It’s a glorious July evening in South London. The sun is just about to sink behind turn two of the Herne Hill track, painting a band of pinks, purples and oranges across a cloudless sky. The organisers have gotten lucky. Had it been held on almost any other week this summer, the South London Grand Prix – the first UCI meet to be held here in nearly a decade – would be taking place under a blanket of grey.
As it is, conditions are perfect for bike racing. Although the evening session is still to kick off, it’s already standing room only around the 450m circuit. There’s no spare spectating space to be found against the fence, and in places the crowd is three deep.
Around the back of the clubhouse, bike parking is at capacity. Inside at the bar, they’ve
