posted Feb 23, 2008

i would have to agree with coby, margam park is one of the most challenging mtb courses in the country, its the worlds best competing, lets have the course to match.

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posted Feb 29, 2008

To remove the risk the venue must be in an internationally proven location. This would mean Fort William or Plymouth Newnham Park. Both would be worthy hosts to the games.

But the winner, in my opinion must be Newham Park at Plymouth a truly great riders and crowd pleasing venue with good vantage points for the crowd and cameras. It has long climbs, descents, tricky off camber descents; water splashes, great single track though the woods and still retains the essence of the south of England.

They have hosted rounds of the world cup, and can take the large numbers of visitors.

We already have Weymouth for the sailing venue so there should be no problem in using Plymouth!

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posted Feb 29, 2008

One place Brecon in Wales absolutely nuts up there

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posted Jun 30, 2008

Just to clarify the venue has to be within 3 hours of london so scotland is out

but south wales still gets my vote

lets make these atheletes work for their sponrship deals!!

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posted Jul 12, 2008

You have got to ask why is the Olympic committee so transfixed by the idea that Essex is the only county right to stage the MTB event - Bracknell would be perfect - in terms of closeness to London, accessibly, challenge & the much vaunted legacy to us plebs who are, after all, actually shelling out for the 'Games' anyways!

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posted Aug 1, 2008

Ive decided to start one of those really effective yougov petitions on this debate so feel free to sign up
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/2012bikingWales/

sadly im sure the poor unloved
southeast of england will get the venue rather than the rich, global tourism phenomenon of south wales!

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posted Aug 13, 2008

So, Hadleigh Farm? It's just down the road from me and it is a really lovely place to walk. A few do cycle there but it's not what I'd call "a challenge". The idea of it being of Olympic standard beggars belief. How much work will they need to do? Probably ruin it. Why not use the tracks we have? Or, look to the North and South Downs - they look a wee bit hillier!

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posted Aug 18, 2008

Why not the same venue as the Manchester Commonwealth Games? Rivington Pike was a corker as I recall. Close to velodrome as well.

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posted Aug 28, 2008

The four mountain bike trails at Afan Argoed in Margam Park comprises over one hundred miles of the most testing rides and are rated within the worlds top ten. The decision to choose a 147 metre high hill in Essex for the "mountain" biking event is ludicrous; unfortunately, this obviously wrong decision will not be confirmed until 2012.
It has been stated that a reason for not using the Margam trails was that this venue would be more than 3 hours from the Stratford Olympic village; personally I cannot understand the reasoning behind this limit. However, if the 3 hour limit is a reason then why is the sailing regatta being held at Weymouth?
The current AA route map stipulates that the time to travel,by road, the 146.2 miles from Stratford to Weymouth would be 3 hrs 26 mins.

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