DOMOTEX TECHNOLOGY ALMOST EVERY CYCLIST CAN
BENEFIT FROM THE SKILLS THAT ARE GAINED FROM RACING AND TRAINING ON THE TRACK. VELODROME TRACK RACING IS A UNIQUE SPORT
Kendra Wenzell | Cycling coach
the performance of the riders and the used materials (bicycle, clothing etc) are in a constant development, the track design has to adapt the design criteria according to the progress. Schuerman Architects of Munster, Germany conclude: “This is - among other important factors - the main reason, why there are no standard- tracks.” Shorter tracks are also spectator-friendly, important given that the London Olympics one for example had a seating capacity of 6,000. Schuerman point out: “If the action is confi ned to a smaller area with the spectators being closer to the action, this generates a more intimate atmosphere between the racing cyclists and the spectators and produces more interactivity. In addition, smaller tracks and velodromes are naturally cheaper and easier to install.”
MATERIAL CHANGES: THE PERFECT SURFACE Historically, velodrome tracks have been made from a variety of materials. Older or cheaper versions were surfaced with concrete, ashphalt, tarmac or even cinder, something that often only applied to lower level venues where cost was an issue. Olympic quality tracks are usually made of timber or synthetics. The
London 2012 track was laid with Siberian pine, similar to Paris, as was the track in Rio. And while concrete and synthetic surfaces are also common, the higher-grade expensive woods that can deal with moisture variation in the air tend to be used outside whereas more aff ordable options such as pine tend to be reserved for those not exposed to
A TRACK YOU CAN TAKE FOR A RIDE
Like Olympic and football stadia, velodromes enjoy a uniqueness of their own, despite the strengthening of international standards. The Flextrack pictured here was described when it made its debut in 2006 as a “unique demountable cycling track”. The demountable element ensured it could be moved and taken to diff erent locations. Once on site, it could be operational for bikes to mount its plywood surface within 14 hours. It has a standard length of 200 metres, which can be reduced to 182 metres or even 167 metres for a six-day event. Since its introduction, it has been used 20 times for six-day races. Its biggest customer was Rotterdam, Netherlands, where it has been used 12 times with more occasional appearances in Maastricht and Tilburg as well as Cremona, Italy, and Hasselt, Belgium.
Pictures |
cyclingtrack.com
QUO TE
laying
the elements. Velodrome specialists SDA from Stompetoren, Holland, a fi rm whose portfolio includes those in Athens, Mexico City and Majorca, used Accoya in the Omnisport Apeldoorn multi-sport indoor arena. Accoya was handpicked as the ideal wood for the project as, due to the acetylation process, it will not splinter, something evidenced at an earlier project in Tbilisi, Georgia. Before
the Accoya track
architects used Larch but found that, because of the humidity in the arena, the wood shrank. Not only is Velodrome racing an
event in itself, the skills learned from such exacting and challenging conditions, bodes well for riders switching to road races. In a blog post on this
subject
some time ago, Kendra Wenzel, who runs a coaching team within Portland, Oregon, described the velodrome as an “exceptionally eff ective” developmental tool. It’s a sentiment that has endured
even to this day. She added: “Almost every cyclist can benefi t from the skills that are gained from racing and training on the track. Velodrome track racing is a unique sport... for those who are focused on the road or even mountain bike, a track oriented approach to cycling can be a great benefi t.”
BACK TO CONTENTS
DOMOTEX MAGAZINE
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58
