2026 Event 6: Evesham - Sunday 19th July

Kim wrote: I've just been informed that Evesham are opening their track for free on Tuesday (the idea being to attract people who've got a new bike for Christmas), if anyone wants a recce:  https://eveshamvelopark.co.uk/f/jingle-your-wheels-this-christmas-at-evesham-velopark

Well, Natalya and I went and had a mooch around, rode a couple of laps, chatted to Ye Guardian ov thee Clipboard (who was a football person and knew nothing about cycling), etc.

In summary: The track is very much like Hereford, in that it's 6 metres wide, nominally 1km long and full of corners that are stonking good fun on a trike and liable to be a bit sketchy on anything really fast or with limited vision.  I reckon the tight ones are a wider radius than Hereford, but keep going for longer.  Token gentle climb in the middle to keep things interesting, and token cyclocross and well foliaged drainage facilities on the infield for blind cornering fun.  The tarmac is immaculate.  A small amount of dry leaf litter was present on one bend.  Many cut-throughs which will need coning off to avoid confusion.  If today's mild arctic breeze was anything to go by, it could get blowy on the straight.

Usual facilities: Loos (including accessible), reasonable little cafe.  Didn't see inside the changing rooms.  I'd expect these to be busy with ballsportsists at the weekend.

The straight (and default start/finish line location) is at the furthest point from the facilities, which is a bit of a pain, but there is at least a gate to reduce the trek from the car park when lugging stuff.  The car park nearest the track has a gravel surface, but there is a solid tarmac car park nearer the building with a couple of accessible bays.  (Turn right as you enter the football club grounds, rather than following the signs for the velopark to the left).

With my timing hat on, I note:

- Usual problem of just barely enough verge between the edge of the track and the anti-yappy-dog fence for the timing tent.

- There are a couple of campsite hookup style bollards at either end of the straight with 16A Cee sockets on them, hopefully somebody somewhere will know how to energise these.

- Risk of reading tags of riders on the far side of the track, Stourport style.  Will need to test and possibly reduce gain on the nearside antenna to avoid spurious reads.

- Attempts to mitigate the above by positioning the start/finish line nearer the bend need to not put the timing tent in the line of whoever overcooks the corner.  Because somebody undoubtedly will.

(For the avoidance of doubt, I did not take my Brompton on the pump track.)

There is no mobile phone signal and if there is a lot of rain the site becomes a lake…