You lose some....

A win in the support race, a big crowd to cheer you on and some of the best circuit racers in the Country....what more could help to spur you on to a great ride? Some dry weather, on what could possibly be the most slippery surface to race on short of ice or glass would have been nice!! It was not to be, as just 15 minutes before the Elite Race of the Rapha/Condor Smithfield Nocturne, the heavens opened and it all changed for the worse.

James Jackson and James Whatling, warming up in the underground car park, knew little of the rain until they were greeted by a wave of water flowing towards them. Undeterred, but more than a little apprehensive, they lined up for the start of the race (with very little pressure in the tyres to aid grip!) with messrs McCallum, Hayles, Downing, Blythe and Dowsett.

The terrible conditions seemingly meant nothing to the more experienced riders as the pace was relentless from the gun. Warrick Spence (Cyclefit/Serotta) made matters worse when he attacked after a few laps, forcing everyone to keep the pace up to stay with him as he cornered at speeds in the wet most riders would be pleased with in the dry. James Jackson aquitted himself well, using all his speed to move up the line of riders and establish himself in a high quality group with Adam Blythe (SIS-Trek) and Andy Lyons (Heron Cyclesport) as the race splintered. James Whatling wasn't faring so well and, despite giving all he had to stay with the field, lost contact after about 15 minutes and called it a night. With Warrick Spence still pulling away and lapping riders for fun, it was a shame that James Jackson should be one of those but, boosted with the experience of such top level racing, James can take a lot of positives away from the race.

Warrick Spence's epic solo effort was eventually pulled back by some hard work by the PCA/Evans Cycles RT but it took them 28 minutes to claw back 28 seconds and the by product of such pressure was that at half distance there were only 13 riders still in the race. The pace of the race never let up and, as the riders thundered around the final corner of the race, James McCullum (PCA/Evans Cycles RT) made the most of a slight mistake by Dean Downing (Rapha/Condor) to sprint home for the win.

Results:
1.) James McCullum: PCA/Evans Cycles RT
2.) Dean Downing: Rapha/Condor
3.) Jon Mozley: Merlin RT
4.) Warrick Spence: Cyclefit/Serotta
5.) Ross Muir: Rapha/Condor