Movistar duo Alex Dowsett and Beñat Intxausti will be the headline riders at the seventh edition of the IG London Nocturne, at Smithfield Market on Saturday evening. Both riders took a victory in the recent Giro d’Italia, with Dowsett taking the stage 8 time trial and Intxausti winning stage 16 into Ivrea, while Intxausti also wore the Maglia Rosa for a day (pictured) and finished the race in eighth place overall.
Dowsett is no stranger to the event that calls itself “London's coolest cycling event,” having won the 2011 edition as a Team Sky rider, when he lapped the field on the course around the iconic meat market.
"I'm really excited to be heading back to the IG London Nocturne,” Dowsett said. “People still ask me about my performance there in 2011 - and I always say it's the best I've ever felt on a bike. Hopefully I can come back and produce a similar performance this year."
There will be nobody from Team Sky in this year’s race, with 2012 winner Ian Stannard and 2008 winner Geraint Thomas currently riding the Critérium du Dauphiné, but the cream of the domestic peloton will be riding.
The Rapha Condor JLT team will include Olympic champion Ed Clancy and 2007 Nocturne winner James McCallum, while the Madison Genesis team will include 2010 winner Ian Bibby.
Arguably, however, the women’s race will be even more star-studded, with Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling fielding a full strength team that will include World and Olympic champions Laura Trott, Joanna Rowsell and Dani King, as well as new signing Charlotte Becker. Other riders from the international elite women’s peloton will include Emma Trott (Boels Dolmans) and two-time junior World champion Lucy Garner (Argos-Shimano).
Four-time race winner Hannah Barnes will lead the MG-MaxiFuel team, with a full strenth Matrix Fitness team also expected to assert itself.
The seventh edition of the event has gained the support of London Mayor Boris Johnson, who welcomes another high-profile sports event to the British capital.
"This is a chance for Londoners to rekindle the Olympic spirit of last summer, with three Team GB cycling champions riding the IG London Nocturne at Smithfield Market,” Johnson said.
"The summer of 2013 is going to be huge for cycling and a night of professional racing at such an iconic location should help inspire even more people to get on their bikes."