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Hadleigh Farm Press Day - Olympic Mountain Bike Course Improvements

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Published: 17th April, 2012


Words: Richard Jones Team XCRacer.com - Photos Paul Sanwell www.op-photography.co.uk

Last Wednesday saw the final press day at the 2012 London Olympic Mountain Bike venue Hadleigh Farm.  New sections of technical trails were opened and developments since the last test event were shown.  The Salvation Army who own the land took this opportunity to unveil their plans for the venue when the Olympics are finished. 

The earlier test event showed there were areas for improvement.  One of the main things that the previous racers commented about was the lack of room for overtaking riders around the course.  Since then the course has been widened and on one of the main climbs (Snake Hill) there has been a clear split created in the climb allowing riders to choose a position and giving faster riders the opportunity to make their move.  The switchback climbs have also been widened and passing is now available here as well.  The starting loop climb has also been extended adding a further eleven meters of climbing to the first lap. 


At the start of the test event race it became apparent that the starting loop was not long enough and because of this bunching had formed at the first technical section.  Since then the starting climb has been widened and extended.  The course now measures 4.7km with 172meters of climbing each lap. It is expected that the leading men will complete laps in roughly 12.5 minutes for a total of 7 laps. In a nutshell these modifications has made the course higher, wider and harder. 


GBR Team rider Kenta Galagher making it look so easy

It's just 119 days until the first race at Hadleigh Farm.  That's only 17 Wednesdays time!  The course is totally complete and the surrounding stadiums and other facilities are quickly taking shape.  Athletes will start arriving in London on the 16th July.  The course will then open for athlete training on the 7th August. 


What holds for the future of Hadleigh Farm?

The Salvation Army owns Hadleigh Farm.  It was purchased 120 years ago by William Booth who founded the Salvation Army.  Since then it has been a place for the local community to use, however its full benefits haven't been achieved until now. 

The course will remain after the Olympics for the community to use, however some alterations to the course will enable a wider range of riders to enjoy the it.  Many of the difficult technical sections will remain however much easier routes will be put in place as well.  New cycle trails will be added to the surrounding area to accommodate more novice riders and for family use.  These will have shared access with walkers and horse riders. 

There will be a main centre built with toilets, changing rooms, café and even bike hire.  The Salvation Army wishes to develop this in the future to offer cycle coaching as well as just a shop.  The main ethos is to create a sustainable place to honour both the past heritage of the site and its more recent fame.  

The new work to the site will begin in the winter of 2012 and is expected to be completed by Summer/Autumn 2013. 


So my opinion of the course?

Before visiting, like you, I had seen many pictures - it's easy to quickly dismiss the course as being in the wrong place and not showing UK mountain biking to the best of its ability. 

From the moment you get there it's apparent that this is not the case and after a couple of moments thinking about what the constructors and developers had to deal with it's pretty clear that they have done a fantastic job. 

The course is extremely demanding.  There are numerous sections of technical trails that would make the best XC riders think again.  I can only imagine that these obstacles will become even more treacherous at speed and with fatigue setting in.  What also struck me was the amount of climbing.  On paper 179 meters of climbing does not sound a lot however it seemed like we were forever heading upwards. 


You will see from the pictures that the course is mostly hard packed - well lets face it August in England?  It's probably going to pour with rain and if this is the case we need a course that can stand up to it and not create a mud bath ruining the race.  If it stays dry then it will prove to be one very fast race, however the course has also catered for this by providing small rock obstacles on the fastest sections causing the rider to alter their speed constantly.  The course strikes me as one that is designed for a rider who is very strong technically, who does well at sprinting and doesn't mind going it alone. There is no chance of groups forming on this grueling course. 

Lastly to the venue as one for the spectator and what a brilliant one it is too. There are many places on the course where you can see much of the race three or four times during a lap, making it perfect for spectating.  The surrounding scenery is just sensational.  The main grand stand will look directly out onto the course with the rolling hills stretching out in front followed by the Thames Estury in the distance and to the left is the remains of Hadleigh Castle.  Over the hill to the right you can pick up the towering skyline of London.  Any visitor to this site is guaranteed to be impressed.  Basically a great course set in the best of the British countryside.  Welcome all our visiting cyclists and fans from around the world!



More on the london 2012 Olympic Mountain Bike Event:
Event Calendar Listing


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