Design team named for 2012 London VeloPark

LONDON, July 12 (Reuters) The 2012 Olympics organisers named the design team for the VeloPark today just four days after the Tour de France came to London.

The VeloPark, one of the big four permanent venues to be built in London's Olympic Park, will include a 6,000-seater Velodrome to host the indoor track events as well a BMX circuit.

Following the Games there will also be a one-mile road circuit to replace an existing one closed in November 2006 to make way for the Olympic Park.

The winning consortium, chosen by a panel including leading architects and Olympic track gold medallist Chris Hoy, consists of Hopkins Architects, Expedition Engineering, BDSP and Grant Associates.

''I am delighted to be announcing the design team for one of the key venues in the Olympic Park,'' London Organising Committee chairman Sebastian Coe said today.

''This is on the back of a fantastic weekend for cycling in this country with the staging of the Tour de France.'' This year's Tour began in London for the first time with the prologue and first stage bringing hundreds of thousands of people on to the streets of the British capital this month.

The three other permanent facilities to be built in London are the Aquatic Centre and Olympic Stadium, which already have design teams in place, and the media centre.

A contractor to build the VeloPark, expected to cost about 44.70 million dollars, is expected to be announced early next year with construction work due to start in 2009.

''I'm confident they can help create a world class stage for the best athletes in the world and leave a lasting legacy for cyclists of all ages and abilities for many years to come,'' said David Higgins, Olympic Delivery Authority chief executive.

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