General Information

Located in the northern end of the park, London Velopark is a cycling centre and one of the permanent venues built for the Games. Besides the velodrome, the Velopark also comprises a BMX racing track (with the capacity of 6000 seats), a mountain bike track and a one-mile road course.

Architecture: Highlights

The 6000-seats, architecturally innovative construction of the Velodrome with its lightweight, geometrically untypical roof won the 2011 Structural Awards Supreme Award for Structural Engineering. The velodrome was the first venue opened for the Games – the construction was completed one and a half year in advance, at the cost of £ 105 million.

Architecture: Explained

The roof of the Velodrome was designed to reflect the geometry of the cycling track, while its light weight and efficiency mirrors the features of a bike. There is also a 360-degree concourse level with windows, which offers a view of the park. The Velodrome is an energy efficient construction – rooflights reduce the need for artificial lights, and natural ventilation reduces the need for air conditioning. Rain water is also collected, which reduces the amount of water used from the municipal water system. The 250-metre track was made with 56 kilometres of Siberian Pine and 350,000 nails. Wherever possible, the materials used in the venue’s construction were sustainably sourced, including the 5,000 square metres of western red cedar used to clad its exterior. In addition, the choice of a cable-net roof design reduced the amount of material required and decreased construction time by 20 weeks.

Events: Highlights

There will be many changes in the track cycling programme. Men’s and women’s individual pursuit and points race, and men’s Madison will be removed from the programme. Team sprint, team pursuit and keirin will be added to women’s programme, while Omnium will be a new race for both men and women.