Editing Manchester Velodrome (section)

==Velodrome==
[[File:Manchester Velodrome 2.jpg|thumb|left|The exterior of the Manchester Velodrome from Stuart Street.]]
[[File:Manchester Velodrome roof.jpg|thumb|left|Internal view of the Velodrome.]]
The Manchester Velodrome was developed as a joint venture between [[Sport England]], [[Manchester City Council]] and [[British Cycling]], who recognised the need for an Olympic-standard facility in the United Kingdom to improve British track cycling. Funding was provided by the government, through the Department of the Environment (£6.5m), the [[Sports Council]] (£2m) and the Foundation for Sport and the Arts (£1m). Manchester City Council is the freehold owner and the centre is managed by the Eastlands Trust (formerly named the Velodrome Trust).<ref name="history"/> The Velodrome was dismissed by some as a potential white elephant prior to opening – concerns that were later unfounded with the facility well used by the public and a key part of Britain's ascension to the top of track cycling.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Commonwealth chiefs want Beckham |quote=Too often we think when things are built they will be a white elephant. "But who would have thought the Velodrome in Manchester would have had the effect it has?" |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/1207073.stm |work=BBC News |date=7 March 2001 |access-date=2016-08-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Cycling: On track for success as Manchester Velodrome helps break the mould |quote=Success, therefore, is all the sweeter when a dome breaks the mould and turns out to be a success. This is what has happened at the Manchester Velodrome, one of the centrepiece venues for this summer's Commonwealth Games. |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/cycling/2428598/Cycling-On-track-for-success-as-Manchester-Velodrome-helps-break-the-mould.html |newspaper=Daily Telegraph |date=14 January 2002 |access-date=2016-08-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Manchester's 'White Elephant' thankfully extinct, says proud cyclist Storey |url=http://www.mancunianmatters.co.uk/content/071074508-manchesters-white-elephant-thankfully-extinct-says-proud-cyclist-storey |work=mancmatters.co.uk |date=7 October 2015 |access-date=2016-08-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Clause 44 - Glasgow Grand Prix |quote=The development was labelled as the greatest white elephant in Britain by some of the press, but if Manchester velodrome had been a country at the 2012 Olympic games, it would have come seventh in the medal table. |url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/pbc/2013-14/Finance_(No._2)_Bill/07-0_2014-05-08a.7.10 |date=8 May 2014 |access-date=2016-08-16}}</ref>

The velodrome was designed by FaulknerBrowns Architects and has garnered a reputation for speed since its opening.<ref>{{Cite news |title=FaulknerBrownArchitects - Sport |url=http://www.faulknerbrowns.co.uk/#14/1990-99 |work=Faulker Brown Architects |access-date=2012-07-13}}</ref> The centre's roof structure is based around a 122-metre, 200 tonne arch allowing for an unrestricted viewing area for spectators. Covered by an aluminium roof, the total structure weighs around 600 tonnes. The track is 250&nbsp;metres long and its bankings reach 42&nbsp;degrees in the middle.<ref name="history"/> The track is as steep at the top as it is on the black (racing) line. On 21 May 2007 the velodrome closed for resurfacing in Siberian pine at a cost of £400,000. It reopened on 16 July 2007, and is considered a smoother ride.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Velodrome on fast track |last=Taylor |first=Paul |url=http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1008/1008226_velodrome_on_fast_track.html |newspaper=Manchester Evening News |date=2 June 2007 |access-date=2012-07-13}}</ref>

By 30 March 2008, more than 15 world records had been set, including [[Chris Boardman]]'s 1996 and 2000 [[hour record]]s and the 4000&nbsp;metre [[team pursuit]] record set by the Great Britain men's team at the 2008 World Championships.

The [[Hour record#UCI hour record (1972–2014)|UCI hour record]] set by Boardman in the Best Human Effort category in 1996,<ref>{{Cite news |title=Cycling: Boardman ends career in style |last=Liggett |first=Phil |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/4774603/Cycling-Boardman-ends-career-in-style.html |newspaper=The Telegraph |date=28 October 2000 |access-date=2012-07-13}}</ref> was rescinded by UCI in 2000 and subsequent attempts at breaking [[Eddy Merckx]]'s 1972 record stopped as UCI believed advanced bicycle technology gave cyclists too much help.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Boardman and the banned Superman |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/992941.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=26 October 2000 |access-date=2012-07-15}}</ref> Boardman set out to break the record on a bike comparable to Eddy Merckx's 1972 machine. He surpassed the record at the velodrome in 2000, achieving a distance of 49.444[[kilometre|km]] as against the 1972 record of 49.431&nbsp;km, and then retired.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Boardman breaks Merckx record |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/994689.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=27 October 2000 |access-date=2012-07-13}}</ref>

The velodrome has become a popular venue for cyclists with taster and practice sessions frequently booked up several weeks in advance.<ref>{{Cite news |title=The road to take to be the next Bradley Wiggins or Lizzie Armitstead |last=Walker |first=Peter |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/london-2012-olympics-blog/2012/aug/02/olympics-cycling-guide?newsfeed=true |newspaper=The Guardian |date=2 August 2012 |access-date=2012-08-03}}</ref> In 2011, the [[National Indoor BMX Arena]] was opened next to the velodrome.<ref>{{Cite news |title=£24m BMX Centre Opened |url=http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/bmx/article/bmx20110805-bmx-%C2%A324m-National-BMX-Centre-throws-open-its-doors-0 |work=British Cycling |date=6 August 2011 |access-date=2012-08-12}}</ref> Plans proposed in 2012 included a [[Mountain bike racing|mountain bike trail]] on [[Clayton Vale]], which would be the first facility of its kind in the United Kingdom and would aim to replicate Britain's performance on the track in mountain biking.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Clayton Vale Mountain Bike Trail Consultation |url=http://www.manchester.gov.uk/press/article/203/clayton_vale_mountain_bike_trail_consultation |work=manchester.gov.uk |date=16 July 2012 |access-date=2012-08-03}}</ref>

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