World-class bike racing is set to take over the City of London this weekend as a major new cycling event arrives in the capital. The City of London Nocturne returns on Friday 12th and Saturday 13th June, transforming the Square Mile into a high-speed cycling circuit across two days of racing and festival entertainment.
Friday: GOSH City Criterium
The action kicks off on Friday with the GOSH City Criterium, a charity Pro-Am team challenge. Twenty corporate teams will be joined by professional riders on a closed road circuit around Guildhall in a team relay format. The pro lineup includes current elite cyclists and legends such as triple Olympic champion Ed Clancy and Giro d’Italia stage winner Alex Dowsett. They will raise funds for the new Children Cancer Centre at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Saturday: Full Day of Racing
On Saturday, racing continues on a thrilling 1.3 km closed-road circuit weaving through Cheapside and Bank. The program runs from midday to 10pm with events including the Brompton Folding Bike Race, the Voi Bike Challenge (a cycle hire race with penalties for irresponsible riding), the Limitless Race supported by Shell UK (a multi-discipline para cycling race), and Guinness World Records title attempts featuring the world’s largest Penny Farthing.
The day concludes with elite men’s and women’s criterium races. The women’s field features British Criterium Champion Kate Richardson, GB Cycling Team members Megan Barker (Rapha Cycling Club), Sophie Lewis (DAS Hutchinson), and Josie Knight (DAS Hutchinson). The men’s field includes British Criterium Champion Cameron Mason (Alpecin Premier-Tech), Canadian Criterium Champion Mathias Guillemette (Tudor Pro Cycling), former Lidl-Trek and UAE-Emirates pro Ryan Gibbons, Olympic silver medallist Ollie Wood (Rapha Cycling Club), and former British Criterium Champion Matt Bostock (Rapha Cycling Club).
Festival Atmosphere
The Cheapside Business Alliance Fan Zone at the Royal Exchange will feature a big screen with a live feed of the racing. The event is supported by the City of London, the City of London Destination City Fund, and the Cheapside Business Alliance. Admission is free for spectators. Elite races will be broadcast live on TNT Sports and HBO Max from 8pm on Saturday, with other races streamed on YouTube.
Full Schedule
Friday 12 June
- 13:00 – GOSH City Criterium Qualification
- 15:00 – GOSH City Criterium Team Relay Final
Saturday 13 June
- 12:00 – Ride the Circuit & Ridgeback Kids Test Rides
- 13:00 – Support Race A - Men (cat 2/3), 45 min
- 14:00 – Support Race - Women (cat 2/3/4), 45 min
- 15:00 – Support Race B - Men (cat 2/3), 45 min
- 16:00 – Voi Bike Challenge, 30 min
- 16:40 – Interval: Guinness World Record attempts
- 17:40 – Penny Farthing Race, 30 min
- 18:30 – Brompton Folding Bike Race, 30 min
- 19:10 – Limitless Race supported by Shell UK, 40 min
- 20:00 – Elite Criterium Women (E/1/2), 50 min
- 21:00 – Elite Criterium Men (E/1/2), 50 min
For more details, visit www.racenocturne.com.
