Olympic silver medallist and UCI Track World Champion Ollie Wood cannot wait for his first taste of the City of London Nocturne when the world class racing returns to the Square Mile this summer.
The City of London criterium race is a new event developed by the founder of the original Smithfield Nocturne, bringing a fast-paced, urban feel to elite cycling, as food stalls and street music grace the event. And with it comes a certain aura that Wood can’t wait to sample.
He said: “I have never had the privilege of doing it before, but I’ve heard a lot about it. The last memory I have of it is my dad winning the support race years ago when I was there as a child.
“I’ve seen little videos, snippets, and cool pictures and stuff like that. I just want either me or my [RCC Racing] teammate, Matt Bostock, to win. I think that’s what we should be aiming for and I think that’s what we’re capable of, so it’d be nice if we can pull it off.”
Wood recently powered to victory across 166km at the Lincoln Grand Prix, Britain’s oldest annual bike race that features gradients of up to 20%. He said: “It was its 70th anniversary. I’m obviously biased myself, but I think it’s probably the one-day race in the UK that is probably the nicest to win.
“It was a tough day and had active racing from the start. It was very windy, and then for the last two hours of the race, there were just four of us. So, yes, it was a taxing day on the old body, that’s for sure.”
Wood was part of the squad that took home a silver medal in the team pursuit in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, and he is targeting the Track World Championships in Shanghai later this year. But crit racing offers a lower-pressure environment, one in which Wood tends to thrive.
He said: “I just enjoy what I’m doing well in at the time, but crit racing is definitely more enjoyable to participate in. Even if it doesn’t go well, there’s always a good atmosphere.
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“If the weather’s nice, not cold, wet, and dark like it can be in the UK summer, then it’s good. I usually have fun, regardless of the outcome. There’s not pressure like the Olympics.
“The UK national crit series will come thick and fast throughout the summer, and then hopefully I might get to participate in the Tour of Britain. That will feed into the main goal at the end of the year, which is the Track World Championships.”
To find out more and enter races go to www.racenocturne.com