I still reckon they should hold it at Swinley Forest in Bracknell, well known for being one of the best places for singletrack in the south of the, and its not even greatly far!! What with the sheer scale of the place and the quality of some of the routes already there I think they would be mad to hold it in essex!

Great Britain won the 2012 Olympic bid not "Essex" and Great Britain should use it's best venue to hold the MTB event and that by definition rules out flat over crowded Essex. It could be worse I suppose they might have suggested Norfolk!!

Why Essex? I was born in Essex and I have lived here all my life and believe me the conditions or gradients are just not here for such an event, I am sure there are other parts of the country with more suitable terrain.

Rode at swinley forest the other weekend and its not really challenging is it. The south doesn't lend itself to Olympic standard riding. Head along the M4 to Wales. The hills there will get their legs working.

Haven't read a favorable comment regards Essex as a MTB course yet, let's not let the business interests have it all there own way eh! shall we this time actually put the sport first, put on an event to be proud of and show the visitors there are hills in the UK as well.

The sailing isn't taking place up the Thames why do we have to have the MTB course bordered by it?

PS: Had a sailing colleage who represented GB at the Seoul Olympics "womens 470's" she worked at the time for Coke Cola and got all the time of from work she wanted, to train.

wonder why?

somewhere around Leith Hill might be more suitable?

@Ron:

Sorry, but not Great Britain won the 2012 Olympics: The Games were as always awared to a city: London will be the place for the Olympic games 2012, like Bejing in 2008, Athens 2004 and Sydney 2000. Usually only the sailing venues will be a little bit more far away. But I hope LOCOG and the UCI will find a good solution for the 80 best mountain bikers of the world.

Best regards from Germany

Armin

Coasty, I take your technical point but I think you will find that the representitive team that forms the group of host nations will be the GREAT BRITAIN team and hopefully will endeavour to do there very best to perform to the upmost standard in front of the GREAT BRITISH public. Not withstanding that we the host nations I am sure would like our fellow visitors to be given the very best we can offer in the form of venues for the varied sports. In the past that has ment that when host cities have centered the majority of the events they have had to for some specialist requirements set some events not some inconsiderable distance from that city and that is not just the sailing. There will be many vistors to watch these events and they also deserve a spectical worthy of Olympic Games standard and that by deafinition excludes flat ESSEX for the MTB folk.

I lived in essex for three years with my job and for three years I escaped on weekends to find somewhere with a modicum of riding challenge. The problem is fairly straightforward, there are no mountains, hills, lumps, anything in essex that's challenging. I think that the main part of the racing should be in either Wales, the North, Scotland [there's plenty to chose from] whilst they should hold some urban stages in London for a bit of a crowd pleaser. think http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/site/WCU/mtb/News2007/20071024_penarthdh.asp and http://video.mpora.com/watch/SMF2bKWxI/ . Think Covent Garden tube station steps.

Eppingh Forest is the only contender in Essex though personally I think somewhere in the North Downs (Leith Hill etc) would be a better alernative, though obviously Essex CC wouldn't concur.

I live in essex there is one place I know ofthat could produse a decent venue - Hadleigh Downs Country Park - it has some great singletrack, some killer hills, with some modification (temp removal of gates/fences) could have made a decent National mtb venue - world class however it is not - queen elizabeth park - job done

Howdy all

Having ridden all over England, including Wales, Lakes and Scotland, why waste good money creating a new racing event and use the Fort Williams course.

Enough money is being wasted and over budgeted, here is an opportunity to show the world that MTB is now in the same category.

Othewise if you wish to keep it in the South around London, the only place would be the North or South Downs, not hard hills but better than South Weald.

PS. I live at one of the highest points in Essex and the climbs are easy, real easy, so dont waste what could be a great event just for the cash advantage, show the world as in Fort William, we have what it takes.

MTB England..................

Another Essex inhabitant votes for somewhere else - anywhere else - with decent terrain! Wake up and look out of your windows ECC, Essex is bereft of proper hills, yet alone mountains.

I grew up and in Essex and lived there for 25 years. There is nowhere with that sort of terrain in Essex. I think langdon hills is the highest point in essex and whilst it was a challenge on my raleigh striker when I was 7 (sometimes had to walk the last bit if I had had too many weetabix), It's not going to cause world class cross country riders much of a challenge.

Possibly more importantly it's not as though Essex County Council were actively supporting mountain biking before this oppurtunity. Give it to an area that deserves it. South Wales needs the economic boost. They don't live on the doorstep of the richest city in the world. They have made mountain a key element of their tourist industry. So when people see it from other countries they may actually travel to ride there. They have supported our community along with the forrestry commision and so deserve it! They have had a rough time of it recently with the problems in Mysteg (not sure of the spelling) and all that that involved. Let them have the investment!

The only common sense and decent thing to do.

One thing to consider is that most Olympics have not had mountainous courses due to the proximity to the host city. Athens had climbing but many riders chose to ride 29" wheels which must tell you something (Cross course)?

In fact big hills don't always make for good courses, The Commonwealth Games at Manchester was a good case. Effectively one big climb and one big descent each lap, so a good climber has an advantage even if they are not a good all-rounder. An undulating, flowing course is better and I believe that Epping Forest could give that.

OK there are other factors, Essex County Council would like a legacy course left behind (if not the infrastructure, grandstands etc which are planned to be temporary in any case) but the Corporation of London who actually own the forest would not. Of course a decent course in the forest would have to cross roads, horse rides, paths etc. Not a problem for a one off event but certainly for a permanent legacy. Mind you there are virtually no public rights of way in forest (widespread public access in the forest is allowed by completely different legislation) so none of the usual problems with not being able to race on bridleways!

Let's not forget that the racers are actually a small consideration at a major games. The logistics of tens of thousands of spectators is a major one. At Manchester they had an estimated 57,000 on a week day. I believe the MTB races in 2012 are due to be at the weekend!!!

Hadleigh Downs? Hmmm... 50,000 plus gaining access through a housing estate, now that could be fun!

That would also be an issue for going somewhere like Fort William. It's possible that only the committted would bother making the trip so it could be a bit of a side show and a flop at that. Or if they did turn up in their thousands, could Fort Bill cope? The Worlds last year pushed accomodation, transport etc to the limit.

It would nice if someone would just make a decision and be done with it.

Hadleigh Castlle did host the most fantastic Moto Cross (Scrambling) in the late 1960s and 1970s - not around the castle but on the Salvation Army ground. These events were televised and were a great adventure the curcuit would be fine for the event. BUT - access is now very restricted and the ground has returned to farming use - it does not belong to Essex CC. Its a no no - let them race in Afan.

although fort bill is with out doubt the best venue it is to far north,we need a venue which is similar.you have the 7 stanes,again to far ,kendal and the lakes,to far,yorkshire dales? to remote,wales good trails good access again to far.cannock chase would be a good choice,it is a growing venue and with a cash injection it would be able to build more trails .just think a great venue in the heart of England which could come close to matching wales ,but only if the money is spent on it. then you would be left with a legacy WORTH RIDING .I live in the highlands so I`m spoilt for places to ride.it is about time england had a dedicated (world class venue) and that ain`t going to happen down south.

I think it's shortsighted of them to hold the Olympics in Essex. Global spectators should see the best of British trails. I see no problem of holding it in South Wales or Scotland. These areas are more needing of the cash injection this event would provide. Also it seems stupid to claim that it's too far from the olympic village when Hon Kong is over 1000 miles from Beijing.

i dont think it should be held in essex at all, i dont know if there are any other decent trail centeres or locations near london but essex... blimy

Starting to understand a bit more now... Thanks for keeping it simple!

jump higher exercises