TWO of the biggest names in cyclo-cross were in Ipswich to mark the official unveiling of Chantry Park as the venue for the sport's 2012 European Championships.

Stuart Watson

TWO of the biggest names in cyclo-cross were in Ipswich to mark the official unveiling of Chantry Park as the venue for the sport's 2012 European Championships.

The championships - which are to be held just weeks after the close of the London 2012 Olympics - will be the first time that a major international cyclo-cross event has been held in Great Britain since the same competition was held in Leeds in 1992.

And to mark the major coup, multiple national cyclo-cross champion Nick Craig and the BBC's 'voice of cycling' Hugh Porter came to Ipswich yesterday to look at the proposed course.

Porter, who commentated on all eight of Britain's cycling gold medals in Beijing, said: “These championships fill a long void of major competition in England and Ipswich will certainly profit from them.

“The timing couldn't be any better coming off the back of the 2012 Olympics and, with the talent I've seen coming through, we could certainly have a few Brits on the podium.

“I've been supporting and commentating on cycling events in Ipswich for many years and the courses here are always meticulous. Who knows, maybe this is just the first step towards the town hosting the World Championships further down the line.”

Craig, who finished second in the gruelling Peaks Cyclo-cross event at the weekend, added: “Ipswich is a fantastic place for these Championships to be held.

“It's got everything - grasslands with banks, slopes and woods.

“It should also be a great spectating venue as people will be able to stand on the verges and watch the whole race unfold around them.”