Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes "handed a still not entirely finished cycling arena to organizers on Sunday, inaugurating the last major installation in the Olympic Park just over a month before the summer games begin," according to Rodrigo Viga Gaier of REUTERS. Organizing committee representatives said that "temporary installations and decorations would be completed in coming days, and colored fabric covered up pieces that were not quite finished." The velodrome ceremony "was originally scheduled for Saturday but was pushed back a day to give workers more time." Paes told close associates that "the velodrome cost him the ability to say the city met all deadlines on Olympic venues." Paes: "We can't say that the velodrome was finished on time, but as I've said with the other projects, it was within budget" (REUTERS, 6/26). CYCLING WEEKLY's Stuart Clarke wrote riders are able to practice on the Olympic velodrome track "but there is still work needed." Swiss rider Gael Suter said, "We see that the building is still under construction, so there is a bit of dust on the track. Maybe it is not 100 percent yet. But no doubt it will be ready for the Olympics, and it will be a fast track" (CYCLING WEEKLY, 6/27). In Hong Kong, Chan Kin-wa wrote Hong Kong cycling head coach Shen Jinkang "praised the velodrome." He was with his rider Leung Chun-wing for a “test race” at the venue over the weekend when it was opened. Shen said, "The track is fine with the wooden surface laid very well. We are quite happy with the venue condition and the 250-meter track is one of the best in the world which will offer good competition during the Games period." A total of 20 all round riders from Japan, Australia, Russia, Switzerland, Hong Kong and the host took part in the men’s omnium event -- "a six discipline competition like decathlon in athletics." Only two events were held at the newly open venue as a "test race." The other one "was women’s omnium" (SCMP, 6/28).
NEW HQ: In Seoul, Baek Byung-yeul wrote the PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games "officially opened its new headquarters in PyeongChang" on Monday. POCOG President Lee Hee-beom said, "The Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2018 are now only 592 days away. We still have a long way to go, but time indeed flies." The three-story, 10,408 square-meter building "is constructed of steel frame and can accommodate over 700 people" (KOREA TIMES, 6/27).
