Rayleigh and Wickford MP, Mark Francois, spent a morning during the recent period of cold weather being shown around the revised Olympic mountain biking course at Hadleigh, by County Councillor Stephen Castle, the Essex County Council Cabinet Member for the 2012 Olympics.
Mark attended the ‘Olympic test event’ at Hadleigh last summer, when riders from around the world came to try out the course as a rehearsal for the main Olympics in August 2012. Following that event, the riders were asked to fill in a detailed questionnaire, to provide the organisers with their feedback on both the advantages and disadvantages of the course.
Following the analysis of these returns the Olympic authorities, in conjunction with Essex County Council, decided to make some alterations to the course, partly to improve its safety but also to make the event even more exciting for the competitors. The work has subsequently been carried out, and as one of the local MPs for the area, Mark was keen to see the results of all this effort, which were pointed out to him on the ground, by Stephen Castle, during their visit.
Commenting on his visit to the revised course, Mark Francois MP said:
“It was very kind of Stephen Castle to spare the time to show me around the revised Olympic Mountain biking course at Hadleigh. I think it is wonderful that we have an Olympic event in Essex and Hadleigh will provide an iconic background for it. As the mountain biking is one of the last events of the whole games, it is likely that there will be a considerable global audience and photographs of the course, with Hadleigh Castle and the Thames Estuary in the background, are set to be beamed around the world.
It seems sensible to seek feedback from the riders following the test event, on what they thought of the course, and as a result some changes have been made which should make the event even better and should also help to provide a lasting legacy, once the event is over. I think it is fantastic for Essex that we are so actively involved in the Olympics and I am sure that it will be a great race on the day.”
![]()
Mark attended the ‘Olympic test event’ at Hadleigh last summer, when riders from around the world came to try out the course as a rehearsal for the main Olympics in August 2012. Following that event, the riders were asked to fill in a detailed questionnaire, to provide the organisers with their feedback on both the advantages and disadvantages of the course.
Following the analysis of these returns the Olympic authorities, in conjunction with Essex County Council, decided to make some alterations to the course, partly to improve its safety but also to make the event even more exciting for the competitors. The work has subsequently been carried out, and as one of the local MPs for the area, Mark was keen to see the results of all this effort, which were pointed out to him on the ground, by Stephen Castle, during their visit.
Commenting on his visit to the revised course, Mark Francois MP said:
“It was very kind of Stephen Castle to spare the time to show me around the revised Olympic Mountain biking course at Hadleigh. I think it is wonderful that we have an Olympic event in Essex and Hadleigh will provide an iconic background for it. As the mountain biking is one of the last events of the whole games, it is likely that there will be a considerable global audience and photographs of the course, with Hadleigh Castle and the Thames Estuary in the background, are set to be beamed around the world.
It seems sensible to seek feedback from the riders following the test event, on what they thought of the course, and as a result some changes have been made which should make the event even better and should also help to provide a lasting legacy, once the event is over. I think it is fantastic for Essex that we are so actively involved in the Olympics and I am sure that it will be a great race on the day.”