Hillingdon Cycle Circuit is a purpose-built road cycling circuit situated in

Minet Country Park Minet Country Park is a 36-hectare park on Springfield Road, Hayes in the London Borough of Hillingdon; it is situated between the A312 (Hayes by-pass) and the Uxbridge Road. History Awarded a Green Flag for the first time in 2009, Minet Countr ...

Hayes Hayes may refer to: * Hayes (surname), including a list of people with the name ** Rutherford B. Hayes, 19th president of the United States * Hayes (given name) Businesses * Hayes Brake, an American designer and manufacturer of disc brakes * Hay ...

in west

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

. The 0.93 mile long, 6 metre wide circuit is used for year-round racing, training and leisure riding.

History

Chas Messenger Charles William Messenger (January–March 1914 – 26 July 2008) was a British cyclist, a former Milk Race organiser and British road team manager. Messenger was born in London. He began cycling in the King's Cross area, and despite being a " ...

, the local British Cycling Facilities Officer, organised cycle racing on the unopened Hayes Bypass for several years in the 1990s. Triple Olympic champion and

Tour de France The Tour de France () is an annual men's multiple-stage bicycle race primarily held in France, while also occasionally passing through nearby countries. Like the other Grand Tours (the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España), it consists ...

winner

Bradley Wiggins Sir Bradley Marc Wiggins, CBE (born 28 April 1980) is a British former professional road and track racing cyclist, who competed professionally between 2001 and 2016. He began his cycling career on the track, but later made the transition to r ...

started his racing career on this prototype circuit as a schoolboy. Once the bypass opened to traffic, Messenger and Bill Bannister began searching for another closed road circuit in the area. After some abortive suggestions had been investigated, Minet Park emerged as a possible solution. What is now the park had been used to dump waste earth from the construction of the bypass. The area was, however, zoned for sports activities and community use. Paul Barker, a member of the Westerley Cycling Club and a

London Borough of Hillingdon The London Borough of Hillingdon () is the largest and westernmost borough in West London, England. It was formed from the districts of Hayes and Harlington, Ruislip-Northwood, Uxbridge, and Yiewsley and West Drayton in the ceremonial county ...

councillor was a key figure in steering plans for the circuit to a successful completion. The circuit was designed by Don Wiseman as a fast, easy to ride course: it is possible to pedal all the way round the circuit's corners. The circuit opened to riders in 1997. The early circuit headquarters were temporary huts. There are now permanent storage facilities (part funded by the Kenton Road Club) and in 2010 a clubhouse was opened beside the track with meeting and catering facilities and a classroom. Barker suggested to local cycling coaches Brian Wright and Ray Kelly that a children's club be started. The Prime Coaching organisation, together with others and the parents of the children created and developed the Hillingdon Slipstreamers. The group still meet at the circuit every Saturday morning. Bradley Wiggins is now the Slipstreamers' president.

Usage

The circuit is used regularly for racing and hosts an annual round of the national circuit race championship. There is a regular Winter series running from December to February. During the season there are races on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings and most weekends. There are formal and informal training sessions three or four days per week. A women-only leisure cycling group meet at the circuit on Friday afternoons. Youth only cycling club
Hillingdon Slipstreamers
use the circuit every Saturday morning until midday, throughout the year.

Duathlon Duathlon is an athletic event that consists of a running leg, followed by a cycling leg and then another running leg in a format similar to triathlons. The International Triathlon Union governs the sport internationally. Distance and format ...

events are run on the circuit on selected Mondays from April to August. The circuit is also used by th
London Region Nordic Ski Club
for

roller skiing Roller skiing is an off-snow equivalent to cross-country skiing. Roller skis have wheels on their ends and are used on a hard surface, to emulate .Bryhn, Rolf and Knut Are Tvedt (eds.): ''Kunnskapsforlagets idrettsleksikon''. (Norwegian Encycloped ...

events, for

Human Powered Vehicle Human-powered transport is the transport of person(s) and/or goods using human muscle power. Unlike animal-powered transport, human-powered transport has existed since time immemorial in the form of walking, running and swimming. Modern technolo ...

races, and for charity fun rides.

External links

Hillingdon Cycle Circuit web site

Hillingdon Slipstreamers web site

Hillingdon Cycle Circuit details at British Cycling
{{coord, 51.513, -0.401, type:landmark_dim:1000_region:GB-HIL, display=title Sport in the London Borough of Hillingdon Cycle racing in London Sports venues in London

History

Usage

See also

External links