We'd love to get Britain's brightest and best cycle race back on the road in Newport, Shropshire, in 2018. The Newport Nocturne is the original and best floodlit bike race in the country. About 14,000 spectators have lined the barriers for previous versions of the race. It evolved from the classic Davies & Jeggo Motors Road Race, which brought all the top professionals to Newport for two decades.
It was the British professional championship in its final three years as a long-distance event before promoter Michael Jeggo hit on the idea of putting it on as a Nocturne. The riders snake through the little market town under a combination of streetlights and industrial floodlighting brought in especially for the occasion. They power up the cobbled St Mary's Street each lap, cheered by the most-knowledgeable crowd in cycling.
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The Early Days...
The event started in 1970 as a means for Michael Jeggo and his late partner Doug Davies to publicise their new company, Davies and Jeggo Motors. The 109 mile road race used a 6 mile circuit, just outside Newport. Later the course was improved by taking it through Newport High Street. The new circuit was much more crowd-friendly and as a consequence the race grew in stature. Soon the race was attracting Britain's top Pro riders and generating some of the biggest crowds in the UK. Gradually the race became less the Davies and Jeggo Road Race and more the Newport Road Race as more sponsors became involved. The Nationals...
By the mid 80s Michael was ready for bigger things. He promoted the National Road Race Champs on the same Newport circuit. The race was the best Championship for years. In fact, it was so successful that the Championship came to Newport again for the next 2 years. However, a new rule meant that no venue could hold the Championship for more than 3 years. What event could top the National Championships? One day his son Nick was driving on the A1 to Yorkshire and noticed the huge industrial lights illuminating the road works and the idea for a Nocturne was born. The First Nocturnes...
The Nocturne was run in 1989, '90 and '91. This was a heyday for Pro cycling and the Nocturnes were played out in front of massive crowds. Unfortunately, a recession meant that some major sponsors were lost. Rather than stage a second rate event, it was decided to cancel the 1992 event. Ten years later Newport Town Council approached Michael to help put the town back on the map. Their generous grant gave him the foundation to attract new sponsors and re-stage the event. The New Era
The 2001 race was an outstanding success, and attracted over 10,000 fans. Now a biannual event, the Nocturne introduced several new ideas. A “Past Masters” race brought back the cycling stars of previous decades. In 2003 cycling superstar, Sean Kelly was generously brought over for the event by local cycling retailer, Parker International. Giant scales were made so that the winner of the Elite race could win his Weight in Beer”! They do it with cheese in other parts of Europe, who can eat that much cheese?
2005 saw the added attraction of the One Lap Challenge for Britain's Olympic riders. Each rider was followed by a Ferrari with his name emblazoned on the windscreen. This unique showpiece event made the 2005 Nocturne one of the best ever despite the rain. In 2007 the race featured international stars like Mark Cavendish, David Millar and Geraint Thomas in the “Battle for Beijing” one lap time trial. However, in the Elite race, even these riders couldn’t match evergreen 47 year old Malcolm Elliott as he solo’d to victory.
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The Course...
The entire course is based around the centre of the historic town of Newport, a bustling market town in rural Shropshire. There is plenty opportunity for spectators to get a close up view of the riders. Generally the whole course is lined with cheering spectators so there is a great atmosphere right round the circuit which is floodlit throughout its entire length. The course starts in the High Street, proceeds down the road passing the Church on the right, swings sharp right to go up St. Mary Street (cobbles) and turns left back onto the High Street. It then proceeds around the mini island and continues past The Barley to the Shakespeare Inn where it turns left into Avenue Road. The course then turns right into Avenue Road South, right at the Bowling Green, into Granville Avenue and a final right to rejoin Upper Bar/High Street at the Cottage Care Centre to complete the lap. The course is made up of fast straights, with complex turns giving the riders the opportunity to show off their speed and skill and because the entire route is within Newport centre, there is plenty of opportunity for spectators to see the action.
