Organisers and fans alike are hailing the UCI Track Cycling World
Cup in Manchester 23-25th February as a major success.
British cycling fans were treated to a record British medal haul
at the final counting weekend of racing in the four event series. The whole
weekend provided a fantastic spectacle as the drama unfolded in front of record
numbers of fans attending the three-day event.
The weekend’s racing saw gold medal rides by Bradley Wiggins,
Chris Hoy, Victoria Pendleton and Wendy Houvenaghel. Wiggins also took victory
with Paul Manning, Rob Hayles and Ed Clancy in the men’s 4,000m team pursuit
and the quartet went very close to the British record when they qualified in
under four minutes in their qualifying ride. Houvenaghel broke the British
record in the 3,000m women’s individual pursuit on her way to winning her gold
medal.
The organisers World Track Cycling have heralded the event as a
landmark in track cycling in the UK.
“We had done a lot of hard work behind the scenes starting
12-months ago to make this event a success,” said event organiser Alan Rushton:
“And it’s a win-win situation all round because you will find that everyone who
attended will have left the event delighted by an exiting race programme
for the cost of only a few pounds.”
World Track Cycling is part of the Events Group which has
previously organised major cycling events like the Kellogg’s Tour of Britain
and City Centre Cycling and the company continues to break new ground in 2007
as consultants to the inaugural Montreal to Boston road cycling stage
race."
“Over the years we have assembled an enviable team of
professionals who help us put on world class events and of course we have to
thank our event partners who provide invaluable support. We have to thank
Manchester City Council, UK Sport, Renault, Canon, British Cycling and Tissot
who represent our funding partners for the world cup event. People travelled
from all over the country to see their cycling heroes in Manchester,” continued
Rushton: “It says something about the quality of the event when you know people
have driven up to six hours to get there.”
Millions of other viewers saw the event televised by the BBC and
on networks across Europe and Asia.
“Our key partners and ourselves are clearly delighted
with this year's event and we are already looking forward to March
2008 when we are bringing the UCI Track Cycling World Championships to
Manchester.”
