Brownlee brothers saddle up for £5m cycling centre launch

Olympic cyclists Alistair and Jonny Brownlee are taking to the saddle to launch the University of Leeds’ cycling and triathlon training facility.

The £5m development is being launched next week, and will be named the Brownlee Centre after its successful sporting alumni.

Architects Farrell and Clark have been appointed to deliver the development.

It sits alongside a new 1.6km cycle circuit at the University’s Bodington Playing Fields in north Leeds.

The brothers will officially launch the centre and cycle circuit on Friday 28 April. The facilities, open to “sports enthusiasts of all ages and abilities” will be available to use from Tuesday 2 May.

It will also be the new home for the Leeds Triathlon Centre, where most of Britain’s Olympic triathletes train.

Partnership funding from Sport England, UK Sport, British Cycling and British Triathlon is contributing £1million to the project, with the remaining funding provided by the University of Leeds.