I was rather excited when I arrived at Brands Hatch, the legendary British motor racing circuit not far from Sevenoaks in Kent. Once used as a dirt-track motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 Formula One British Grand Prix races between 1964 and 1986 and currently holds many British and international racing events.

But the track will soon take on an entirely different role when it becomes the road cycling venue for the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

That is why I was there.

London 2012 took the opportunity to host a special training and media day for athletes where over 150 Paralympic road race and time trial cyclists from 26 national teams (pictured below) were given the opportunity to test the challenging eight-kilometre course, which starts and finishes at Brands Hatch and runs through Kent including the district of Sevenoaks.

Rather miraculously, given that it has been raining in the United Kingdom consistently for the last three months, the sun was out and it was pleasantly shining over the simply stunning-looking circuit as I ventured in. I'm no veteran when it comes to motor racing so I was rather gobsmacked by how breathtaking the venue looked in all its glory, with beautiful green trees framing the looping layout.

I didn't realise just how steep it was until I made my way down to the pit lane and saw what seemed like a vertical slope ahead of me where the track curves dramatically upwards shortly after the start line. The view made me rather sympathetic of the huge task that awaits the world's top Paralympians when they chase gold over the historic 4.2-kilometre Grand Prix layout in September.


But that didn't seem to bother the likes of Britain's Beijing 2008 double Paralympic cycling champion Sarah Storey (pictured below), who simply raced round the track as if she was actually on a motorbike!

Another of the stars on show at Brands Hatch was, rather fittingly, the 45-year-old Italian former Formula One driver Alex Zanardi.

Zanardi – who once raced for Grand Prix teams Jordan, Minardi, Lotus and Williams, and won two Champ Car titles in America before losing his legs in a huge motor racing accident in 2001 – is aiming for a medal in handbiking at London 2012 and stands a great chance of making the podium. Look out for more on his story on this website shortly.


But back to the training day at Brands Hatch – and a delightful press conference featuring London 2012 director of Paralympic Integration Chris Holmes was held in one of the pit garages – which, I admit, was the first ever press conference I've attended that has been held in such a venue.

"I honestly think this will be one of the genuine surprise packages of the Paralympic Games," he said.

"Brands Hatch is a truly stunning venue and I recommend that everyone takes advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see sport like never before in the Garden of England."

It was a fitting tribute to Kent and a harsh reminder that the Paralympic road cycling, which takes place at Brands Hatch from September 5 to 8, will be the only London 2012 event held in this picturesque county, which has hosted numerous Olympic and Paralympic training camps.


But, in Brands Hatch (pictured above), Kent has a truly world class venue to celebrate.

It will be challenging, however.

The tough cycling course must be completed a different number of times by riders depending upon the event distance and the athlete's racing category.

Around 25 per cent of the course contains uphill sections, with a gradient of up to six per cent, while the route includes challenging bends, turns and technical sections.

But, unlike most road cycling events, the final kilometre of the circuit unfolds in front of the spectators, giving them a unique chance to watch the closing stages of the races on the famous old track from just a few metres away.

They will be a truly special moments, and will help make Brands Hatch the most worthy of venues for the London 2012 Paralympics.

Tom Degun is a reporter for insideworldparasport.