Forget wood, concrete or asphalt, the world’s first aluminium velodrome has officially been unveiled in Tucson, Arizona.
The open-air track, which took 26 months to construct, is built to Olympic standards, measuring 250m and with a 42-degree banking.
Its unique material was chosen to withstand the hot temperatures of the Arizona desert, where it can exceed 100°F (38°C) during the summer. Aluminium is highly durable, weather-resistant, and unlikely to suffer surface degradation, such as cracking or warping, in the heat.
“It’s a little bit otherworldly. It’s very satisfying,” Douglas Lowell, one of the velodrome’s builders, told 13 News during a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday.
“It makes for a wonderful ride. It’s very smooth in a unique way for a 42-degree Olympic-type track.”
Tucson’s new velodrome is now one of five 250m tracks in the United States. The other four are located in Erie, Colorado; Rock Hill, South Carolina; Carson, California; and Los Angeles, where the Olympics will be held in 2028.
The project is said to have cost $5 million, and was funded by private donations. It is situated on a plot by the Musselman Honda Circuit, a go-kart track southeast of Tucson.
Masters track rider Karl Baumgart was one of the first people to ride on the aluminium velodrome. Also speaking to 13 News, he said: “I’ve been lucky enough to be on some world-class tracks, you know, travelling the globe, and this track is up there with the best of them.”
Tucson’s velodrome was designed by Canadian Peter Junek, who has worked in the industry since 1990 and has helped create more than 30 tracks around the world, including the high-altitude velodrome in Aguascalientes, Mexico, a rider favourite for record-setting.
A media release from Tucson Velodrome Inc., the group behind the project, read: "In addition to attracting professional and Olympic-class athletes to Tucson for training and racing activities, the velodrome will be a controlled place for all cyclists to ride, promoting health and fitness.
"Youth and school programs will be held to introduce youngsters to the community of cycling, allowing them to enjoy riding bicycles in a safe facility with trained and certified coaches and instructors."
