So what is the latest on this? Have they decided to go ahead with inventing a hill or two in London or place it somewhere altogether more appropriate?

it’s in Essex. Keep up at the back.

Is that a decision then? I heard they had backtracked and were considering places like Dalby?

it’s in Essex

So it’s a CX race then?

They could always hold it at Eastnor, build the course a couple of days before once the Land Rover rally has torn everything up and shrug their shoulders when it rains.

There is a hill there, I’ve crashed on it!

They could always hold it at Eastnor, build the course a couple of days before once the Land Rover rally has torn everything up and shrug their shoulders when it rains.

😉

Or they could always, I dunno, use the existing World Cup courses at Nevis and spread some of the Olympic funding and tourism benefits north of the border?!?

>use the existing World Cup courses at Nevis

Next XC world cup in the UK will be held at Dalby, not Nevis

>spread some of the Olympic funding and tourism benefits north
Politics, innit 🙁

http://www.london2012.com/venues/hadleigh-farm-essex.php

It’s owned by the Salvation army. There are hills there … ish

Everyone taking part will be required to wear white spd stilletos and boob tubes.

Everyone taking part will be required to wear white spd stilletos and boob moob tubes

Or they could always, I dunno, use the existing World Cup courses at Nevis and spread some of the Olympic funding and tourism benefits north of the border?!?

London is staging the 2012 Olympics, not England, or Scotland, or Edinburgh.

Although the fact the sailing is Poole Harbour should surely mean somewhere not flat can be found for the moutain biking course even if it’s a little further away. But Scotland? No. Sorry.

I dunno what you naysayers are dribbling about, on the maps there are spot heights of 72 and 75 metres, what more do you want? 😉

Pearl Harbour? That’s a trek isn’t it?

I bet the Japanese will win that one…

OY!!! Weymouth and Portland for the sailing!!!

We are proud to have spent your taxes 😉

Scotland’s already got highland games, wanting anything else is just plain greedy.

Or they could always, I dunno, use the existing World Cup courses at Nevis and spread some of the Olympic funding and tourism benefits north of the border?!?

Why would they though? It’s the London Olympics, not the UK Olympics.
That said, the argument for having to have the MTB close to London does fall down a bit when they have the sailing on the coast.

Edit: So, err, what Nick said!

London is staging the 2012 Olympics, not England, or Scotland, or Edinburgh.

I’m aware of that, but doesn’t it make sense to hold the events that need hills where the hills are?

The 2010 Winter Olympics are in Vancouver, but they are still doing the skiing and snowboarding events in Whistler.

Okay maybe Scotland is too far away, but surely there are plenty of actual hills to choose from.

Mountain biking doesn’t need hills though. Despite the name 🙂

Mountain biking doesn’t need hills though. Despite the name

Good point. It should probably be held along a canal towpath, with points deducted for hitting dog eggs or not ringing your bell as you approach a bridge.

LOL!
Probably be a better spectator sport than a typical xc race 🙂

I thought there was a checklist for things that an Olympic MTB course had to be – so much climbing per lap (not much IIRC), lap length between X & Y etc, access for spectators and media etc. If Essex ticks all the boxes than that’s what matters to the organisers – it may not be where we, or the competitors, would choose to ride but that’s not the point.

I seem to remember that the height difference on the Beijing course was similar, about 70m or so. That looked OK to me.

I personally don’t understand why it’s not on the Surrey Hills, too many NIMBYs maybe? Anyway, an area which previously had very few facilites for MTB is about to get some, that is a good thing IMO.

While it may be the London 2012 games, it would seem stupid to create a boring and un-testing course for supposedly testing the peak of physical capability just because its not in or very close to london.

OK i ride at hadleigh at least twice a week, have done for hte past 15 years or so, I know it like the back of the preverbial hand. The Downs are good enough for a world class mtb course giving prob a 30 min lap at world class level. This is why Ive always supported the downs other than the fact its on my doorstep so to speak. However they are not using the full scope of the down they are using one field and one hill at world class level I cant see this taking any more than 10-15 mins a lap if you threw in every obstacle going and created a slalom to climb up, they are only aiming for a 15 minute’ish lap, which apparently are the requirements set out by the olympic comittee and the UCI. Ive questioned this with the local council bod in charge of whats going on and he seems to think that after attending the bejing mtb race he knows more about mtb racing than someone whos been racing for nigh on 15 years… In fact Ive also complained about the signs he’s put up for the event apologising to other users for the slight disruption possibly going to be caused by not actually using any of the decent parts of the downs.

Id love to get in touch with the course designer as I could show them half a dozen good courses that would melt the legs of seasoned xc racers in one lap…

Hopefully the proposed course will be slated in the ‘practice’ races that are supposed to be taking place…

Another thing is that the 2012 Olympics are “supposed” to be highlighting sustainability and that the construction of all of the arena areas and infrastructure in places such as Swinley mean that for the most part that is why they’ve been rejected as venues. Obviously none of that matters to any Audi BMW driving IT desk jockeys.

RichPenny – Member
I seem to remember that the height difference on the Beijing course was similar, about 70m or so. That looked OK to me.

I personally don’t understand why it’s not on the Surrey Hills, too many NIMBYs maybe? Anyway, an area which previously had very few facilites for MTB is about to get some, that is a good thing IMO.

Unfortunately most of the planned course is on private land of a working farm – I doubt there will be access to it after the games.

i think the uci/ olympics are missing a trick im sure the nice course in essex will be perfectly adequate, but imagine if theyd had the testicular fortitude to put it 2.5 hrs down the M4 at cwmcarn
the view from the top of the trails there out to the south wales coast would look spectacular, mtbing looks dull enough on tv as it is!

and lets be honest south wales could do with the tourism and cash boost from the olympics a frak lot more that the south east of england

sadly the decision was made based on the need for a short chauffer driven ride for seb co and his other highly paid chums/ sponsors etc so they can be back in their lottery and taxpayer funded 5 star hotels for the evening soiree

Was Epping Forest ever on the shortlist? Miles and miles of lovely single track and not in any way flat. And inside the M25 so therefore very definately in London (kind of)

Shouldve used Aston hill IMHO

Ah, had assumed that it might be in the country park Big Dawg. That’s a shame.

I can see the argument for using Epping forest as it is actually in London (the M25)

However if their going to have it Near London then why Essex ?

There are two areas that are hilly near London ie North Downs and Chilterns.

The problem with the north downs is its full of Nimby so maybe thats why they didnt try.

None of the Olympic courses have been any good, Not Athens (side of a hill outside the city used to be a dump) Sydney (essentially flat) or Beijing (where they had to at the last minute make it more technical) The course needs to be open so it can be televised, trying to film cyclists under the cover of trees is pretty much impossible (so that’s Swinley, Aston Hill and Epping out) plus LAs were invited to bid for the rights to host it, Essex bid and won.

TBH it doesn’t matter that it’s not in some wonderfully Recreational location like Afan or Ft Bill, it’s for Athletes to race around, it could be the local Tesco CP with some dirt rubbed in, it’s not trying to advance the sport of Mountain biking, it’s a one off minority Olympic event, OK?

The local council have been running consultation meetings on this. see my write up after the last one below

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/2012-olympic-mountain-biking-update

If it’s the London Olympics does that mean that tax contributions from the rest of England, Wales, NI, IoM, and Scotland are not being used?

Load of old bollocks – it’s a new sport – Molehill Biking. So sad.

Dalby or much of NE would be brilliant. Wales would be brilliant. Most of Scotland would be brilliant. We have some of the best mountainbiking in the world here, and they’re going to run it around a kiddy playground.

You’re missing the point, the course doesn’t need to be “brilliant” it needs to be a taped off piece of dirt ‘x’ kms long and with ‘y’ metres of climbing in each lap, and off road. They’re not looking at a advert for the countryside, or for mountain biking, this is an exercise in getting highly motivated A type personalties to go very fast indeed to decide who gets a medal, with easy access for TV and spectators…

If it’s the London Olympics does that mean that tax contributions from the rest of England, Wales, NI, IoM, and Scotland are not being used?

Londoners are paying loads more per person for the Olympics than those elsewhere in Britain. So that athletes from all over Britain, and indeed the World, can compete in the biggest sporting spectacular on the planet.

Proir to London ‘winning’ the games, cities from all around the World were invited to compete for the privilege. Weren’t Birmingham also pitching for it?

London won. Therefore, the Games are to be held in and around London. Not in Wales, or in Scotland, or anywhere else. London. It’s the ‘London Olympics’, not the the ‘London, Wales, Scotland and other assorted parts of the UK Olympics.’ It’s a city based event, not a countrywide one.

Right. Got that one sorted out?

So, as for MTBing sites around london; the site chosen would have to fulfil criteria of suitability; access, transportation, medical/emergency provision, telecoms, etc. Hadleigh Park has ben chosen because it was the location that best bet the IOC criteria. Go and moan to them, if you feel it’s the wrong decision.

MTBing, believe it or not, is a pretty insignificant sport, compared to athletics, weightlifting, gymnastics and syncronised swimming. So, it’s not going to be in the best, most lavish setting, with the most incredible facilities. It’s little more than a demonstration sport, tbh. How many people worldwide do you seriously think will want to watch a 2-hour XC race? 5 minutes of late-night summary will be about all it gets on most networks. How much XC racing do you watch anyway?

The road race, by contrast, will have many more well-known ‘stars’, and will not require any special course construction. It’s route will invariably take it past several of London’s famous landmarks, and provide a far more exciting spectacle. I doubt I’ll schlep to watch the mtbing, but I will be watching the road race, for sure.