit London Awards. In 2008, over 10,000 spectators visited events in Salford and London combined. This year, the series will venture out to Blackpool and the long-running event in Smithfield, London, as well as Edinburgh. The success of cycling at the Olympics and the rise in profile in the sport, thanks to figures like Chris Hoy and Mark Cavendish, means that cycling is a sport that is now well and truly on the map. The Nocturne Series delivers a night of exciting entertainment that appeals to a wide cross section of the community, from families to hardened cycling fans.
The races will be run in one of the most bustling areas of the city. The 1.2km course will be the toughest of the series and includes a steep cobbled climb up Victoria Street just past the start and finish area. The climb leads onto the George IV Bridge and then takes a sharp turn for a fast descent back down into the Grassmarket. The riders will then loop around the bottom of the market for the final sprint up the cobbled north side of the Grassmarket.
Nocturne racing gives an ideal opportunity for people who haven’t experienced cycle racing in the flesh to come and get involved. All of the Nocturne events are free to the general public, and don’t require any ticket reservation. It’s sport at its purist.
For those who want to get the lungs racing, there’s plenty of ways to compete across all ability levels. The Edinburgh Nocturne features Youth races for girls and boys under 16, as well as a support race for amateur racers who hold a British Cycling licence. Not forgetting the unique and famous Le Mans-style start Folding Bike Race, where 40 city commuters, suited and booted, will take to their folding bikes and race along the circuit. If you prefer bikes that don’t fold in the middle, the Corporate Challenge allows local businesses to enter a team of four and raise money for charity, as well as benefiting from local exposure.
But if you don’t fancy the idea of racing across the tight and challenging circuit, the traditional form of Roller Racing will be available on the podium truck. Competitors will race on a static bike which is linked up to a timing and ranking system, open and free to everyone. Top stars like Chris Hoy have set times on the system, so participants can see how far they are off an Olympic gold.
But the evening of racing would not be complete without the Elite Criterium. The event will feature some of the UK’s leading professional cyclists, previous events have included Olympic, World and National champions lining up on the start line, providing a unique opportunity to get up close and personal to some national heroes as they race at full pelt for close to an hour.
The event is supported by the City of Edinburgh Council and Scottish Enterprise. City of Edinburgh Festival & Events Champion Steve Cardownie
said: “As an established global venue we are committed to hosting the broadest range of exciting events and Nocturne is a fantastic addition to our calendar. With our steep descents and challenging twists and turns, Edinburgh will be the ideal location for the elite Nocturne bike races and I'm sure the novelty race will be the most fun you could ever have on two wheels.”
The Edinburgh Nocturne will take place on Saturday 30th May. The event will be on fully closed roads which will be set up by 11am that day.
Racing will begin at 6pm and end at 10pm.