History
Chas Messenger, the local British Cycling Facilities Officer, organised cycle racing on the unopened Hayes Bypass for several years in the 1990s. Triple Olympic champion and Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins started his racing career on this prototype circuit as a schoolboy.
Once the bypass opened to traffic, Messenger and Bill Bannister began searching for another closed road circuit in the area. After some abortive suggestions had been investigated, Minet Park emerged as a possible solution. What is now the park had been used to dump waste earth from the construction of the bypass. The area was, however, zoned for sports activities and community use.
Paul Barker, a member of the Westerley Cycling Club and a London Borough of Hillingdon councillor was a key figure in steering plans for the circuit to a successful completion.
The circuit was designed by Don Wiseman as a fast, easy to ride course: it is possible to pedal all the way round the circuit's corners. The circuit opened to riders in 1997.
The early circuit headquarters were temporary huts. There are now permanent storage facilities (part funded by the Kenton Road Club) and in 2010 a clubhouse was opened beside the track with meeting and catering facilities and a classroom.
Barker suggested to local cycling coaches Brian Wright and Ray Kelly that a children's club be started. The Prime Coaching organisation, together with others and the parents of the children created and developed the Hillingdon Slipstreamers. The group still meet at the circuit every Saturday morning. Bradley Wiggins is now the Slipstreamers' president.
Read more about this topic: Hillingdon Cycle Circuit
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