60 | Cycling World
Good Friday
Track Cycling ’ s Iconic Event
The Good Friday Meeting , one of the most iconic track cycling competitions in the calendar , returns to the Lee Valley VeloPark on Friday 25th March 2016 .
With over 100 years of history , The Good Friday meeting is the oldest track cycling event in Britain and pre-dates the Tour de France . The world famous meeting was conceived in January 1903 when a small group of enthusiasts persuaded their sceptical colleagues of the Southern Counties Cycling Union that they should promote a meeting at Herne Hill on the coming Good Friday . A guarantee fund was set up but with the meeting turning out an unqualified success this was not required , in fact a useful profit was made . The track was booked for following year and the almost unbroken series of meetings has continued to the present day .
Up until last year , The Good Friday Meeting has been held at the Herne Hill Velodrome , one of the oldest cycling tracks in the world having been built in 1891 ; however , it was decided in 2015 that an indoor arena was acquired for this prestigious event to prevent the meeting from being weather permitted . Thus , the famous Lee Valley VeloPark , home of the record breaking track cycling team that conquered the 2012 Olympics is now the its new venue .
The meeting attracts some of the world ’ s best riders and will be one the few opportunities to see Team GB riders in action on home soil ahead of this year ’ s Olympics . As the only Open event within British track cycling , The Good Friday meeting enables fans , amateurs , professionals and legends of cycling to compete together for one day only .
Legends of cycling have plied their trade at The Good Friday meeting for decades ; it is an icon within British Cycling History . In the past it has seen the likes of Sir Bradley Wiggins , Sir Chris Hoy , Victoria Pendleton , Jody Cundy , Andy Tennant and Ed Clancy compete , and with the Olympics looming only months away from the event , be sure to find some of the best British talent riding and perhaps even a few Olympic names .
For further information visit : www . thegoodfridaymeeting . co . uk