The ODA completes construction of the first Olympic Park venue on time and on budget.
London 2012 Velodrome unveiled!
22 Feb 2011
British cyclists including Sir Chris Hoy, Victoria Pendleton and Jason Kenny took to the track in the London 2012 Velodrome for the first time today as the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) unveiled the first Olympic Park venue to finish construction, on time and to budget.
The 6,000 seat Velodrome will host the Olympic and Paralympic track cycling events in 2012. After the Games, the Velodrome will be used by elite athletes and the local community and will include a café, bike hire and cycle workshop facilities. The ODA started work on the Velodrome in March 2009 with construction now completed and the first Olympic Park venue in place nearly 18 months before the start of the Games.
Selected riders from the Great Britain Cycling Team tried out the Velodrome for the first time today including Beijing Games medal winners Sir Chris Hoy, Victoria Pendleton, Jason Kenny and Ross Edgar, together with rising stars and established names in the GB cycling team. The cyclists were joined in unveiling the Velodrome by ODA Chairman John Armitt, Seb Coe Chair of the London Organising Committee (LOCOG), Secretary of State Jeremy Hunt, Mayor of London Boris Johnson and other guests.
Sir Chris Hoy, triple Gold medal-winner at the Beijing Games and the most successful Olympic male cyclist of all time, said: “Having been involved in a very small way in the design process in the early stages, it’s amazing to see the Velodrome finally completed, and to be able to have ridden on it today gives me a feel for what it’s going to be like in a year and a half’s time. I can’t wait!”
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “This magnificent venue is a triumph for all those involved in its design and construction. Already an icon for the London Games, with its sweeping roof and sleek ribbon of track, the Velodrome is poised for our world-beating cycling team to smash records in the summer of 2012 and inspire a new generation of racers to take to the saddle. There is no doubt that the Velodrome will be the venue of choice after the Games, both by the community and for major international competitions for years to come, helping to make London the cycling capital of the world.”
Velodrome fact file:
Velodrome facilities:
- 250m UCI (International Cycling Union) approved indoor track
- 6,000 seats and 360 degree concourse in legacy for viewing all cycling activities
Cycling legacy:
- After the Games, a road cycle circuit and mountain bike course will be added to the Velodrome and BMX circuit to create the Lee Valley VeloPark, combining cycling facilities across all disciplines in one cycling ‘hub’
Games-time:
- There will be 10 gold medals to be won in the London 2012 Velodrome, five for men and five for women.
- There will be five events for men and five for women: Sprint, Team Sprint, Keirin, Team Pursuit, and The Omnium
- 188 riders will compete in London 2012
- The track cycling competition will take place over six days in London 2012
Velodrome design:
- Distinct Velodrome roof designed to reflect the geometry of the cycling track, using a very lightweight double curving cable net structure
- The 6,000 seats are split into a lower and upper tier, allowing a 360 degrees concourse level in between with a continuous ribbon of full height windows
Construction:
- The Velodrome was constructed over a period of 23 months with up to 450 workers on site at the peak of construction and 2,500 workers involved through the course of the project
- Some 48,000 cubic metres of material was excavated to create the bowl for the Velodrome, enough to fill 19 Olympic-sized swimming pools
Velodrome track:
- The Velodrome has been designed with the aim of creating the world’s fastest cycling track by tailoring the track geometry and setting the temperature and environmental conditions within the venue to create record-breaking conditions
- The venue has also been being designed with seating all the way round the track to create the best possible crowd atmosphere during events.
Sustainability elements:
- The building has been designed to be lightweight and efficient to reflect the efficient design of a bicycle
- The use of abundant daylight through strategically positioned rooflights reduces need for artificial lighting, and natural ventilation is achieved through openings in the external timber cladding of the venue
