Heusden-Zolder is a green municipality that is home to a wide range of nationalities and which has strong links with its mining past. That cocktail of cultures and unique assets is finding great favour, as more visitors are drawn to the beautiful mining community for a well-filled day trip or a convivial weekend getaway.
Attractions include Domein Bovy and the mine site, but Heusden-Zolder also has a lot to offer in terms of culture and sports. In a setting of imposing mining architecture, CC MUZE serves as a magnificent culture house. Those who partake in sports and their supporters can also have a great time here. Circuit Zolder is the setting for many sporting events and the brand new velodrome is a true paradise for cycling enthusiasts. Athletics stadium De Veen and the speedway track also guarantee exciting competitions.
Heusden-Zolder does not leave the recreational athlete unmoved either. Discover charming spots via hiking and cycling paths that wind through forests and past idyllic ponds. A visit to MijnMarkt, the largest multicultural market in Limburg, is of course a must.
The wonderful balance between nature, cultural heritage and sporting activities makes Heusden-Zolder a must-visit destination.
The Velodrome is an ideal training centre for professional track cyclists and a training centre for young talents. It is home to the Flemish Cycling School, but recreational cyclists, with or without disabilities, can also use the infrastructure. The Velodrome is the base of operations for the Belgian delegation of track cyclists in their preparation for the Paris Olympics in 2024. The track meets UCI standards, allowing it to host major championships such as European Championships and World Cups.
Mecca of cycling
Besides an Olympic-sized indoor cycling track with four sports fields in the centre square, the multi-purpose sports centre houses a gymnasium, medical centre, fitness, exercise lab, sports café and meeting rooms. Together with the Circuit of Zolder, located right next to the Velodrome, it is a great event location. With an Olympic BMX track, in the middle of many different recreational cycling route nodes, with European and World Championships in different cycling disciplines and the indoor cycling track, Heusden-Zolder is now the Mecca of cycling.
The wooden track is a fast track, with a length of 250 m. It consists of around 360 wooden trusses that are cut to size for each position, and are in turn finished with 40 mm x 40 mm finishing laths. The venue has 1013 fixed seats, with an additional capacity of 1650 spectators in the centre square and 1000 with mobile stands. A reed bed next to the building is responsible for treating the grey wastewater that is recovered. And on the roof is 410,000 Wp of solar panels.
