Team GB's cyclists to use Surrey for Olympic training base

Team Great Britain's road cyclists will use Surrey as a training base before and during the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Team GB's cyclists are one of 16 Olympic and Paralympic squads to stay and train in the southern county for the Games, which start on July 27. Cycling teams from Canada, Australia and USA will be resident in Surrey.

"These athletes demand world class training facilities and superb accommodation to ensure they are at their physical and mental peak for the 2012 Games," said Denise Saliagopoulos of Surrey County Council.

"With this in mind, it is no surprise so many teams have chosen Surrey as their base."

Training grants of up to £25,000 are available from the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG). Teams have until the end of February 2012 to apply for funding.

The men's road race is one of the first events on the Olympic schedule, on July 28. The women's road race takes place on July 29.

The road race route starts and finishes on The Mall, London, and travels south west through Putney, Richmond Park, Twickenham, Westhumble and Dorking before arriving at the circuit of Box Hill. The riders then return north through, Leatherhead, Esher, Hampton Court and Kingston-upon-Thames to the Mall.

The men's race is around 250 kilometres, including nine laps of a 15.5km circuit of Box Hill, with the women's clocking up 140 kilometres and including two laps of Box Hill. 

Mark Cavendish is hoping to win gold for Britain in the men's road race. The Manxman won the London-Surrey Cycle Classic test event on August 14. Welsh woman Nicole Cooke will be out to defend her road race title from the 2008 Games in Beijing.

The men's and women's individual time trial events take place in Hampton Court Palace on August 1. 

Swiss Olympic TT champion Fabian Cancellara visited London at the beginning of December to recon the route of the time trial and road race. 

The London 2012 Olympic Games run over July 27 to August 12 2012, and the Paralympic Games from August 29 to September 9 2012.

Related links

Cancellara rides Olympic time trial course

Cycling Weekly's London 2012 Olympic Games news section

London 2012 Olympic Games cycling schedule