Valley Preferred Cycling Center

The Valley Preferred Cycling Center (VPCC), also known as the Lehigh Valley Velodrome or simply T-Town, is a professional cycling center and a velodrome located in Breinigsville, Pennsylvania. It serves as the Lehigh Valley's main track cycling stadium. The velodrome is operated by Velodrome Fund, a non-profit organization.[1] that promotes competitive cycling, youth fitness, and adult wellness activities for the Lehigh Valley.

VPCC
Lehigh Valley Velodrome
The Velodrome
Valley Preferred Cycling Center in Breinigsville, Pennsylvania, March 2014
Full nameThe Valley Preferred Cycling Center
Location1151 Mosser Rd, Breinigsville, Pennsylvania 18031
Coordinates40°32′51″N 75°36′38″W
OperatorVelodrome Fund., Inc (501(c)(3))[1]
Capacity2,500
Field size333 m or 1,093 ft track
SurfaceConcrete with a concrete apron
Construction
Broke ground1974 (1974)
OpenedAugust 1975 (1975-August)
Expanded1995 (1995)
Tenants
  • Lehigh Valley Cycling Club
  • T-Town Elite
  • Individual Olympic cyclists
Website
www.thevelodrome.com

The velodrome hosted has hosted various cycling championships. VPCC is the home of the World Series of Bicycling. The Velodrome annually hosts the USA Cycling Elite Nationals qualifying event. The center also features a Cycling Hall of Fame. Over the past 40 years, the center introduced tens of thousands of people to cycling, producing over 140 national champions, seven world champions, and three Olympic medalist.[2]

History
Cyclists practice at Valley Preferred Cycling Center in Breinigsville, Pennsylvania

The velodrome was launched in the early 1970s by Robert Rodale, publisher of Rodale, Inc. in nearby Emmaus.[3] Rodale became interested in cycling while competing in the Pan-American Games in Winnipeg, Canada in 1967.[4] In 1974 construction broke ground on the plot of land that was owned by Bob Rodale and his wife, Ardath.[3] The first race was held on October 12, 1975. The Velodrome was originally called the Lehigh County Velodrome or simply T-town (due to its close proximity to Trexlertown). The center underwent a number of renovations which added rest rooms, seats for the fans, a podium, showers, and changing rooms.

In 1995, the center underwent a major $2.5M renovations in preparation for the 1996 Summer Olympics cycling trials.[5] In 2008, extensive repairs and resurfacing were done to the Velodrome.[6]

In 2007, Valley Preferred Health Network bought the naming rights to the center, and the velodrome's name became Valley Preferred Cycling Center.[7]

In 2008, the town of Breinigsville offered land to expand the center to include a hall of fame.[8] Today, the center is part of a 103-acre Bob Rodale Cycling and Fitness Park.

Competitions

The center hosted various competitions over the years including the UCI Track Cycling World Cup and the UCI Juniors Track World Championships. It is the home of the World Series of Bicycling, a series of races every Friday night between Memorial Day and Labor Day and the annual USA Cycling Elite Nationals qualifying event. Additionally many other smaller regional, national championships and international competitions also take place, bringing many track cyclists from across North and South America. Most recently, the VPCC hosted the 2016 USA Cycling Elite and Junior National Track Championships.[9]

VPCC offers a variety of free or low-cost community cycling programs designed to introduce the public to the sport of track cycling, including Try the Track, the spring and fall Bicycling Racing League, and Air Products Development Program.

Specifications

The velodrome is outdoor and uncovered. The track is 1093.6 ft (333.3 m) in length with a concrete surface. The track has 30-degree banked turns and 12.5-degree straightaways.[6] At the bottom of the track is an 8 feet (2.4 m) concrete apron. Time trial lines are painted on the track as well.[6]

View of the VPCC track
View of the track

Cycling Hall of Fame
Main seating area of Valley Preferred Cycling Center

The Lehigh Valley Velodrome houses a Cycling Hall of Fame.[10] Members of the hall of fame include:

  • Jerry Ash, World Silver Medalist Tandem Sprint 1978
  • Leigh Barczewski, American Olympic cyclist
  • Karen Bliss, American cyclist
  • Dave Chauner, American cyclist
  • Danny Clark, Australia Olympic track cyclist and road bicycle racer
  • Bruce Donaghy, American cyclist[11]
  • Jane Eickhoff, Olympic track cyclist
  • Alaric J. F. Gayfer, British National Track Cycling Champion
  • Curtis Harnett, Canadian racing cyclist
  • Gil Hatton, Junior World Champion 1974
  • Patrick Gellineau, Trinidad and Tobago Olympic cyclist
  • Artie Greenberg, UCI commissar from Pennsylvania
  • Ian Jackson, professional cyclist
  • Art McHugh, professional cyclist
  • Paul Pearson, professional cyclist
  • Nicole Reinhart, American professional track and road racing cyclist
  • Mary Jane Reoch, Track Cycling World Champion
  • Ardath Rodale, organizer
  • Robert Rodale, founder, publisher, Olympic rifle shooter
  • Nelson Saldana, American track cycling champion
  • Hubert Schleh, Velodrome organizer
  • Gordon Singleton, Canada's first World Champion cyclist
  • Lucy Tyler, Australian Olympic and World Champion cyclist
  • Jack Simes, Olympian and Olympic coach
  • Nelson Vails, American Olympic track cyclist
  • Shaun Wallace, British Olympic cyclist
  • Mark Whitehead, American Olympic cyclist

VeloFest

VeloFest is the largest cycling marketplace in the United States.[12][13] It's held twice a year in May and October on the infield of the Valley Preferred Cycling Center. The flea market features hundreds of vendors with thousands of cycling enthusiasts visiting each year.[14]

See also

References
  1. "Lehigh Valley Velodrome". VolunteerMatch. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  2. Thomas, Lori (June 17, 2010). "Velodrome Hosts World Series of Bicycling". LVHomeExpert. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  3. "History | Valley Preferred Cycling Center". History | Valley Preferred Cycling Center. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  4. "Lehigh Valley Velodrome". Lehigh Valley Marketplace. Retrieved March 8, 2014.
  5. Wogenrich, Mark (June 4, 1996). "U.s. Cycling Trials Open Today * The Lehigh Valley Velodrome Hosts Olympic Hopefuls, Beginning With The Men's Kilometer Time Trial". The Morning Call. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  6. Keith Eberhardt; Brandon keezer (June 2010). "Valley Preferred Cycling Center—Velodrome Track Repair and Resurfacing" (PDF). Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  7. "Valley Preferred buys naming rights to velodrome". Retrieved August 1, 2016.
  8. Darryl R. Isherwood (June 25, 2008). "County offers land for biking hall of fame". The Morning Call. Retrieved March 8, 2014.
  9. "Elite & Juniors Track National Championships". USA Cycling. August 1, 2016. Retrieved August 1, 2016.
  10. Darryl R. Isherwood (June 3, 2008). "Lehigh Valley in running for cycling hall of fame". The Morning Call. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  11. "Bruce Donaghy". United States Bicycling Hall of Fame. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  12. Dreier, Fred. "How to Succeed at Bike Swaps". Bicycling Magazine. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  13. Goldberg, Shelley (May 7, 2011). "Valley Preferred Cycling Center Flea Market". Patch Media. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  14. "Nation's Largest Cycling Flea Market Returns To T-Town This Saturday". Valley Preferred Cycling Center. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
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