Following the Mountain Bike test event last July, and based on the feedback of riders and the International Federation, some changes have been made to the course. Parts of the course will be wider which will enable more opportunities for athletes to pass and new features have been added to further increase the technical difficulty of the course.

Several parts of the course, including the switchback climbs, have been widened and a new climb has been added into the start loop which will be used on the first lap of the races.

The main climb in the course has been extended and a new feature has been added with an extended climb to reach it. These two new sections will make the course more technically difficult and with the additional climbs, riders will cover 172m of climbing per lap, with each lap being 4.7km.

Challenging

Debbie Jevans, Director of Sport at LOCOG said: "These changes to the course have been implemented after feedback from the elite athletes following the test event and from conversations with the UCI.

"We are confident that the London 2012 course remains one of the most technically challenging courses at an Olympic Games, whilst we have ensured that it is as competitive as it can be by increasing the number of places where competitors can pass each other.

"It is wider and higher than for the test event and with the stunning setting of Hadleigh Farm we are looking forward to a world class Olympic event."

There are 36 nations expected to take part in the London 2012 Mountain Bike competition- the Men's race will have 50 riders, the Women's race 30.

The Women's race takes place on Saturday 11 and the Men's race on Sunday 12 August 2012, the final two days of the Olympic Games.

Wednesday also saw Essex County Council and The Salvation Army launch legacy plans for the Hadleigh Farm and Hadleigh Country Park site which include new and improved recreational cycling trails and visitor facilities.