The Velodrome: the whole field watches

Some labours are played in a quiet corner of the venue. The Velodrome is not one of them.

It first appeared at Hercules Trophy in 2016, and at our 25th Jubilee edition in June 2024 it was back. Wheels, a track and a lot of noise: that is as far as we will go in describing it. The rest you discover on the day.

A labour with an audience

What makes the Velodrome special is not only what happens on the track, but what happens around it. Teams that have just finished their own labour stop to watch. Supporters choose a side within seconds. And because everybody can see who is ahead, the tension is felt all the way to the back of the crowd.

For a team, that changes everything. Playing in front of a crowd makes people braver, louder and more willing to give everything for their colleagues. Many players remember the Velodrome less for the result than for the noise.

Not about the fastest legs

It would be easy to think the Velodrome is for the sporty ones. It is not. Like every labour of Hercules Trophy, it rewards the team, not the individual. The teams that do well are the ones that know each other's strengths and trust each other with them.

The feeling afterwards

There is a particular kind of pride in walking away from a labour while people are still applauding. It is the feeling we want every team to take back to the office on Monday.

Want your team to play in front of the crowd? Look at the packages on our pricing page or get in touch.