New Olympic project to involve Velodrome
Credit distinction to local rider’s charity efforts
USA Cycling has announced the creation of the Olympic Development Program that will operate out of multiple venues around the country, Houston’s Alkek Velodrome among them.
The news coincided with a celebration at the Velodrome on Friday night of professional cyclist Lawson Craddock’s remarkable fund-raising efforts on behalf of the 32-year-old track. Originally built in 1986 for the U.S. Olympic Festival, it was badly damaged during Hurricane Harvey.
Racing for a cause
Craddock, who grew up in the Cy-Fair area and began competing at Alkek when he was 10, has finished the Tour de France both times he has started — in 2016 and this summer. But his latest effort was nothing short of Herculean after he suffered a bad fall on the first day that left him with a broken scapula in his left shoulder and nasty cut above his eye.
Once he decided the next day that he could keep riding — and his Education First-Drapac team bosses pronounced him capable of making it to Paris without harming himself — he launched a GoFundMe campaign asking people to donate $100 for every stage he was able to complete. The site quickly went viral and donations poured in from 23 countries.
That campaign, in combination with other fundraising efforts spurred by Craddock’s determination to stay the nearly 2,100mile course to Paris, could end up bringing in nearly $400,000 to repair the Alkek track, replace the many special track bicycles ruined by the deluge and construct new flood-proof storage. The Velodrome’s infield was under eight feet of water when the storm abated and didn’t fully drain for three weeks.
Alkek’s race director Doug Evans said USA Cycling’s decision to include the track, which sits in the Addicks Reservoir west of Houston, in its ambitious new plan wouldn’t have happened if not for Craddock’s “selfless” efforts.
“It’s historic. It’s groundbreaking,” Evans said. “We’re way behind the game in terms of developing riders who can compete at the highest levels internationally, but this will point us in the right direction. (The plan) is to develop many more Lawson Craddocks.”
The program will provide more focused training and international competition opportunities to the top American riders. It will be led by Benjamin Sharp, USA Cycling’s national endurance development coach, and Lee Povey, USA Cycling’s national sprint development coach. USA Cycling also will develop a track-specific coaching certification to increase the number and quality of track cycling coaches around the country.
Locally, the Greater Houston Cycling Foundation intends to ramp up its racing program at the Velodrome, focusing on 12 to 21year-old cyclists. Equipment, coaching and financial assistance on a need basis will be made available. The GHCF intends to announce program details, community partners and opportunities to participate in the coming months.
Craddock back on track
Craddock, 26, was the U.S. national junior champion in both the road race and time trial in 2010 before turning pro and has ridden at cycling’s highest level, the UCI World Tour, for the last four years, living in Girona, Spain, during the racing season. He was third in the 2014 Tour of California.
Mostly recovered from his Tour de France ordeal, he hopes to compete in the World Championships in Innsbruck, Austria, in late September.
He has personally sponsored the Lawson Craddock Youth Cycling League at the Velodrome the last two years.