Yay! We've got a new race venue :-)

Bronzie
Bronzie Posts: 4,927
edited August 2008 in Pro race
Hog Hill is to be officially opened today by Boris Johnson.

It's location is a closely guarded secret by British Cycling (don't want too many new people coming in to the sport and all that :x ) but I can exclusively reveal you'll find it here:

Redbridge Cycling Centre
Forest Road
Hainault
LB Redbridge
IG6 3HP

Tel. 020 8500 9359

Comments

  • spen666
    spen666 Posts: 17,709
    Bronzie wrote:
    Hog Hill is to be officially opened today by Boris Johnson.

    It's location is a closely guarded secret by British Cycling (don't want too many new people coming in to the sport and all that :x ) but I can exclusively reveal you'll find it here:

    Redbridge Cycling Centre
    Forest Road
    Hainault
    LB Redbridge
    IG6 3HP

    Tel. 020 8500 9359

    such a closely guarded secret that we've been using it as a club venue for about 4 months already. Indeed my rucksack is still there- I must ask Boris to pick it up for me
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  • bigdawg
    bigdawg Posts: 672
    are they opening the 21 second mtb xc course today too...???
    dont knock on death\'s door.....

    Ring the bell and leg it...that really pi**es him off....
  • andy_wrx
    andy_wrx Posts: 3,396
    Bronzie wrote:
    Hog Hill is to be officially opened today by Boris Johnson.

    How appropriate ! :lol:
  • spen666
    spen666 Posts: 17,709
    Good News - its free to use the facility according to the Evening Standard - shame they never told Redbridge Council that- the fee to pay seems to have escaped the ES
    Free cycling centre is first step in sporting legacy for 2012

    London's biggest cycling centre opened today after a phenomenal week for British Olympic cyclists.

    Boris Johnson opened the £4.5 million Redbridge Cycling Centre, the first venue that will leave London with a sporting legacy after the 2012 games.

    It comes after London cyclist Bradley Wiggins won his second gold medal in Beijing yesterday, bringing the total of golds won by the British cyclists at the Laoshan Track to five.

    The new 2km circuit, near Hainault, east London, is free to use and designed to encourage more people to take up the sport, hopefully leading to an even better British medal haul in 2012.

    The centre was built by the London Development Agency to replace the Eastway Cycle Circuit, which was torn up to make way for Olympic facilities.

    The Eastway circuit will be replaced by the VeloPark, which after 2012 will return to community use, meaning London should have two of the best cycling facilities in the country.

    Mr Johnson said: "The opening of the Redbridge Centre could not have happened at a better time - this being London's 'summer of cycling'.

    "One of my key ambitions as Mayor is to see London become a real cycling city by encouraging the estimated 1.1 million Londoners who own bikes but don't use them regularly to get back in the saddle. So now there's no excuse because not only is this superb facility the place to come to practise your cycling skills, it's completely free and if you don't own a bike they'll lend you one - just turn up and pedal."

    At today's opening visitors were being given free coaching on bikes provided by the centre.

    Kate Hoey, Commissioner for Sport, also helped open the track. She said: "It is encouraging to see the first practical example of the 2012 Olympics ensuring a legacy site for one of our most successful sports. This track will provide cycling opportunities for people with all levels of cycling ability and will be a truly accessible facility."

    Culture Secretary Andy Burnham yesterday hit back at claims that the Government is not on track to deliver a lasting legacy for the 2012 Olympics. He said the 2012 games would result in more sports participation at local level.

    Peter Rogers, Interim Chief Executive of the London Development Agency, said: "We hope the medals in Beijing will have a similar effect on cycling that Wimbledon has on tennis participation and people will take advantage of this wonderful facility."

    Peter King, Chief Executive of British Cycling said: "The GB Cycling Team in Beijing are achieving incredible success, and facilities such as the Redbridge Cycling Centre will help the sport of cycling grow in the future and underpins the future success of our elite athletes."
    Evening Standard

    Never let the facts get in the way eh?

    Or are the ES right and all the months of debate re the charges been a waste of time as there are none?
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  • mm1
    mm1 Posts: 1,063
    Excellent reports on the circuit from one of my club mates.

    What on earth are BC doing even talking to the appaling Kate "Jolly Hockey sticks" Hoey? She is a well know hater of cycling and cyclists (as well as being probably the worst Minister for Sports since Dennis Howell), who started the trend for shock horror, lycra lout journalism well before Matthew Parris and Nigel Havers jumped on the bandwagon. The only reason she will have turned up at Hog Hill is because, like all of the current generation of politicians (retired or not), she is an incurrable self-publicist - she should be shunned at every available opportunity.