Local club cyclists from Halesowen CC were the lucky first riders EVER on the London 2012 Olympic velodrome, reports the Evening Standard newspaper.
UCI inspectors were on hand to give their approval in the first test of the velodrome’s facilities, the first part of the Olympic site to be completed.
The track was designed by veteran Aussie velodrome builder, Ron Webb, who is retiring after this, his 53rd velodrome. He supervised the British firm ISG as they laid 56km of Siberian pine. He plays down his role in making a potentially record-breaking track, citing the size of the velodrome facility and the fitness of the 2012 athletes as the real root of any record success.
Of course, the ‘fastest ever’ claim won’t be tested until Chris Hoy, Cameron Meyer, Taylor Phinney, or somesuch, takes to the boards. But the Halesowen riders, who regularly compete at Manchester (itself a pretty fast track), commented that the Hackney velodrome seemed significantly faster.
