Sky and British Cycling part ways

LONDON: British Cycling’s partnership with broadcaster Sky will end in 2016 after eight extraordinary years which led to a golden run of Olympic success, two Tour de France champions and put a cynical public back on two wheels.

The split will have no impact on pro cycling outfit Team Sky, which hopes to be celebrating another Tour win for Briton Chris Froome in Paris later this month.

“British Cycling and Sky will remain firm friends and part with great mutual affection, having achieved amazing things together,” British Cycling chief executive Ian Drake said in a statement.

“The last 10 years have been brilliant for our sport – our membership and participation in cycle sport continues to grow, we’ve encouraged over 1.7 million people to cycle regularly with even more starting all the time and we are seeing the emergence of a new generation of cycling heroes.”

Sky’s sponsorship of British Cycling began just before the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and was renewed in 2012 for a further four years amid a surge in popularity for the sport.

Team Sky has become one of the heavyweights of cycling with its budget and infrastructure the envy of many, yet when it began as Sky Pro-Cycling in 2009 and team principal Dave Brailsford promised a first British Tour de France champion, few believed it would actually happen.

The doubters were quickly silenced when Bradley Wiggins wore the yellow jersey through to Paris in 2012 and Froome followed a year later.

At the 2012 London Olympics, Britain dominated in the velodrome and on the road, winning eight cycling golds, two silvers and two bronzes.

However, it is the impact of British Cycling’s relationship with the broadcaster on recreational and club cycling that has proved most spectacular.

According to British Cycling, 1.2 million have taken part in mass participation events called Sky Rides, Sky Ride Locals or Breeze rides since 2009.

Membership of British Cycling has expanded from 21 000 in January 2008 to more than 111 000 in June 2015 and 2 034 clubs are now affiliated to the national governing body.

“The partnership with Sky since 2008 is an important part of that story. Sky gave British Cycling the platform from which to communicate the best of the sport and, through British Cycling, Sky has delivered lasting and positive change,” Drake added. – Reuters