Video: New Rio velodrome no issue for NZ cycling team

  • 01/08/2016
(Reuters)
(Reuters)

The dust is still settling at the Olympic velodrome ahead of the track cycling events which get underway next week.

Cycling New Zealand High Performance Director Mark Elliott's already in Rio and has been having a good look at the track ahead of the team's arrival.

The track will be fresh for the Olympics after the construction process fell well behind schedule, but Elliot doesn't think that will be a problem.

"I had a good look, it's early days yet, it's a bit dusty in there and they'll have to do some work to make sure they keep it clean," said Elliott.

"That's pretty typical for any new velodrome if it has just been constructed there's always dust coming down from the ceiling.

"There's a few teams training in there now and it'll just take a little bit of time for some rubber to come off the tires and embed on the tracks.

"But you know it's round, it's a piece of wood, and we'll all go the same direction."

Video: New Rio velodrome no issue for NZ cycling team

Workers clean the glass around the track (Reuters)

A test event prior to the Olympic Games was canned due to the velodrome's wooden track not being finished, and Elliott will have just over a week to put the team through their paces.

Rio's original plan was to use the velodrome built for the 2007 Pan American Games, but that was scuppered after officials said the venue did not meet Olympic standards.

The newly erected velodrome will have slightly longer straights with tighter corners, but Elliott's brushed off any fears his cycling team won't be able to familiarise themselves with the track.

"It's a 250m track and they all have their subtleties, but we've been training on four different velodrome tracks this year so athletes adapted and they've got a good 10 days before they crank into it.

"They'll get a good six sessions in there and run a few longer sets and get used to it."

Road cyclist George Bennett will be the first member of the team to arrive tomorrow, followed by the track contingent on Wednesday (NZT).

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