Velodrome on track to be first Olympic venue completed

Olympic champion Staff was pleased with the Velodrome progress. Photo: ODA

The steel structure that will house London 2012’s speed-cycling events is complete, the Olympic Delivery Authority announced today.

The 6,000-seat Velodrome now looks set to be the first sports building finished with work on the venue’s distinctive double-curved cable-net roof now underway.

Olympic gold-medalist Jamie Staff toured the site, which should get the rubber stamp early next year, and was thrilled with what he saw. He said: “It was great to visit the London 2012 Velodrome site and I was hugely impressed by the progress being made.”

Staff, who won the team sprint event at the Beijing Games alongside Chris Hoy and Jason Kenny, added: “It was good to see at first hand how the venue is being designed and built to create a great crowd atmosphere and deliver the best possible conditions for track cyclists.

“I’m sure this will be a perfect venue for Team GB to continue to hit Gold in 2012.”

After the Games, the Velodrome will be shared between elite athletes and the local community with café, bike hire and cycle workshop facilities all being added.

Shaun Dawson, Chief Executive of Lee Valley Regional Park Authority who will own, fund and manage the Velodrome legacy, said: “We’ll make sure this first rate centre will be truly world class, welcoming cyclists of all levels and disciplines to train, race or just simply cycle for fun.

“It will be an integral part of the chain of sporting excellence we are creating through the 26 mile long, 10,000 acre Lee Valley Regional Park.”