Velodromo Vigorelli
Milan's 397 m velodrome, once the world's fastest track and now a home for American football.
via Wikipedia: Velodromo Vigorelli · see source
The Velodromo Vigorelli is a semi-covered cycling track in Milan, Italy, with a 397 m lap. Since 2001 its official name has been Velodromo Maspes-Vigorelli. Built in 1935 by Vigorelli Cycles, it holds 9,000 spectators and earned a reputation as the fastest track anywhere, hosting a long run of hour-record rides. Today the infield holds a full-size synthetic-turf pitch used mainly for American football, and the venue is home to Seamen Milano and Rhinos Milano. It also has a place in music history as a stop for the Beatles and Led Zeppelin.
Quick Facts
- Location
- Milan, Italy
- Opened
- 1935
- Track length
- 397 m / 1,302 ft
- Capacity
- 9,000
- Tenants
- Seamen Milano, Rhinos Milano
Facts from the source article.
Background
Vigorelli Cycles opened the velodrome in 1935. It was burned during the Second World War after RAF bombing raids on Milan, then rebuilt. Between 1935 and 1967 every men's hour record was set here, by nine riders across 10 attempts, starting with Giuseppe Olmo, who reached 45 km and beat the previous mark from Sint-Truiden by 313 m. Maurice Richard, Frans Slaats, Maurice Archambaud, Fausto Coppi, Jacques Anquetil, Ercole Baldini and Roger Riviere followed, until the Olympic track in Rome took over as the quicker venue. The UCI Track Cycling World Championships came here in 1939, 1951, 1955 and 1962. After years of neglect and demolition plans, local campaigners won approval for a renovation in March 2014.
Did You Know?
- Ernest Mills and Bill Paul set a tandem hour record of 49.991 km here in 1937, a trip paid for by readers of Cycling.
- That tandem record held until September 23, 2000, when it was beaten at Manchester velodrome.
- Men's hour record holders at the track added a further 2257 m after Olmo's ride.
More in Stadium & Culture
Elsewhere in AC Milan
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