Smithfield Nocturne
Posted on Monday 25 June 2007 by Camille Savory
Criterium racing Saturday evening June 23rd
A pretty (good) crowd, sporting more than a little Rapha, and with a fair few Condors in evidence. A spectacular pile-up in the Regional race, and a creditable show of 4th by Ben Johnson, at least technically of Central London, in the All Stars. I arrived just in time to see the couriers do complex and secretive things, emerging occasionally for a dash around the square. Racing, but not as we know it. They do have a reputation to maintain. Then the heavens opened, and I missed most of the apparently great fun Folders race, lurking safe and dry in a pub. The Elite set off on wet tarmac 40 strong, with an audacious sole breakaway in the first minutes. By the time the two big teams had organised themselves, he had a 24 second lead, which took 40 minutes to whittle down, during which most of the rest of the field got lapped and dropped out. No-one managed to escape the lead group until the last corner when, of course, one of the Rapha guys snuck round and snatched victory (except he didn’t - Ploughman Craven rider held off Dean Downing - N.B.). I left with bruised palms from banging the barriers. Bring on the Tour.