London Awarded 2016 Track World Champs
The London Velodrome will see world class, international cycling action return to the Olympic Park in 2016 after the city was awarded hosting rights to the Track World Championships.
The decision was confirmed by the UCI management committee in Italy, and means many of Britain’s track cyclists will have the chance to compete at a venue where they secured nine Olympic medals in last year.
The 2016 Track Cycling World Championships will take place between 24th and 28th February and will form part of UK Sport’s Gold Event Series, which aims to bring 70 events to this country by 2019.
The process to bring the UCI Track Cycling World Championships to London began in 2012 in the run up to the Olympic Games and has involved a partnership between British Cycling, UK Sport, London Legacy Development Corporation, Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, London & Partners and the Mayor of London.
Speaking at the announcement, British Cycling’s chief executive, Ian Drake, said: ‘Winning the bid to host the final Track Cycling World Championships of the next Olympic cycle is important strategically for us, it’s good for the current generation of athletes, but it’s also an important tool for inspiring the next generation who will follow in their footsteps.’
The events we’ve delivered over the last decade in the UK have rightly been regarded as world class but the delivery of a World Championships in this iconic venue will be the biggest task we’ve taken on to date.’
Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, added: ‘This is absolutely fantastic news for London, marking the arrival of yet another thrilling world class sporting fixture to our city. These prestigious championships will be centred around our stunning Olympic velodrome, a remarkable venue that saw such awe-inspiring performances from British cyclists last summer. Interest in cycling is rocketing in this city and I’ve no doubt London’s 2016 Track World Championships help will propel this even further.’
The World Championships in 2016 will take place in the velodrome at Lee Valley Velo Park, currently undergoing transformation in preparation for its handover from the London Legacy Development Corporation to Lee Valley Regional Park Authority who will be responsible for the long term management of the facility for the people of London.
