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Box Hill on the Rise

Something of a celebration for cycling fans with news that one of the key viewing points for the 2012 Road Race will now be able to accommodate significantly more people than had at first been indicated. After initial concerns that the area around Box Hill, a significant hill and scenic to boot, was to be limited, LOCOG (The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games) have confirmed that numbers – which are ticketed – on the ‘Donkey Green’ area and ‘Zig-Zag Road’ sections are to be increased by 3,500. London 2012 Director of Sport Debbie Jevans has issued a statement in which she says, “We are delighted to welcome people to watch the Olympic Road Race from the Zig-Zag Road and Donkey Green at Box Hill…We will give people the chance to see a generous amount of Road Race competition at one of the best stretches of road which we are able to do following the test event and our learnings (sic).’

 

LOCOG will now work with the National Trust (who own and maintain Box Hill) to remove, in an ecologically sound way, invasive scrub to accommodate the additional spectators.

 

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Paralympics Brands Hatch a Plan

Here at Cyclo we’re busy filling up our jotter book as and when venues for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic are announced so we were delighted to be able to get out our sharpie and make a note that Brands Hatch has been unveiled as the site for the Paralympic cycling road races. More than 200 of the world’s elite will fight it out for 32 road race titles (17 male, 12 female, 3 mixed) on a course that will begin and end at the world famous venue which began life in 1928 as a grass track cycle circuit before establishing itself in motor sports including a long tenure as the British F1 venue.

 

With regards to the decision to stage the races at an out of Capital site, Lord Coe commented: “This will help us extend the Games outside London and will give spectators and athletes the chance to discover yet another stunning part of our country.”

 

The announcement was the final piece in the puzzle with all of the 2012 Game’s venues now confirmed. So I guess Cyclo can put away the jotter…

 

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UK Para-Cycling Track Team Head for World Championships

Para-CyclingWe are now only days away from the Para-Cycling Track World Championships (March 11-13) and with this being only one of two track competitions with qualifying points for the 2012 London Paralympic Games, the UK team are heading out to Montichiari, Italy with the strongest possible side. “We expect to see some strong performances from our riders,” says Team Manager Gareth Sheppard, “Our goal is to bring back as many medals as possible to help us qualify a satisfactory number of athletes for track events at the London Games.”

 

The team of 16 includes seven Paralympic champions – Mark Bristow, Jody Cundy, Anthony Kappes, Darren Kenny, Aileen McGlynn, Barney Storey and Sarah Storey, along with double World Champion Neil Fachie. In to the mix also goes a further handful of 2012 hopefuls including ex-servicemen Tel Byrne and Jon-Allan Butterworth (both making World Championship debuts) who joined the GB Para-Cycling Team via the “Battle Back” programme – a tri-service initiative launched in 2008 to provide training and sporting opportunities for seriously injured personnel.

 

The three days of competition will see the world’s top riders battling it out in 3 and 4Km Pursuit, 500 and 1000m Time Trial, plus Sprint and Team Sprint – Cyclo wishes our UK team the very best of luck…