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GB Olympic and Paralympic teams to train in Newport

Posted on Monday 18th July 2016

Ahead of the 2016 Olympics and Paralympics in Rio, the Great Britain Cycling Team will be based at Wales National Velodrome at the Newport International Sports Village, where their final preparations and training camps will take place before they make the journey to Rio. Many sessions will be open to the public, offering visitors the opportunity to see elite athletes on track and discover more about the sport.

The dates for the camps are as follows:

Thursday 21 July                3pm - 6pm                Sprint & Women's Endurance

Friday 22 July                 3pm - 6pm                Sprint & Women's Endurance

Saturday 23 July                 5pm - 8pm                Sprint & Men's Endurance

Sunday 24 July                 11am - 2pm                Men's Endurance

Sunday 24 July                 3pm - 8pm                 Women's & Mens Endurance

Wednesday 27 July                 3pm - 8pm                Women's & Mens Endurance Sprint - Race Simulation Day

Thursday 28 July                10am - 12pm                Sprint - Race Simulation Day

Thursday 28 July                3pm - 8pm                Sprint - Race Simulation Day & Men's Endurance

Monday 1 August                3pm - 8pm                Women's and Men's Endurance

The team was announced in June, and includes Welsh riders Owain Doull (Cardiff), Rebecca James (Abergavenny) and Geraint Thomas MBE (Cardiff), as well as a host of Olympic and World Champions, including Sir Bradley Wiggins, Mark Cavendish (who returns to track cycling after competing at Beijing in 2008), Laura Trott and Joanna Rowsell Shand. A total of 26 riders make up the team; the full list can be found at www.britishcycling.org.uk.

"We are delighted that Great Britain Cycling Team will be returning to Wales National Velodrome," said Steve Ward, Chief Executive at Newport Live, the company that runs the facility.

"The Olympic team trained with us ahead of Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and those amazing games in London 2012. Each time this team have become incrementally more successful and we are proud to support their journey. The 2012 open sessions were a huge success and certainly inspired a generation to take up sport.

"This time we have even more sessions open to the public, and we're encouraging everyone to come along, create the atmosphere for the riders and show their support for our Olympic team - who include some Britain's most successful ever riders, European, World and Olympic champions, plus a Tour de France Winner.

"You get to see so much more during the training sessions; how the whole team, including coaches and sports scientists, support the riders to success. The fact that the team will be training here ahead of such an important event proves what a fantastic facilities we have here in Newport, and we're really looking forward to welcoming the team and visitors this summer."

Great Britain's Paralympic Cyclists will commence training at the venue from 17 August ahead of the Paralympics in September. More information about the Paralympic Camps will be released in the coming weeks - visit www.newportlive.co.uk and follow the Wales National Velodrome on social media for all of the latest news and updates.

"What is also very important to us is that we also have the Paralympic team coming to Newport in preparation for their games," said Steve. "At Newport Live we're passionate about Disability Sport - we've just been awarded the Disability Sport Wales insport Bronze Award - so we're really looking forward to the Paralympic Camps. We will be hosting more open sessions, and most importantly these too will be open to the public to come and watch."

Wales National Velodrome is one of only five velodromes in the UK, and is home to Welsh Cycling. It regularly hosts national and international competitions, and offers members of the public opportunities to ride the boards whether they are beginners or advanced, with a wide range of sessions on offer.

Tickets for the Olympic Camps are now on sale and you can book online, call 01633 656757 or pop into The Riverfront or Newport Centre to buy your tickets over the counter. Ticket prices are as follows: Seated £4, Concessions (Under 16s, Students, Senior Citizens) £2; Standing £2, Concessions £1. All funds raised from the training are reinvested into sport and physical activity in the City of Newport.

To find out more, visit newportlive.co.uk, like the Facebook page at facebook.com/WalesNationalVelodrome, or follow on Twitter @WalesVelodrome

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