Back to normal

... whatever that is! And straight into the schools sessions, the SQTs, the derny and sprint sessions and a overall tiredness that pervades after a big event. Ah well, plenty of cyclists still coming in so just get on with it.
Well done to all at the WC - the Velodrome staff who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure it all happens and, the WC staff who work hard too.
Well done all the Brits who rode really well and the Irish too - great to see them on the world stage.

Soon it the Bike Jumble and it won't be long before Tony sends me the info to put up!

Don't forget the Air Products school holiday track sessions for 9-16 years either. Easter holidays.

They fell off

Not all of them you understand but a good proportion of them in the Keirin final on the first day of the World Cup. Friday was a brill day and you can read all about it on the BC web-site [see link]. But the snap that took the biscuit was this one :-)

Taken on a 1 pixel camera [film actually- a great big 40 year old Ruski camera at that] and processed by yours truely in t'bathroom that very evening for you all to gawp at. How good is that?

Great riding by all the Brits.

It's all go!

Were are moments away from the racing happening. The riders are putting in their last warm-up efforts, the crowd is arriving and the commisaires are getting their stories straight - as well as their creases.
Soon, the first riders will be flying round the track and the World Cup will be on.
If you have not got tickets yet, get down here quick!

Next week

Yup, once all this razzamataz biking sort of thing is over it's back to normal - whatever that is - with schools, commnuity groups and what have you complimenting the SQT and Taster sessions.
Please note; All sessions are busy at the moment so some need booking in advance. Next week it's derny-time on Wednesday evening and Induction the following Sunday [4th March].
Sunday SQTs - usually with Adrian are still on Sundays at 8-10pm.

Mr Wiggins

Despite Mr Wiggins looking like he has done 10 rounds with Henry Cooper [remember him?] Mr Wiggins has been looking in fine form on the track today, rushing around for short periods at high speed. Martin Barras, one of the Aussie coaches tells me Brad McGee is coming and if he comes it will be because he is on good form. Great stuff. Looks like the pursuit could be one to watch this week.

Photo by L Hickmott

Nightmare on Stuart Street.

Just had my eyeballs burnt as I espied The Boss out running with bare legs and I, silly me, didn't have my shades on. Talk about lack of sun on them sticks. And he doesn't even have a licence for them.

Many of you may not even know who The Boss is as it happens. He is the well dressed one - rarely seen as he is usually cooped up in his office trying to figure how much more money he can legitimately pay me. It's not much I can tell you. His name is Jarl Walsh and most of the time he looks like this - with his legs covered up;

The Boys

"If you don't behave I'll send The Boys round to see you"; such is my none too idle threat when a certain antipodean coach winds me up that little bit too much. Of course, I don't send them as I know The Boys have more than enough to do every day here at the Velodrome. Like getting the bikes out for the next lot of lovelies who terrorise the coaches every day.
This week, what with the place overrun with fit and fast riders from around the world and not a schoolchild in sight awaiting to take the spokes out on yet another hire bike, The Boys are doing all the humping, arranging, hanging of flags and what have you to make to place look just dandy on Friday when the meeting opens.
Under the directorship of our amiable Paul Hardy [see previous post], Messers Simon & Damien get to work driving the fork lift hither and thither, turning in such as way as to shed light in just the right way on their carefully honed bodies. Or should I say 'body' since Simon has been pumping the iron recently. Damien, on the other hand is looking to get back to the microwave and yet another pre-packed meal for din-dins.
Well done lads, we couldn't do without you.

Broncos bucking the trend!

Mr Shane Sutton saw some of his ol'mates from back'ome today as a posse of Brisbane Bronco boys came in for a visit today. Apparently they play some sort of rugby. Not the proper Bath sort of game but the flat'at and whippet game. Anyway, poor devils look like they need to eat more kangaroo pukka - or whatever they call it. Can't imagine that St Helen's team whom the Broncos play soon will have much trouble this lot. http://www.broncos.com.au/
Despite that, one of the Broncos was about the same size as Ross Edgar and Jason Kenny combined.

Teams arrive

Oh the joy ! Just been watching Di the receptionist dealing, in no uncertain terms with Japanese and Uzbeks this morning as they arrive to do a bit of light track training. Needless to say they won't be tangling with our receptionist again!
Of course the more sophisticated of us here greeted out Oriental friends with "Konnichiwa" and generally felt rather smug. The Uzbeks passed so quickly I little chance to try out my command of that language.
Steve, our IT bod/cook/Duty manager has been putting up the new times for the World Cup track sessions on our main web-site [ www.manchestervelodrome.com ]; so if you want to know what they are, look there because if you think I am going to type all that stuff in here...................

Will keep you lot informed if I see something worth a bit of Gos here this week, so keep looking

World Cup

Just a quick reminder that the World Cup is on later this week - Friday -Sunday. Well worth the money to go and watch the great racing.
As a result there are no training sessions this week although TL's on Monday and Tuesday are on.

Track Mementoes

What with the old track surface coming out in the near future, there have been various mutterings [even more than normal that is] about being able to buy a bit of the old track as a memento. Even Christopher Boardman expressed an interest in the piece where he finished his last hour record.
So, without further ado or ramblings, I can announce that the Manchester Velodrome will be arranging for bits of wood from various parts of the surface to be taken out carefully and put on sale. We will be having bits of plain wood and also bits with specific lines on them for a higher consideration. Special bits - like where Craig Mclean rubbed off bits of skin as he came to grief - as he has done at least once here - or the pursuit lines where Wiggly Braggins, Chris Hoy et al started many of their winning races - will be in great demand and command many more groats to acquire. {does that make sense? Probably not!] .
Proceeds from this sale will be put towards commisoning a peice of artwork for display at the Velodrome. Anyway, keep coming back here to see an update of what and when and how much. Please don't hassle the reception yet - you might just lose an ear. Be warned!!!!!!!

We are on a roll!

Just a note for your diaries that the Velodrome is going to have its nice new surface put on starting on May 21st. It is expected that it will take around 6 weeks so now is the time to think about looking at the Newcastle, Roundhay and Scunthorpe programmes for that period.

Prior to that is the Paralympic World Cup - 7th -10th May. Recent results in the Aussie Open nationals suggest that both tandems - Barney Storey/Ant Kappe and Ellen Hunter/Aileen McGlynn are on form as is Sarah Bailey by the looks of things. Actually, on checking out the Aus results, all the team were flying.

Brilliant event to watch. Get your self so tickets NOW.

Here's nice snap of Ellen/Aileen trashing the Aussies - again [Ahem, you awake Shane??]

The Derny man

We got dernys. You may have heard them droning round the place with a string of sweating and fast pedalling riders behind. They are not the most sophisticated of machines and require a certain touch to start them.

The Velodrome are extremly lucky in having a brilliant mechanic who visits us from time to time to tweak the things and keep them running real sweet. We couldn't do without him - and, he does it out the goodness of his heart too.

The only downside is that Guy, for that is his name, works around the world and comes in direct from Angola or on the way to Kazacstan [or however you spell it!]. Currently Guy is en-route to somewhere round about Madagasgar on the good ship Yum Klumdo of something.

Anyway, here is Guy, posing - as you do at the Velodrome.

Compare

... the facilities with this pic from Fallowfield a few years ago or so [1920s perhaps?]. No, I didn't take this snap but got the neg from a photog friend of mine.

I'm sure I recognise one of those bikes though. And the bloke on the left; looks rather like a young Brian Sowter :-)

Behind the scenes

The Velodrome, with all its razzamataz and supersonic rainbow beclad bike riders riders runs like clockwork most of the time. But sometimes when things go wrong its the Velodrome engineer that puts if all right in a micro-jiffy.

Here right from the Velodromes first pour of concrete and seeing to the twiddly bits when they need a special twiddle, Climbing on the roof sorting it out after bits blow awry in a storm and then up to his arm-pits in unmentionables is Paul Hardy.

Paul is the main man to see when you need a little washer or something as he's bound to have one in a drawer or, failing that, sure to have a catalogue that lists one. Yeahey, what would we do without him??

Helping with all the lifting, painting, sawing, moving to and fro, driving fork-lifts and genrally getting things ready are Damien and Simon.

Oops, that not them me thinks. Will get a snap of the Boys soon

World Cup Track Meeting

Friday 23rd - Sunday 25th at the Manchester Velodrome.

A chance to witness the worlds best track cyclists racing it out on the worlds best cycle racing track. GB's Olympic Champions Bradley Wiggins and Chris Hoy will be trying to win again against hot opposition. Plus lots of new kids on the block, for example; Ben Swift, Andy Tennent, Jason Kenny and Anna Blyth will all be riding their little hearts out - mainly to stop Shane bending their ears!!! [Shane is smarting a bit; Aussie cricketers get beaten. Aussie tandems get beaten by GB pairs at Aussie Nationals etc. Eh!!]

Not to be missed.

See full details and how to buy tickets here http://www.worldtrackcycling.com/

Photo of Craig Mclean about to trash a Japanese sprinter by Larry Hickmott.

Please note; Due to the World Cup and their pre-event sessions, there will be NO training sessions next week at all. ACT and Tuesdays Track Leagues will run as normal.

This is our new place

A new place for all you dudes to read about up-to-date info about the Velodrome. Stuff going on, gossip, session news, Rose's new joke, Diane's latest fad and news about likely looking news stars in the making. It's The New World's Velodrone; digitally re-mastered. Or Something.
Basically, if you want to know what is worth knowing at the Manchester Velodrome, this is the place to come.