THE hottest British bike riders of the year star in Saturday night?s Newport Nocturne in Shropshire, the biggest, most spectacular bi-annual town centre bike race in the UK before an expected 14,000 crowd.
The spotlight, more correctly, floodlights because this is the only floodlit race in the country - will be on T-Mobile Sprint revelation Mark Cavendish (pictured), fresh from his points victory in this week?s Tour of Benelux, triple Olympic medallist Bradley Wiggins (Cofidis), hero of that 100-mile lone break in the Tour de France, Geraint Thomas (Barloworld) at 21 one of the youngest to ride this year?s Tour, and David Millar (Saunier Duval), second overall in the Tour of Benelux.
The four will ride the one-lap challenge 'Battle for Beijing'. This will be more a sprint than a time trial, on the one-mile circuit, and is pitched at the Olympic hopefuls. Also riding is former Madison world champion Rob Hayles and local hero, Simon Holt.
Following this, all of them will then ride the Elite Circuit Race Series worth £500 to the winner. This features last year?s winner, Chris Newton (Recycling.co.uk). The 63-man field includes most of the best home riders with some the criterium specialists in there eager to take on Cannonball Cavendish, tipped as future Classic and Tour de France star.
The presentation is always a crowd pleaser, as the winner takes his seat in a giant pair scales so he can be awarded his own weight in beer. This will be presented by Paul Quinn, landlord of the the Pheasant Inn.
The evening?s entertainment kicks off with the crowd favourite, the Past Masters? Race starring Sid Barras, Keith Lambert and Les West, stars of the 1970s and 1980s, heading a field of 48 former pros.
DUIGNAN PHELPS OPTOMETRISTS PAST MASTERS' RACE
Start 7.17pm - 15 laps
1 Les West
2 Sid Barras
3 Keith Lambert
4 Simon Cope
5 Gary Coltman
6 Keith Reynolds
7 Colin Lewis
8 Jock Kerr
9 Roy Causer
10 Kelvin Jones
11 Ged Dennis
12 Steve Jones
13 Neil Martin
14 Reg Smith
15 Mick Ives
16 Neil Hoban
17 Vic Barnett
18 John McMillan
19 Simon Day
20 Phil Wilkins
21 Dave Cumming
22 Phil Corley
23 Steve Douce
24 Gordon Smith
25 Phil Thomas
26 Brian Smith
27 Tony Bell
28 Phil Marrow
29 Mick Holmes
30 Jon Clay
31 Ernie Lightfoot
32 Trevor Horton
33 Tim Harris
34 Ian Fagan
35 Bill Nickson
36 Dave Miller
37 Steve Wakefield
38 Geoff Wiles
39 Mike Doyle
40 Alan Mellow
41 Adrian Timmis
42 Chris Lillywhite
43 Steve Joughin
44 Nigel Bloor
45 Derrick Woodings
46 Danny Horton
47 Pete Ryalls
48 Dave Marsh
DAVIES AND JEGGO MOTORS "BATTLE FOR BEIJING"ONE-LAP CHALLENGE
Start: First man off at 8.30pm
1 Simon Holt Recycling.Co.UK
2 Geraint Thomas Barloworld
3 Mark Cavendish T-Mobile
4 Rob Hayles KLR Racing - Parker International
5 Bradley Wiggins Cofidis
6 David Millar Saunier Duval
Battle for Beijing riders will be started from a ramp and timed from the top of St Mary Street to the finish line. Each rider will be accompanied his own special "team car."
SHROPSHIRE STAR NEWPORT NOCTURNE
A counting event for the British Cycling Elite Circuit Race Series
Start: 9.15pm, 50 minutes + 5 laps
1 Chris Newton (Recycling.co.uk)
2 Rob Partridge (Recycling.co.uk)
3 Graham Briggs (Recycling.co.uk)
4 Ryan Bonser (Recycling.co.uk)
5 Adam Bonser (Recycling.co.uk)
6 Tom Diggle (Recycling.co.uk)
7 Simon Holt (Recycling.co.uk)
8 Tony Gibb (Plowman Craven-Evans Cycles-Leica)
9 Simon Gaywood (Plowman Craven-Evans Cycles-Leica)
10 James Millard (Plowman Craven-Evans Cycles-Leica)
11 Gordon McCauley (Plowman Craven-Evans Cycles-Leica)
12 James McCullum (Plowman Craven-Evans Cycles-Leica)
13 Frederick Johansson (Plowman Craven-Evans Cycles-Leica)
14 Brian Biggs (Plowman Craven-Evans Cycles-Leica)
15 Richard Wilkinson (Plowman Craven-Evans Cycles-Leica)
16 Bradley Wiggins (Cofidis)
17 Dean Downing (Rapha Cycles Clothing Condor Cycles)
18 Ross Muir (Rapha Cycles Clothing Condor Cycles)
19 Ben Price (Rapha Cycles Clothing Condor Cycles)
20 Matt Talbot (Rapha Cycles Clothing Condor Cycles)
21 Alex Higham (Rapha Cycles Clothing Condor Cycles)
22 Tom Barras (Merlin Bikelab.co.uk Pearl Azumi)
23 Liam Holoham (Merlin Bikelab.co.uk Pearl Azumi)
24 Jon Mozley (Merlin Bikelab.co.uk Pearl Azumi)
25 Tom Murray (Merlin Bikelab.co.uk Pearl Azumi)
26 Jon-Kris Mason (Merlin Bikelab.co.uk Pearl Azumi)
27 Malcolm Elliott (Pinarello RT/Rudy Project/Corima/DMT/Continental)
28 Peter Kennaugh (Pinarello RT/Rudy Project/Corima/DMT/Continental)
29 Lee Davis (Pinarello RT/Rudy Project/Corima/DMT/Continental)
30 Andy Roche (Pinarello RT/Rudy Project/Corima/DMT/Continental)
31 Warrick Spence (Cyclefit-Serotta)
32 George Richardson (Kona UK Pangap Ritchey Cycle Ops)
33 Will Bjergfett (Kona UK Pangap Ritchey Cycle Ops)
34 Karl Freeman (Alpha RC Team Corley Cycles)
35 Martin Freeman (Alpha RC Team Corley Cycles)
36 Andy Tinsley (Bioracer Omnipex RT)
37 Tom Smith (A.W.Cycles.Co.Uk)
38 Ashley Brown (Sportscover Planet X Controlled Speed Engineering)
39 John Tanner (Sportscover Planet X Controlled Speed Engineering)
40 Gary Adamson (F.P.Mailing)
41 John Stollery (Paramount CRT Bontrager Stan Jones Cycles)
42 Ken Holder (Paramount CRT Bontrager Stan Jones Cycles)
43 Daniel Duguid (Sigma Sport)
44 Eddie Corbett (Wolverhampton Wlrs Fred Williams Cycles)
45 Llewellyn Byrne (Sciencesport.com)
46 Ian Holt (Felt Racing)
47 Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile)
48 Geraint Thomas (Barloworld)
49 Rob Hayles (KLR Racing Parker International)
50 Ross Adams (Red Kite Cycles/Torq Bar)
51 Lee Robert Ward (Heanor Clarion)
52 Andrew Williams (Cymcarn Paragon RC)
53 Simon Blythe (RAF CC)
54 James Moss (Inkland MTS)
55 Adrian Timmis (Pinarello)
56 Dan Booth (Pedal Power- Loughborough)
57 Simon Blythe (Private Member)
58 Mike Jones (Paramount CRT/Bontrager/Stan Jones Cycles)
59 Kristian House (Navigators Insurance Cycling Team)
60 Russell Downing (Team Heathnet/Maxxis)
61 Martin Ford (BC Private member)
62 Grant Bayton (GWR Team)
63 David Millar (Saunier Duval)
PRIZES
1 £500
2 £375
3 £300
4 £212.50
5 £175
6 £150
7 £175
8 £100
9 £87.50
10 £75,
11 £62.50
12-14 £50
15-17 £37.50
18-20 £25
GREENHOUSE KING OF THE SPRINTS COMPETITION
Every lap, except the last five, will carry 3, 2, 1 points towards this prize. There will also be special primes every ten minutes (double points) and half-way (30 minutes) sponsored by Jonathan Preece (double points) counting towards the national Elite Series races.
The winner of the Greenhouse King of the Sprints will receive his jersey from the dealer principal David Sullivan.
In reverse order, the third place and second place riders will receive their bouquets by Sally's Flowers.
Winner of the Shropshire Star Newport Nocturne will receive his Assos Yellow Jersey from the Shropshire Star and the commemorative decanter from the Mayor of Newport Councillor Glyn Gratton.
Newport Nocturne: www.bikerace.co.uk.
