HADLEIGH’S mountain biking course is set to be copied for the Rio games, according to Great Britain coach Phil Dixon.

The Essex track was deemed a huge success at London 2012.

And it could now be replicated in Brazil.

“The Hadleigh course is now the model that is being used for the mountain biking course in Rio,” confirmed Dixon.

“Up until London 2012 the courses had been quite closed. In Beijing there were a lot of trees and the only way you could keep up with the race and what was happening in it was by looking at the TV camera.

“But Hadleigh was very open, it was great for the spectators and it helped to produce some of the best racing I’ve seen.

“That’s been picked up on and now Rio looks like being quite similar.”

Dixon hopes Team GB can be even more competitive when they head to Brazil and feels the sport has come on “leaps and bounds” since the exposure it received at the last Olympics.

Led by Annie Last, the squad has continued to improve but Dixon was pleased to take time out from their busy training schedule to coach the Hadleigh MTB club’s youngsters.

And Dixon felt it was a nice way to repay the support shown by local area in the build up to London 2012.

“This was a nice way to be able to say thank you for what was done for us for the Olympics,” said Dixon.

“Everyone in Hadleigh, and Essex as a whole, made us feel very welcome and we called it home advantage at the time.

“It was something we’ll never forget so it was very rewarding to come back and see these youngsters.

“Hopefully among them can be the next Annie Last or Liam Killeen and they can go on to do well in the sport too.”