Manchester Velodrome – National Cycling Centre

The Manchester Velodrome is where British Cycling went from afterthought to dominant global force. Built for the 2002 Commonwealth Games as part of the Sportcity complex in east Manchester, it became the headquarters of British Cycling and the base where Chris Hoy, Jason Kenny, Laura Kenny, Bradley Wiggins and the rest trained their way to a cabinet full of Olympic gold medals. The boards in this building have seen more world records broken than almost any other velodrome on the planet.

The track itself is 250 metres, steeply banked – the corners hit 42 degrees, which looks terrifying from the top. The centre of the track has a gym, offices and British Cycling’s operations. When there’s a major event on – Track Champions League, national championships, World Cup rounds – the stands fill with knowledgeable cycling fans and the racing is spectacular. Track cycling at speed, inches apart, at 40-plus miles per hour, is one of the most thrilling things in sport.

But here’s what most people don’t know: you can ride the track yourself. The velodrome runs public taster sessions and coached track cycling courses. You don’t need your own bike – they provide the fixed-gear track bikes. You do need a basic level of fitness and the nerve to ride the banking for the first time. The taster sessions are popular and book up, so plan ahead. It’s an experience unlike any other cycling you’ve done.

The National Cycling Centre also has a BMX track, a mountain bike trail area, and the road circuit around the Sportcity complex. It’s a full cycling facility, not just the velodrome.

Getting there is easy – it’s part of the Sportcity complex off Alan Turing Way. The 216 and 231 bus routes pass nearby. By car, there’s parking on site. From the city centre it’s about fifteen minutes by bus or bike.

Even if you never get on the track, watching an event here is worth the trip. The sound of carbon wheels on wooden boards at full tilt is something else entirely.