A Square Mile reborn, a Super-League reshaped: the Nocturne’s return
One night won't rebuild British racing. But the Nocturne's return — a packed Square Mile, TV cameras, two punishing elite races — showed what the domestic scene can still be, and reshaped the Super-League while it was at it.
The sight of both of the open and women’s pelotons charging past some of the capital’s most famous landmarks during Saturday’s City of London Nocturne was an emotional one for almost anyone concerned with Britain’s domestic scene.
After eight years of absence, the Nocturne returned to the capital, bringing with it TV coverage, two outstanding elite races, and an optimism that this was only the start for a scene that was almost left behind.
But what did we learn from Saturday’s races?
Briggs, Bostock, Mason. Image: Milan Josy/The British Continental
The City of London may have provided the stage, but the domestic scene put on a real show
Walking out of Bank Station on Saturday evening, passers-by were greeted by more than just the setting sun on a glorious midsummer’s night.
To the right, the harsh neo-classical infrastructure of an area synonymous with wealth and power was illuminated by a finishing gantry shining a light on what could be the catalyst of a new boom in domestic cycling. To the left, the famous view of the Bank of England and Mansion House played second fiddle to sizeable crowds focused not on their imposing surroundings, but on a narrow piece of tarmac marked out by the metal barriers; thousands ready to witness a spectacle like nothing else in sport.
For those curious enough to wander over, their reward was one of pure exhilaration—the sheer speed, and skill, of an 80-rider bunch navigating a course more accustomed to near-standstill traffic creates an atmosphere that could quite literally blow you off your feet.
Britain’s criterium scene remains the best in the world, the two 45-minute instalments of heart-racing, jaw-dropping entertainment on Saturday evening doing little to dispel that assertion, proving that it deserves such a backdrop and the opportunity to grow—the footfall in the Square Mile bringing the race to the people in a way races haven’t done outside of the Tour of Britain for some years now.
On LinkedIn, organiser James Pope heralded the event as “a new era of city criterium racing in the UK”, the event’s comeback after seven years of absence a beacon of hope that the once-bustling scene can pick itself back up, that TV coverage is a possibility, that the City of London’s faith in actively backing such an event was justified, and, perhaps most crucially, that similar events can be promoted across the country in the coming years. There was certainly talk in the teams’ paddock that there could be more to come in future years.
It may be just one event, but what a start.
Cameron Mason. Image: Milan Josy/The British Continental
Mason, Mein, and Bentveld show that ‘cross is boss as the criterium specialists come to the fore
Matt Bostock, perhaps the finest criterium racer of his generation, told broadcaster TNT Sports after the race that “he had his work cut out,” keeping up with what he described as “some of the best cornerers in the world,” as he saw first-hand just what damage the world’s best cyclocross riders can do when given a technical course on their own terms.
Used to sharp, punchy efforts, the likes of Cameron Mason and Thomas Mein made their advantage count in the open race. Used to 50-minute efforts and changes of tempo, both were active in the early stages of the race, stringing out the peloton and making the diesel engines of those riders used to the ebbs and flows of a four-hour road race suffer.
It was a similar story in the women’s race as the tall figure of Leonie Bentveld caused untold damage to the peloton—the U23 World Cyclocross Champion bringing unrivalled pedigree to the race and making it count, eventually leading out teammate, and fellow cyclocrosser Nina Lavenu to a well-deserved victory.
Of those able to match the handling and accelerations of the cyclocross stars, the overwhelming majority were criterium specialists—Alec Briggs, no stranger to the mud himself, is one of the few active riders outside of an Elite Development or UCI team to have won a round of the National Circuit Series, while Bostock himself has proved close to unbeatable in the format at times over the past decade.
In the women’s race, Bostock’s Rapha CC stablemate Megan Barker, a track and criterium specialist, finished strongly in fourth, while Kate Richardson pointed to the Bretagne Ladies Tour in her pre-race interview as something of a transition into the rhythm of a criterium, Handsling Alba Development RT’s outing on the streets of Laval a fortnight ago perhaps one of the reasons they were able to cope collectively better as a unit with the demands of the race compared to the other UCI squads on the startlist.
Morven Yeoman (centre). Image: Milan Josy/The British Continental
Yeoman takes a hold of the Rapha Super-League, while Bostock should be quietly confident
21-year-old Morven Yeoman has enjoyed a breakthrough season in the UK, a number of UCI race days, including top-level international experience in WorldTour races such as the Vuelta a Burgos and Amstel Gold Race helping to propel her to the Rapha Super-League lead courtesy of a podium in the CiCLE Classic and a win in the Rapha Lincoln Grand Prix, two of Britain’s toughest road races.
The Scot, blessed with a powerful sprint finish, has traditionally shown her best form in the shorter format—five top tens in last year’s National Circuit Series earning her a fourth-place finish overall, her first UCI Criterium podium on Saturday evening putting her some 28 points clear at the top of the standings with three of the five remaining rounds being circuit races. Her lead is not unassailable, but it will be a tall order to overturn.
It is a run-in that Matt Bostock will be relishing, the Manxman’s City of London win bringing him maximum points to add to a fifth place at Lincoln, putting him within 21 points of Tom Armstrong, who by his own admission needed to get his circuit race legs back after a long block of road races to begin the season.
Bostock has looked near unstoppable in the circuit races in recent years, victories in Otley and Dawlish GPs, and the Cambridge Criterium not a foregone conclusion, but one even the biggest of gamblers would think twice about laying. Given that one of the two remaining road races is the Beaumont Trophy, a parcours that lends itself to the sort of reduced bunch sprint the 28-year-old relishes, it is not a stretch to say he is now the favourite to defend his title.
Reigning National Circuit Race Champion Kate Richardson outside the Bank of England. Image: Milan Josy/The British Continental
Riders could not have asked for better preparation for the National Championships
Since the National Circuit Race Championships were moved to coincide with the Road Race and Time Trial in 2021, it has been an event dominated by riders based in Europe, the domestic scene’s criterium specialists not aided by a lack of preparation with their biggest target coming straight off the back of a series of road races.
While Tuesday’s Colne Grand Prix gives them another opportunity to fine-tune the engine ahead of next Friday’s seaside showdown in Aberystwyth, the City of London Nocturne was the race that could make the difference for a number of riders.
The technical course and quality fields made for two punishing races—the women’s in particular raced at an intensity rarely seen in the National Circuit Series—the addition of the trio of riders from the AG Insurance Soudal Development Team raising the bar that little higher. While Kate Richardson may feel a little disappointed to come away with second place instead of a famous win in the blue and red bands, the 50 minutes she spent in the Square Mile might be the difference that keeps her in them for another year.
Handsling Alba Development RT may have missed out on the win, but they should be relishing the National Circuit Series
It must have felt like déjà vu for Bob Lyons on Saturday night, memories of the East Cleveland Classic coming back to haunt him with his team having again dominated a race only to finish second.
However, with five riders in the top-15, and having set the tone for the race from the outset, the team should be relishing their opportunity to throw down the gauntlet over the duration of the National Circuit Series.
Kate Richardson seamlessly transitioned from the rider that dominated the Tour of the Reservoir a week ago to one that looked at home sprinting out of every tight corner, piling on the pressure in the early part of the race, and making the split with ease when the front group emerged, while Izzy Sharp showed glimpses of the power that landed her a WorldTour contract as a teenager as she came to the fore late in the race.
It was the group behind however that should bring the team the most comfort, as Maddie Cooper, Beth Morrow, Arabella Blackburn, and Amelia Tyler came close to taking their eight-rider group across the gap in the latter stages of the race, demonstrating not only their form, but a huge amount of resilience and determination.
Should these riders make the split over any of the National Circuit Series rounds, Lyons may well be able to toast not only an excellent performance, but the win as well.
First blood to Bostock and Rapha, but are the days of dominant criterium teams over?
While the odds on a Matt Bostock taking individual victory on Saturday evening may have been short, the race wasn’t quite so clear-cut when it came to establishing which team would be the dominant force in this year’s Open National Circuit Series – the race now one of individuals as the legacy of Britain’s lack of UCI teams and the demise of the Tour Series plays out.
Wheelbase CabTech Castelli enter 2026 defending the team classification after a close-fought victory over the now defunct Muc-Off–SRCT–Storck team and Tekkerz CC 12 months ago, although they struggled to make an impact collectively on Saturday. Tom Armstrong missed the race-winning move and despite his best efforts the chasing peloton always looked on the back foot, while the Commonwealth Games bound Tim Shoreman looked to have left his legs on the track, the lightly raced Scot perhaps feeling his lack of competitive kilometres this season.
Tekkerz CC reached the podium courtesy of their owner and talisman Alec Briggs, the Londoner putting in a memorable performance spurred on by a home crowd, although last year’s surprise package Milo Wills, still a junior, failed to make an impact – their lack of collective strength noticeable compared to just twelve months ago when they held a number of the the aces.
Both them and Bostock’s Rapha CC squad had the look of an ad-hoc collective instead of a unit as they raced around the city – the Manxman and Lincoln Grand Prix winner Ollie Wood active towards the front of the race for the London based Rapha squad with their teammates lacking in impact.
While the racing is more open than ever, the question now is if the spectacle remains for spectators with the rivalries that have defined the domestic scene for over two decades absent? And If the answer is indeed yes, then what exactly can be done to counter that in a climate where Britain’s most successful teams have succcesively folded in recent years?
Tom Williams looks a better rider than the one that won the Ryedale Grand Prix
It’s almost two years since Tom Williams burst onto the scene, shocking the likes of Matt Holmes when sprinting to victory at the Ryedale Grand Prix in North Yorkshire. With his heart set on earning a professional contract, he now plies his trade in France for CC Villeneuve Saint-Germain, his appearances in the UK over the past two seasons fleeting.
Guesting for the Edinburgh Bike Fitting RT, the 22-year-old showed his continued progression, a 16th place finish unjust given his impact on the race. With the winning break of four established, Williams was the only rider able to emerge from the melee behind to make it across the gap, albeit briefly—a move that current professional Matthias Guillemette, or Ryan Gibbons, a WorldTour rider as recently as last year, were unable to follow.
Having taken a win across the Channel already this year, his five minutes of fame in front of the TV cameras may be the catalyst for a move into the paid ranks, which on the evidence of Saturday evening he is getting closer and closer to.
Do all circuit races need a second camera motorbike?
Part of what made Williams’ move so difficult was the lack of a television motorbike for him to draft—a luxury only afforded to those at the head of the race.
Motorbike influence on cycling is a tale almost as old as the sport itself, with riders speaking out as recently as the 15th stage of this year’s Giro d’Italia, ironically raced on a circuit in central Milan, to voice their frustrations with what can be a two-tier system.
With a clear advantage to be had from riding in its draft, there was always going to be a scramble for the breakaway—the opening 10 minutes raced like the last, with the strongest riders looking to break the rest of the field. Once established, the gap the four leaders held didn’t really move despite a frantic chase behind—evidence that the front of the race was the place to be.
The effect of the motorbike calls into question the fairness of the gridding system—the fight for the front of the race in the opening laps closed to those outside of the opening rows, with the majority of those riders caught in the mid-pack having little chance of even seeing, let alone influencing, the front of the race.
It is an issue though which looks unlikely to go away any time soon however, the TV pictures invaluable as the sport looks to grow, but the cost of a second camera motorbike simply out of the budget for almost every organiser.
The only solution is ultimately a second, costly, motorbike to ensure a fair, and more competitive, race for all.
Featured image: Milan Josy/The British Continental
The sight of both of the open and women’s pelotons charging past some of the capital’s most famous landmarks during Saturday’s City of London Nocturne was an emotional one for almost anyone concerned with Britain’s domestic scene.
After eight years of absence, the Nocturne returned to the capital, bringing with it TV coverage, two outstanding elite races, and an optimism that this was only the start for a scene that was almost left behind.
But what did we learn from Saturday’s races?
The City of London may have provided the stage, but the domestic scene put on a real show
Walking out of Bank Station on Saturday evening, passers-by were greeted by more than just the setting sun on a glorious midsummer’s night.
To the right, the harsh neo-classical infrastructure of an area synonymous with wealth and power was illuminated by a finishing gantry shining a light on what could be the catalyst of a new boom in domestic cycling. To the left, the famous view of the Bank of England and Mansion House played second fiddle to sizeable crowds focused not on their imposing surroundings, but on a narrow piece of tarmac marked out by the metal barriers; thousands ready to witness a spectacle like nothing else in sport.
For those curious enough to wander over, their reward was one of pure exhilaration—the sheer speed, and skill, of an 80-rider bunch navigating a course more accustomed to near-standstill traffic creates an atmosphere that could quite literally blow you off your feet.
Britain’s criterium scene remains the best in the world, the two 45-minute instalments of heart-racing, jaw-dropping entertainment on Saturday evening doing little to dispel that assertion, proving that it deserves such a backdrop and the opportunity to grow—the footfall in the Square Mile bringing the race to the people in a way races haven’t done outside of the Tour of Britain for some years now.
On LinkedIn, organiser James Pope heralded the event as “a new era of city criterium racing in the UK”, the event’s comeback after seven years of absence a beacon of hope that the once-bustling scene can pick itself back up, that TV coverage is a possibility, that the City of London’s faith in actively backing such an event was justified, and, perhaps most crucially, that similar events can be promoted across the country in the coming years. There was certainly talk in the teams’ paddock that there could be more to come in future years.
It may be just one event, but what a start.
Mason, Mein, and Bentveld show that ‘cross is boss as the criterium specialists come to the fore
Matt Bostock, perhaps the finest criterium racer of his generation, told broadcaster TNT Sports after the race that “he had his work cut out,” keeping up with what he described as “some of the best cornerers in the world,” as he saw first-hand just what damage the world’s best cyclocross riders can do when given a technical course on their own terms.
Used to sharp, punchy efforts, the likes of Cameron Mason and Thomas Mein made their advantage count in the open race. Used to 50-minute efforts and changes of tempo, both were active in the early stages of the race, stringing out the peloton and making the diesel engines of those riders used to the ebbs and flows of a four-hour road race suffer.
It was a similar story in the women’s race as the tall figure of Leonie Bentveld caused untold damage to the peloton—the U23 World Cyclocross Champion bringing unrivalled pedigree to the race and making it count, eventually leading out teammate, and fellow cyclocrosser Nina Lavenu to a well-deserved victory.
Of those able to match the handling and accelerations of the cyclocross stars, the overwhelming majority were criterium specialists—Alec Briggs, no stranger to the mud himself, is one of the few active riders outside of an Elite Development or UCI team to have won a round of the National Circuit Series, while Bostock himself has proved close to unbeatable in the format at times over the past decade.
In the women’s race, Bostock’s Rapha CC stablemate Megan Barker, a track and criterium specialist, finished strongly in fourth, while Kate Richardson pointed to the Bretagne Ladies Tour in her pre-race interview as something of a transition into the rhythm of a criterium, Handsling Alba Development RT’s outing on the streets of Laval a fortnight ago perhaps one of the reasons they were able to cope collectively better as a unit with the demands of the race compared to the other UCI squads on the startlist.
Yeoman takes a hold of the Rapha Super-League, while Bostock should be quietly confident
21-year-old Morven Yeoman has enjoyed a breakthrough season in the UK, a number of UCI race days, including top-level international experience in WorldTour races such as the Vuelta a Burgos and Amstel Gold Race helping to propel her to the Rapha Super-League lead courtesy of a podium in the CiCLE Classic and a win in the Rapha Lincoln Grand Prix, two of Britain’s toughest road races.
The Scot, blessed with a powerful sprint finish, has traditionally shown her best form in the shorter format—five top tens in last year’s National Circuit Series earning her a fourth-place finish overall, her first UCI Criterium podium on Saturday evening putting her some 28 points clear at the top of the standings with three of the five remaining rounds being circuit races. Her lead is not unassailable, but it will be a tall order to overturn.
It is a run-in that Matt Bostock will be relishing, the Manxman’s City of London win bringing him maximum points to add to a fifth place at Lincoln, putting him within 21 points of Tom Armstrong, who by his own admission needed to get his circuit race legs back after a long block of road races to begin the season.
Bostock has looked near unstoppable in the circuit races in recent years, victories in Otley and Dawlish GPs, and the Cambridge Criterium not a foregone conclusion, but one even the biggest of gamblers would think twice about laying. Given that one of the two remaining road races is the Beaumont Trophy, a parcours that lends itself to the sort of reduced bunch sprint the 28-year-old relishes, it is not a stretch to say he is now the favourite to defend his title.
See the latest Rapha Super-League standings here.
Riders could not have asked for better preparation for the National Championships
Since the National Circuit Race Championships were moved to coincide with the Road Race and Time Trial in 2021, it has been an event dominated by riders based in Europe, the domestic scene’s criterium specialists not aided by a lack of preparation with their biggest target coming straight off the back of a series of road races.
While Tuesday’s Colne Grand Prix gives them another opportunity to fine-tune the engine ahead of next Friday’s seaside showdown in Aberystwyth, the City of London Nocturne was the race that could make the difference for a number of riders.
The technical course and quality fields made for two punishing races—the women’s in particular raced at an intensity rarely seen in the National Circuit Series—the addition of the trio of riders from the AG Insurance Soudal Development Team raising the bar that little higher. While Kate Richardson may feel a little disappointed to come away with second place instead of a famous win in the blue and red bands, the 50 minutes she spent in the Square Mile might be the difference that keeps her in them for another year.
Handsling Alba Development RT may have missed out on the win, but they should be relishing the National Circuit Series
It must have felt like déjà vu for Bob Lyons on Saturday night, memories of the East Cleveland Classic coming back to haunt him with his team having again dominated a race only to finish second.
However, with five riders in the top-15, and having set the tone for the race from the outset, the team should be relishing their opportunity to throw down the gauntlet over the duration of the National Circuit Series.
Kate Richardson seamlessly transitioned from the rider that dominated the Tour of the Reservoir a week ago to one that looked at home sprinting out of every tight corner, piling on the pressure in the early part of the race, and making the split with ease when the front group emerged, while Izzy Sharp showed glimpses of the power that landed her a WorldTour contract as a teenager as she came to the fore late in the race.
It was the group behind however that should bring the team the most comfort, as Maddie Cooper, Beth Morrow, Arabella Blackburn, and Amelia Tyler came close to taking their eight-rider group across the gap in the latter stages of the race, demonstrating not only their form, but a huge amount of resilience and determination.
Should these riders make the split over any of the National Circuit Series rounds, Lyons may well be able to toast not only an excellent performance, but the win as well.
First blood to Bostock and Rapha, but are the days of dominant criterium teams over?
While the odds on a Matt Bostock taking individual victory on Saturday evening may have been short, the race wasn’t quite so clear-cut when it came to establishing which team would be the dominant force in this year’s Open National Circuit Series – the race now one of individuals as the legacy of Britain’s lack of UCI teams and the demise of the Tour Series plays out.
Wheelbase CabTech Castelli enter 2026 defending the team classification after a close-fought victory over the now defunct Muc-Off–SRCT–Storck team and Tekkerz CC 12 months ago, although they struggled to make an impact collectively on Saturday. Tom Armstrong missed the race-winning move and despite his best efforts the chasing peloton always looked on the back foot, while the Commonwealth Games bound Tim Shoreman looked to have left his legs on the track, the lightly raced Scot perhaps feeling his lack of competitive kilometres this season.
Tekkerz CC reached the podium courtesy of their owner and talisman Alec Briggs, the Londoner putting in a memorable performance spurred on by a home crowd, although last year’s surprise package Milo Wills, still a junior, failed to make an impact – their lack of collective strength noticeable compared to just twelve months ago when they held a number of the the aces.
Both them and Bostock’s Rapha CC squad had the look of an ad-hoc collective instead of a unit as they raced around the city – the Manxman and Lincoln Grand Prix winner Ollie Wood active towards the front of the race for the London based Rapha squad with their teammates lacking in impact.
While the racing is more open than ever, the question now is if the spectacle remains for spectators with the rivalries that have defined the domestic scene for over two decades absent? And If the answer is indeed yes, then what exactly can be done to counter that in a climate where Britain’s most successful teams have succcesively folded in recent years?
Tom Williams looks a better rider than the one that won the Ryedale Grand Prix
It’s almost two years since Tom Williams burst onto the scene, shocking the likes of Matt Holmes when sprinting to victory at the Ryedale Grand Prix in North Yorkshire. With his heart set on earning a professional contract, he now plies his trade in France for CC Villeneuve Saint-Germain, his appearances in the UK over the past two seasons fleeting.
Guesting for the Edinburgh Bike Fitting RT, the 22-year-old showed his continued progression, a 16th place finish unjust given his impact on the race. With the winning break of four established, Williams was the only rider able to emerge from the melee behind to make it across the gap, albeit briefly—a move that current professional Matthias Guillemette, or Ryan Gibbons, a WorldTour rider as recently as last year, were unable to follow.
Having taken a win across the Channel already this year, his five minutes of fame in front of the TV cameras may be the catalyst for a move into the paid ranks, which on the evidence of Saturday evening he is getting closer and closer to.
Do all circuit races need a second camera motorbike?
Part of what made Williams’ move so difficult was the lack of a television motorbike for him to draft—a luxury only afforded to those at the head of the race.
Motorbike influence on cycling is a tale almost as old as the sport itself, with riders speaking out as recently as the 15th stage of this year’s Giro d’Italia, ironically raced on a circuit in central Milan, to voice their frustrations with what can be a two-tier system.
With a clear advantage to be had from riding in its draft, there was always going to be a scramble for the breakaway—the opening 10 minutes raced like the last, with the strongest riders looking to break the rest of the field. Once established, the gap the four leaders held didn’t really move despite a frantic chase behind—evidence that the front of the race was the place to be.
The effect of the motorbike calls into question the fairness of the gridding system—the fight for the front of the race in the opening laps closed to those outside of the opening rows, with the majority of those riders caught in the mid-pack having little chance of even seeing, let alone influencing, the front of the race.
It is an issue though which looks unlikely to go away any time soon however, the TV pictures invaluable as the sport looks to grow, but the cost of a second camera motorbike simply out of the budget for almost every organiser.
The only solution is ultimately a second, costly, motorbike to ensure a fair, and more competitive, race for all.
Featured image: Milan Josy/The British Continental
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