Boris Johnson was among the first to ride the cycle track at Redbridge but Alex Smith got there before him and strapped a video camera to his handlebars

The £4.5m Redbridge Cycling Centre was opened by Boris Johnson almost at the exact moment Chris Hoy won his third gold in Beijing.

The track replaces the Eastway, which was on the site of the 2012 Olympic Park, and is the first legacy sporting evenue to be completed.

The film below give's a cyclist's eye view of the 2km road track, which offers impressive views across the Thames Estauary, and towards Canary Wharf and the City. There are also 3km of mountain bike trails and BMX courses at the centre, which is free to use and has bikes available to hire at no extra cost.

Riding the (very tiring) Redbridge track