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Corporate track days coming to London's Olympic Velodrome

FACE Partnership, company behind London Nocturne and Revolution Series, teams up with Lee Valley VeloPark

FACE Partnership, the company behind events such as the IG London Nocturne and the Revolution Series, has been chosen to provide corporate track days at the London’s Olympic Velodrome.

The venue, where Great Britain’s track cyclists stormed to Olympic and Paralympic success last summer, reopens in the new year as part of the Lee Valley VeloPark.

James Pope, managing director of FACE Partnership, which is currently preparing to stage a round of the Revolution Series at the venue in March, says the company is "looking forward to developing our partnership with Lee Valley Regional Park Authority.”

He added: "We're designing an exciting range of corporate cycling experiences and will link these to our major events to simulate a pro race experience.”

Currently, the London Nocturne, held at Smithfield each June, features a City Criterium for corporate teams – Shift Active Media won this year’s edition – and FACE is introducing a City Keirin event when the Revolution Series comes to the Olympic Velodrome.

According to the company, “the City Keirin will give amateur riders a priceless taste of life as a professional cyclist.

“Participating firms will nominate a 'champion' to race in front of a packed house - against other companies - as part of the main Revolution Series race programme on Friday 14th March 2014.”

Pope adds that the event, hosted at the venue where Great Britain’s track cyclists won eight Olympic and five Paralympic gold medals last year, “will create an excellent platform for us to introduce our wider track day programme," which gets going next April.

Corporate track days will be available to book in the new year and more information regarding the City Keirin, City Criterium and other events can be obtained from Pete Gallagher at FACE on 0207 490 3000 via pete [at] facepartnership.com (email).

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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14 comments

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Matt_S | 10 years ago
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Pretty cool that the A-Team are getting involved, IMHO.

 4

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VeloPeo | 10 years ago
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Think some people are massively overreacting here

The story is that a company has been appointed to provide these track days at the Velodrome. These are a moneyspinner for a facility situated so close to the city so they'd be stupid not to offer them. There's no indication how much time out of the available schedule these will take.

How about we wait and see the full programme and availability for the public & clubs to use the velodrome before we start sharpening the pitchforks?

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drfabulous0 | 10 years ago
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Why does income have to be maximised? Are there not other benefits to having sports facilities?

Anyone can go and ride at the NCC and it's not even particularly expensive, although the available times are limited. A facility like this should be available to everyone, not just rich businessmen.

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racyrich replied to drfabulous0 | 10 years ago
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drfabulous0 wrote:

Why does income have to be maximised? Are there not other benefits to having sports facilities?

Anyone can go and ride at the NCC and it's not even particularly expensive, although the available times are limited. A facility like this should be available to everyone, not just rich businessmen.

It is available to everyone. Or will be. But if businesses are rich/stupid enough to pay loads then that is to be encouraged as it subsidises everyone else.
And of course sports facilities provide benefits to society in general, beyond just those who use them. But since money is not quite unlimited (QE notwithstanding) its use is rationed, and therefore cost-benefit analysis has to occur. There is a reason why most towns have an athletics track and very very few have an indoor velodrome.

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racyrich | 10 years ago
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Exactly. Income HAS to be maximised. I doubt there's a velodrome in the country that covers its running costs, let alone recovers its capital costs, from income from cycling users.

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Sudor | 10 years ago
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"Beat me a second time on the next 6day points sprint and you can wave your bonus adios my friend"

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antonio | 10 years ago
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Corporate ticketing ruined the spontaneity of the Manchester Revolution series. Booking in advance at the velodrome and pay at the door was very successful, cycling fans packed the place. After placing the bookings with companies we saw 'sold out' signs up and loads of empty seats on the night, much the same as we saw at Olympic events. Sure the money rolls in but I'd rather it was the true cycling fans causing ticket sell outs.

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edster99 | 10 years ago
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let me on it. I am going to try and get our company to get involved.

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Some Fella | 10 years ago
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I hope im wrong but i have a horrible feeling this excellent facility (essentially paid for by the good taxpaying public) will cater more for corporate events like this and less for community engagement and it will be very difficult for your average cyclist to get track time.
If Team GB move their training from Manchester there too it will be even more so.

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davids replied to Some Fella | 10 years ago
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I think the tone may have already been set

face partnership charges £1200 ex vat for a table of 10 in corporate hospitality at Manchester but wants £3500 ex vat for the same thing at Stratford

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VeloPeo replied to Some Fella | 10 years ago
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Some Fella wrote:

If Team GB move their training from Manchester there too it will be even more so.

GB aren't moving. They're established in Manchester and London's far more expensive for the athletes and staff to live in

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kobacom | 10 years ago
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Why do city bosses get privileged access to a venue that was essentially paid for with public funds.

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jollygoodvelo replied to kobacom | 10 years ago
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kobacom wrote:

Why do city bosses get privileged access to a venue that was essentially paid for with public funds.

These events won't be free, quite the opposite.

You should be happy that the facility will be getting used, rather than sitting around empty gathering dust - that would really be a waste of public funds.

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jarredscycling | 10 years ago
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Wish my company had corporate track days

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