A new UCI-sanctioned criterium is set to bring professional night racing back to the UK next year. The City of London Nocturne, listed on the 2026 UCI calendar as a CRTP – Pro Criterium, will feature both men’s and women’s elite races on Saturday 13 June 2026.
According to the event’s new website, racenocturne.com, Nocturne will be “a festival of bike racing in the heart of the world’s most iconic cities”, combining elite racing with live music, food stalls and a street-party atmosphere.
The event appears to be a revival of the Nocturne Series, the city-centre criterium that featured on the streets of London, Edinburgh and Copenhagen between 2007 and 2018, famed for blending elite racing with live music, food stalls and a festival buzz.
It is understood that James Pope of Koru Sports Group — the company behind the UCI Track Champions League, the Revolution Series and the Global Bike Festival — is leading the project.
Image: Ian Wrightson/The British Continental
The race’s CRTP classification places it in the same UCI category as the Tour de France Saitama and Singapore Criteriums — officially recognised professional showcase events that do not award UCI ranking points. These races are typically invitational or exhibition-type competitions, attracting top-level riders and teams for a night of high-profile racing and fan engagement.
While further details on route, format and invited teams are yet to be announced, the event’s appearance on the UCI calendar confirms it will form part of an expanding portfolio of global urban cycling showcases produced by Koru Sports Group.
For fans of domestic road racing, the return of Nocturne adds a dash of intrigue and international flavour to the 2026 calendar — a celebration of speed, lights and spectacle under the city skyline.
Featured image: Ian Wrightson/The British Continental
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