GUIDE: Britain's best velodromes - where to ride track in the UK

30 April 2018

Ride at the UK's top cycling centres

British cycle racing hasn't always been the huge success story that it is today and, like many great sporting feats, the results of London 2012 and the Rio 2016 Olympics came after years of preparation, dedication and investment. Britain's velodromes naturally have played their part in this success – both past and present – and their place within cycling's rich folklore should never be downplayed. But where and when did the first velodromes spring up? Are they still used today? And if so, are they the places where Britain's gold medalists honed their craft?

The early velodromes

One of the world's first velodromes was built at Preston Park in Brighton, a 633 yard long track that opened in 1877. Portsmouth velodrome soon followed, featuring a single straight joined by one swooping curve. The materials that were used in the early velodromes differed from track to track, as did each circuit's functionality. While some were built specifically for cycling, others were built around the outside of running tracks, providing extra lanes for runners to train. Throughout the history of the Olympics, many velodromes were used – all of which differed in size, length and technical aspects. In fact, it wasn't until the 1990s when the length of velodromes were standardised, a factor which resulted in the reason why today's events take place on a 250 metre track, as opposed to the various lengths that were used throughout the 20th century.

UK's greatest tracks

Although some of the early velodromes may have closed their doors, there are still many great velodromes here in the UK and the number of facilities continues to increase. Just take a look at some of the tracks below. Lee Valley VeloPark - now arguably the most famous velodrome in the UK the Lee Valley VeloPark, in east London, is the track where Sir Chris Hoy, Victoria Pendleton and Laura Trott rode to victory during the London 2012 Olympic Games. Manchester Velodrome – the home of British Cycling (the sport's governing body), Manchester Velodrome is the place where some of the nation's finest Olympians have trained over the years. Located near the Etihad Stadium, the velodrome is also open to the public – just make sure you book well in advance if ever you fancy a few laps! The Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome - while the Manchester Velodrome may be home to British Cycling, the Scottish Cycling team can often be found training on Glasgow's Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome. Again, this track is open to the public, which is handy for any cyclist looking to build their fitness. Herne Hill Velodrome - is one of the oldest tracks in the world, built in south London in 1891, and for decades was the home of the famous Good Friday Track Meeting. In 1948 it hosted the track cycling events at the London Olympics and it is still a very popular track for training and racing today. Newport Velodrome - The Welsh National Velodrome opened in 2003 and was used by the British track cycling team for its pre-event training camps ahead of the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics. It has also been crucial in developing a string of talented Welsh cyclists such as Nicole Cooke and Geraint Thomas.

Remembering Leicester track

While the tracks above highlight some of the best UK velodromes today, it's worth remembering one of of the great velodromes of the past. The Saffron Lane Velodrome – an outdoor stadium that once played host to some of British Cycling's most memorable moments – was a 3,100 seater velodrome located in Leicester. The Leicester track hosted the UCI World Championships in 1970 and 1982. Unfortunately, the opening of the new Manchester Velodrome hastened the end for the once glorious Saffron Lane track which eventually closed its doors in 1999. Take a look at the map below to see where all the UK's velodromes are located and to find out more about which notable cyclists have trained where. Ribble launched the new, exciting full carbon Eliminator track bike during the 2016-17 track season. Read all about it here. .centre {
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Name

Location

Caird Park

Dundee

Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome

Glasgow

Meadowbank Velodrome

Edinburgh

Tommy Givan Track

Orangefield, Belfast

Middlesbrough Sports Village

Middlesbrough

Richmondshire Velodrome (Richmondshire Cricket Club Velodrome)

Richmond, North Yorkshire

York Sport Velodrome

York, North Yorkshire

Roundhay Park

Leeds, West Yorkshire

Quibell Park Stadium

Scunthorpe

Long View Leisure (Knowsley Leisure & Culture Park)

Huyton Knowsley, Merseyside

Manchester Velodrome (The National Cycling Centre)

Manchester

Forest Town Welfare

Mansfield,Nottinghamshire

Lyme Valley Stadium

Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire

Derby Arena

Derby

Aldersley Track

Aldersley,Wolverhampton

Halesowen Velodrome

Halesowen, West Midlands

Carmarthen Park

Carmarthen

Maindy Stadium (Maindy Centre)

Cardiff

Newport Velodrome (Newport Velo)

Newport

Palmer Park Stadium

Reading

Gosling Sports Park

Welwyn Garden City

Lee Valley VeloPark

Leyton, East London

Herne Hill Velodrome

London

Poole Park Track

Poole, Dorset

Bournemouth Cycle Centre

Bournemouth,Dorset

Calshot Velodrome

Calshot

The Mountbatten Centre

Portsmouth

Preston Park

Brighton, East Sussex

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