In June 2017 the site opened its track to local cycling clubs. A year later the ceremony for opening the construction site took place.
1.200 – this is the number of cyclists that have already tested the velodrome since its semi-official launch a year ago. While waiting for its opening to the general public FFscheduled for Q1 2019, the agglomeration community of Limoges Métropole proceeded yesterday with the symbolic laying of the cornerstone for the velodrome cover.
A membrane roof
A cornerstone made of textile. “It is quite a paradox”, agrees the head of Limoges Métropole community, Gérard Vandenbroucke as he explains that “there will still be bricks and mortar”. To cover 250 meters of cycling track, the chosen solution will be an “airdome and a concrete structure”.
The airdome will be made of “plastified canvass made of double membrane allowing air to pass through” as explained the chief project architect Stéphane Fresnois. The whole structure will be maintained by a big ventilation unit.
The solution comes from visiting far north, explains the former construction expert Gérard Vandenbroucke: “our teams have travelled to the Scandinavian countries to get inspiration from local concepts. We have then opted for an inflatable structure which resists cold and wind. And, what is even more important, has good value for money.”