Velodrome to be renamed in honour of Tour de France victor

Newport City Council and Newport Live are delighted to announce that Geraint Thomas MBE has accepted our invitation to rename the city’s Wales National Velodrome in his honour

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Velodrome to be renamed in honour of Tour de France victor

Newport City Council and Newport Live are delighted to announce that Geraint Thomas MBE has accepted our invitation to rename the city’s Wales National Velodrome in his honour. It will become the Geraint Thomas National Velodrome of Wales in recognition of his fantastic success and his close links with Newport’s key cycling venue.

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In July, Geraint became the first Welshman, and only the third UK rider, to win the world’s most famous cycling road race, the Tour de France. Next month he is heading to Newport as part of Team Sky in the Tour of Britain when the city hosts the final of the first stage on Sunday 2 September. Councillor Debbie Wilcox, Leader of Newport City Council, said: “We want to show our appreciation of Geraint’s awesome achievement. Geraint has been a regular visitor to the Wales National Velodrome since it opened in 2003 and has spoken of what it has meant to him, so it is entirely fitting that Newport bestows this honour on him.”

Geraint Thomas said: “It’s a huge honour for me to have the Velodrome renamed after me – I can’t quite believe it if I’m honest! The Velodrome has played a pivotal part in my cycling story and continues to play such a key role in inspiring the next generation of cyclists in South Wales. It’s a fantastic facility for riders of all ages and abilities to hone their talents. I would personally like to thank everyone who has played a part in this and look forward to seeing everyone for the grand opening.”

Geraint Thomas has trained in the Wales National Velodrome since it opened in 2003 and took part in training camps with Team GB before the 2012 summer Olympics in London where he won his second Olympic gold and Team Wales ahead of the 2014 Commonwealth Games when he also picked up a medal. He even had a session there with League of Their Own’s John Bishop, Jamie Redknapp, Micky Flanagan and Jack Whitehall in 2012. Geraint Thomas track days also proved immensely popular.

In 2011, he told a local newspaper that it was invaluable having the facility on his doorstep and of his excitement when it opened in 2003. “In Wales the Velodrome has been massive for encouraging participation; it’s great for the sport and gets people into Wales. The Team GB squad will be coming to Newport to fine-tune just before the Olympics and that shows the prestige in which it is held,” he said at that time.

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