Box Hill climb crucial says USA Olympics cycling team chief (From Redhill And Reigate Life)

Box Hill climb crucial says USA Olympics cycling team chief

3:20pm Tuesday 21st February 2012 in Local News

This summer's Olympic Games cycling events will be won or lost on the Box Hill climb.

That was the message from the leader of the USA Olympic cycling team, Ken Whelpdale, on a visit to study the route.

The Olympic cycling men's and women's teams will be slogging it out on the circuit, which starts and finishes in London, but enters Reigate and Banstead borough and loops round Box Hill several times, on Saturday, July 28, and Sunday, July 29.

Huge crowds are expected to line the route for the historic event.

And according to the USA cycling chief, at Box Hill, local cycling fans will be in the thick of the action to decide the medals.

Mr Whelpdale was speaking during a visit with Surrey County Council’s Denise Saliagopoulos, who is overseeing Surrey’s involvement in the Games.

He told her the race could be bigger than the Tour de France and that basing his team in Surrey to train will give the USA an advantage over its rivals, as they attempt to stop Britain’s Mark Cavendish adding an Olympic gold to his world title.

Mr Whelpdale said: “We have studied the global positioning satellite data and the team will know what they have to do to make it nine times around Box Hill and finish well in London, and we are prepared.

“Of course, the climb is always interesting because it’s dynamic, so the first part of the climb will be by far our favourite part, and that’s where the race will be made.”

He said: “Surrey has been amazing for our training needs and the roads have been fabulous. It’s good for our preparations.

“It’s going to be a big advantage coming into the Games.”

Speaking about last year’s test event, Mr Whelpdale said: “During the test event all the people on the course were unbelievable.

“It was just like the Tour de France - maybe even bigger.

“There were so many people on the roads when it was five and six deep.

“You just don’t see that at road races all over the world so it was pretty special.”

When asked about his team’s medal hopes he said: “I always feel good about our medal chances.

“Of course we expect to bring home quite a few medals.”

Mrs Saliagopoulos, Surrey County Council’s cabinet member for community services and the 2012 Games, said: “Training in Surrey is sure to give cyclists the inside track.

“British, Canadian and Australian riders are also training here, which will liven up the Sunday morning ride for our locals.”

She said: “So far a total of 15 Olympic and Paralympic nations have signed up to train in Surrey.

“We are encouraging more teams to choose Surrey now and take advantage of a London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) grant of up to £25,000 per nation to spend locally.”

Teams have until the end of this month to apply for the LOCOG training grant.