The City of London Nocturne made its long-awaited return on Friday, with Olympic champions including Victoria Pendleton and Ed Clancy supporting a charity criterium race in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity ahead of a weekend of professional racing.
The charity race marked the return of Nocturne for the first time since 2018, with professional races taking place on Saturday. Victoria Pendleton insists she won’t be persuaded to get back on her racing bike anytime soon but was amongst the famous faces watching on as the inaugural City of London Nocturne hit the City streets.
Pendleton was one of a number of Olympic champions in attendance on Friday, as teams of amateur cyclists took on the Great Ormond Street City Criterium Race. A quartet of corporate cyclists raced for an hour around the city, before professional riders such as three-time Olympic champion Ed Clancy finished off the final few laps.
Pendleton revealed she was offered the chance to ride a few laps but insists her cycling days are now confined to the trails. The double Olympic champion said: “I was asked if I wanted to take part in the racing, but I said absolutely not!
“It’s not my scene anymore, and I’m not good enough to do it at that level now. It would take too much training to prepare. I haven’t done a criterium race since I was under 16, which was about 14 years ago.
“These days, I still ride, but only casually. I’m very much a fair-weather cyclist. I go out on a mountain bike in the woods just for fun, with no training or competitive goals, just to enjoy the scenery.”
While Pendleton could not be convinced back into the saddle, the 45-year-old was adamant she would not miss the return of the iconic event. The charity race marked the return of Nocturne for the first time since 2018, with professional races taking place on Saturday.
All riders on Friday were raising money for Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity, a cause close to Pendleton’s heart ever since her twin brother Alex underwent treatment for leukaemia at the hospital as a child.
“I’m a huge supporter of sport and have been an ambassador and a children’s champion for many years,” she added. “The staff were absolutely amazing. To this day, [Alex] has maintained contact with one of the nurses who looked after him, which is fantastic.
“The hospital does such incredible work in caring for children and supporting their welfare, as well as helping parents.
“They give children a sense of normality through play and education, which is so important. Having experienced Great Ormond Street firsthand, you see the level of suffering and how young and innocent these children are.
“It’s heartbreaking and every parent’s worst nightmare. Anything that can be done to make the hospital experience more bearable, for both the children and their families, is incredibly valuable.
“Funding goes toward research, improving facilities, and creating better environments for children and families, whether that’s outdoor spaces, play areas, or access to more specialists and expert care.”
