TUCSON, Ariz. (KVOA) – The Tucson Velodrome opened to select riders Wednesday after years of work to bring the Olympic-style track to Southern Arizona.
Those behind the 250 meter, oval track say it is the first velodrome with an aluminum surface. The cycling space is located at the Musselman Honda Circuit near the Pima County Fairgrounds.
Experienced riders took to the track first Wednesday evening before some youth cyclists from the cycling club, Beyond Racing Team, pedaled onto the velodrome.
Karl Baumgart, a former world champion in Velodrome, told News 4 Tucson. The cycling space is for everyone.
“This is more for everybody else than for guys like me,” he said. This is for the kids, this is for people looking to develop skills in a safe environment because there’s no road here, there’s no cactus here if you’re mountain biking. This is a closed environment.
Bob Francis, who is on the committee behind Tucson Velodrome, told News 4 Tucso the track will be ready for the general public in roughly two weeks.
Once the track opens to all, the velodrome will offer certifications so members of the public can learn how to ride velodrome, using a fleet of bikes from Tucson Velodrome.