Globalization Fuels Cycling's Popularity Ahead of London 2012

(ATR)International Cycling Union president Patrick McQuaid tells Around the Rings the 6,000-seat velodrome will be London 2012’s hottest venue.

"I think track cycling’s tickets are going to be the most exclusive tickets in the Olympic Games program," said the IOC member from Ireland.

"There’s many many more thousands who will be looking for tickets to go to hopefully see British cyclists try to repeat what they did in Beijing." Team Great Britain won seven golds, three silvers and two bronze.

McQuaid spoke to ATR as UCI’s indoor world championships kicked off in Stuttgart, Germany. Medals were awarded over the weekend in the niche disciplines of artistic cycling and cycle ball, neither of which is on the Olympic program.

Track cycling’s world champs follow next weekend in Melbourne, the BMX World Cup kicks off in February and mountain biking begins its season in April.

Despite the busy schedule, McQuaid was more than willing to look ahead to London 2012.

"Preparations are coming very well," he said.

"The road race course is more or less decided. The local organizers are still doing some detailed work on aspects of it, but we’ve agreed to a course, and there doesn’t seem to be a problem with that. We’re currently working with LOCOG on defining what the time trial course is."

Though he’s yet to see the finished track himself, McQuaid said he’s been told the velodrome – increasingly known locally as "the Pringle" for its distinctive curved roof – "looks absolutely superb."

"The coordination commission was in London [the week before last], and they reported that it’s a magnificent venue."

Legacy plans call for the addition of a road cycle circuit and mountain bike course to form a single cycling hub known as the VeloPark. The public complex will feature a caféand changing rooms as well as bike rental, storage and repair facilities.

The first-class venue is fitting for a host with such a rich cycling history, but McQuaid said British favorites like Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton will be hard-pressed to again exhibit the dominance they did in 2008.

"There’s other nations coming on very strong with a lot of young riders during this year and next year that will in two years’ time be even better still," he said, citing Australia andthe U.S. as two such examples.

That globalization isn’t confined to the track, however. McQuaid told ATR that BMX, for one, is enjoying similar growth since its Olympic debut in Beijing.

"The discipline is becoming more and more worldwide with an interest from countries, from regions and from cities in becoming involved in BMX and developing BMX tracks for the young kids of the regions," he said.

Mountain biking too is only increasing in popularity as the London Olympics approach.

"There are more and more teams being developed," McQuaid said. "It always was a global discipline, but even more so now."

Such globalization translates to a high level of competition for each of cycling’s disciplines. Couple that with the velo’s limited seating and the host’s medal hopes, he says, and a recipe for scarcity is born.

Written by Matthew Grayson.