Olympic Fact: The Velodrome’s roof is made from 10 miles of steel cable.

Laid out in a line, that’s twice the height of Mount Everest. OR in London distances, that’s the equivalent of walking from the Olympic Stadium in east London to Kensington Palace and Hyde Park in the west – with a few detours to see Piccadilly Circus, Big Ben and Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and the London Eye (from across the river).

The Olympic Stadium might resemble a crown, but to me the crown jewel of the Olympic Park is the Velodrome. The timber-clad building with a steel cable roof doesn’t grab the spotlight quite like the aquatic center or the athletics field and that makes is special.

The steep banked walls and the simple oval shape create a distinct structure that mirrors the interior cycling track.

While athletes inside battle for cycling supremacy, outside the 6,000-seat-arena, the modern design makes a striking silhouette on the park and it will be my first stop when I make it into the grounds.

That, or the big McDonalds.

Cheers from London.

-Joe

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Photo source (2nd image), Flickr.