Great Britain Cycling Team to race at opening of French national velodrome

Great Britain Cycling Team to race at opening of French national velodrome

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Riders from the Great Britain Cycling Team will join officials and representatives from the world of cycling on Thursday night for the opening of a brand new velodrome in Paris.

A team of sprinters, including Jason Kenny, Vicky Williamson and Matt Crampton, will be going head-to-head on the track against a team of riders from France as part of the venue’s opening ceremony.

The invitational event will look to showcase the best of the venue’s state-of-the-art facilities in front of visiting delegates and media, and Great Britain’s world and Olympic Jason Kenny is looking forward to putting on a show in this unique event.

He said: “It’s a real privilege to be invited to help open the French cycling federation’s new national velodrome.

“We know in this country how important facilities are to cycling – the velodrome here in Manchester celebrates its 20th anniversary later this year and it’s difficult to imagine where the sport would be without it.”

The new 74 million euro facility, which will also be the new home of the French Cycling Federation (FFC), has been built in the town of Saint Quentin-en-Yvelines on the outskirts of Paris and will provide a wide range of multi-sport and cultural activities every day.

Bike enthusiasts of all levels can access facilities such as an indoor 250 metre Olympic track and an international standard BMX track, while other sports such as badminton, basketball and football are catered for with a 5000 square metre outdoor arena.

The French national team will also base themselves at the new facility, in much the same way as National Cycling Centre in Manchester hosts the Great Britain Cycling Team full-time.

British Cycling President Bob Howden is attending the ceremony and is delighted to see Britain’s star riders central to such a key event in French cycling.

He said: “It is a real honour to be invited to attend the opening of such an impressive new facility on behalf of British Cycling.

“It will be a great spectacle to see our leading riders perform in the opening activities and their presence is representative of the growing respect between our two nations and of the burgeoning reputation of the Great Britain Cycling Team.

“The new facility looks to be first class and I’m sure it will be a regular and popular venue for international and domestic competition in the years to come.”