The London 2012 Velodrome has been praised by riders as the UCI Track Cycling World Cup, presented by Samsung came to a close yesterday.
The UCI (International Cycling Union) also praised the ‘quality facilities’, ‘excellent arrangements’ and ‘unique atmosphere’ in the venue.
The four-day competition saw 340 riders from 48 nations and 18 trade teams compete in the Velodrome for the first time.
As well as being a World Cup and the penultimate qualifier for London 2012, the event was key in testing London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) operations ahead of the Games. Key testing elements included testing the track, athlete flows in the venue, results and timing systems, sport presentation, as well the 1000-strong workforce and volunteers.
Debbie Jevans, LOCOG Director of Sport said of the event: ‘It was thrilling to see the Velodrome in full-swing with fantastic sport, thousands of spectators and a live TV audience.
'The UCI Track Cycling World Cup has given us a glimpse of the atmosphere and excitement we can expect in the Velodrome this summer.’