14/11/2025
Forget wood, concrete or asphalt, the world’s first aluminium velodrome has officially been unveiled in Tucson, Arizona.
The open-air track, which took 26 months to construct, is built to Olympic standards, measuring 250m and with a 42-degree banking.
Its unique material was chosen to withstand the hot temperatures of the Arizona desert, where it can exceed 100°F (38°C) during the summer. Aluminium is highly durable, weather-resistant, and unlikely to suffer surface degradation, such as cracking or warping, in the heat.
“It’s a little bit otherworldly. It’s very satisfying,” Douglas Lowell, one of the velodrome’s builders, told 13 News during a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday.
(Photo: Tucson Velodrome Inc.)