Experts say: Wanganui frontrunner in cycling centre race

The staunchest backers of Wanganui's roofed velodrome project insist the fact the River City already has a $6 million cycling velodrome will be a huge boost when the BikeNZ board sits this afternoon to decide how to grow the sport.
Consultant Randall Mellows and cycling icon Ron Cheatley say they have made this point to many as they've fought to have the city's open-air track turned into a jewel to rival Invercargill's indoor velodrome - where all of CycleNZ's high performance focus is at present because of that.
Also in the battle to gain Government backing for roofed velodromes are Hastings and Palmerston North in the central North Island, and Auckland's Manukau and North Shore's Millenium Institute.
The Wanganui track is a selling point - or it should be to the business-orientated BikeNZ board.
Mellows, who was hired as consultant and then became such an important influence that he became a strong member of the Velodrome Working Party, says Wanganui is the only applicant able to meet the two-year deadline for the first NI velodrome suggested by BikeNZ cief executive Kieran Turner in his "facilities review."
Turner says another could be in operation within six years. Clearly one of those will be in Auckland, with the Millenium Institute having the inside running - the other in the lower North Island.
BikeNZ marketing manager Benji Hall is cautious about what will be decided at the meeting - he says no decision will be announced, and that the whole aim is to sort out a way to go.
BikeNZ and Sparc will liase on where facilities are needed - and then make recommendations to the Government.
And with cycling riding a wave of success, there will be money spent on a velodrome.
Cheatley: "Why not us? You have a $6m facility in the ground already - the others still have to do that. All you have to do is put a roof over it and anything else you need in it."
Cheatley says Wanganui's tradition as a cycling city means its an ideal place for national cycling camps, unlike Auckland, where traffic problems become a major hindrance.
Sports science facilities and people have been working with the Wanganui club for some years and that's all organised.
Mellows: "We have all the advantages. We have a velodrome that actually exists, it's actually there. It's a world-class track, it's actually one of the fastest around.
"All we have to do it cover it, and make sure we have sufficient additonal facilities to make it a going concern.
"Why wouldn't we do it?"
Mellows says Wanganui would be able to be up and running within the two years hinted at by the BikeNZ facilities review.
"Speaking off the top of my head, it could all be done very quickly. A lot of the basic design work has been done, and my feeling is that within two years we could have the whole thing up and running.
"Yes, we could meet the two-year time frame. We have the basic structure there. And the design for the roof, the single-span membrane, it is very easy to erect."
Mellows' final point: "We've done a lot more work on our proposal than anyone else. In my view Hastings is not in the picture - a lot of noise but I don't see the evidence coming through."
Cr Philippa Baker-Hogan, at the forefront from the start, says the recent Wanganui council decision to financially back the stadium was a telling point.
"I believe the unanimous support of the council is really significant and really puts the icing on the cake."