Night time racing is heading to Blackpool this Saturday for the final event of the 2010 Nocturne Series.
The event will add a new dimension to the resort, with Olympic champions, Tour de France riders and some of the best UK pros battling it out on a new course that will start and finish outside the famous Winter Gardens. The 1km circuit will also see riders race through the ‘Brilliance’ sound and light show on Birley Street, creating a unique audio and visual feature to the new course.
Following events in London and Edinburgh earlier this year, the Nocturne Series is continuing to grow profile and popularity.
“We’ve seen record spectator numbers once again this year and are expecting another big crowd in Blackpool,” commented organiser James Pope. “The quality of the racing has also been superb, helped by our battle hardened British criterium specialists and a few top continental pros."
“We have an excellent line up for Blackpool,” he continued. “With the Tour of Britain a few weeks away the top British pros will be reaching top form so we are anticipating the most exciting race of the series.”
National criterium champion and Olympic gold medallist Ed Clancy will be one to watch in the elite criterium race. As well as being the winner of the 2009 Blackpool Nocturne, Clancy is in fantastic form after a long season of back-to-back city centre circuit races. The track star has adapted well to tight city centre circuits, but will be closely marked. He will be joined by a full strength Motorpoint-Marshalls Pasta team including the HTC Smithfield Nocturne winner Ian Bibby.
Other big names include past Tour de France stage winner Rubens Bertogliati, Edinburgh Nocturne winner Kristian House, Sigma Sport – Specialized’s Simon Richardson and Rapha Condor Sharp’s Chris Newton. Both House and Newton usually fare well on technical circuits and with Newton recently announcing retirement, he’ll want to leave on a high in the last few end-of-season races.
