Image: Graeme (Flickr)
On the same weekend that the Tour of Britain and HSBC UK City Ride come to Edinburgh, another celebration will be taking place as 2017 sees the closure of Meadowbank Velodrome.
Edinburgh RC, with the support of Scottish Cycling and the East and Central cycling community, will be hosting an evening of celebration on 2nd September to mark the significance of the facility in Scotland’s track cycling history.
The track has hosted two Commonwealth games (1970 & 1986) and UCI standard track meetings, and has been the springboard for many star riders such as Scotland’s most successful Olympian Sir Chris Hoy and Rio 2016 Olympian’s Callum Skinner and Katie Archibald, as well as providing opportunities for hundreds of youths and adults to ride the track.
Edinburgh Road Club invite everyone connected with the track over its long history to join them on Saturday 2nd September from 4 to 6pm for the closing ceremony, prize giving, photo competition judging and reminiscences of time spent on and off the boards.
Over the weekend there will also be opportunities for accredited and unaccredited riders to ride the track and although there will be no formal racing, riders will be able to post fasted times.
Olympian and former track cyclist Sir Chris Hoy said:
“It’s really sad to see the Meadowbank track close. It’s the end of an era, Meadowbank saw so many great cyclists from Eddie Alexander, Graeme Obree, Craig McLean, Katie Archibald, Callum Skinner and so many others. I still remember my first competition there, walking through the tunnel and out into the track centre. I loved doing that walk. I’ve so many happy memories there.”
Mark the date in your diary and check out the Facebook page for developing plans.
