Cycling

David Wood, managing director of brand communication at UK-based marketing agency Jaywing, looks at the opportunities to capitalise on the buzz of this year's Tour de France.

The International Cycling Union (UCI) has renewed the WorldTour licences for the Tour Down Under in Australia and E3 Harelbeke in Belgium until 2016.

Tour de France race director Christian Prudhomme has insisted that Yorkshire has “raised the bar” for future hosts of the cycling event’s Grand Départ after an estimated crowd of between four and five million people packed the roadsides in the UK county at the weekend.

Plans to launch a ‘Tour of Yorkshire’ on the back of the English county’s staging of this year’s Grand Départ of cycling showpiece the Tour de France have taken another step forward.

Disgraced former professional cyclist Lance Armstrong has failed in his bid to dismiss a whistleblower lawsuit claiming that he and his former United States Postal Service (USPS) team, which the federal agency had sponsored, defrauded the government in a plot to use banned, performance-enhancing drugs.

The International Cycling Union (UCI) has drawn up a strategy plan for its future development, while it has also awarded hosting rights for a number of its events.

International Cycling Union (UCI) president Brian Cookson has announced the federation plans to establish a World Cycling Centre (WCC) satellite venue in Central or South America.

Johan Bruyneel, the long-serving team director of disgraced former professional cyclist Lance Armstrong, has been handed a 10-year ban by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) for his role in the doping scandal surrounding the United States Postal Service (USPS) and Discovery Channel teams.

The International Cycling Union (UCI) has announced that its 2014 4X World Championships mountain bike competition will take place in the Austrian resort of Saalfelden-Leogang from June 13-14.

Brian Cookson, president of the International Cycling Union (UCI), has repeated his recommendation for the cyclo-cross discipline to become a regular inclusion at the winter Olympic Games, adding that new technology is needed to enhance the viewing experience for cycling fans.

Marius Vizer, president of the International Judo Federation (IJF), has rejected International Cycling Union (UCI) president Brian Cookson’s proposal that judo could become a regular feature in the winter Olympic Games.

International Cycling Union (UCI) honorary president Hein Verbruggen has called for the introduction of a ‘World Cycling Series’ for road racing and for the sport to embrace a collective broadcast rights model.

Why would a company go from team sponsor to team owner? Rob Ridley asked Trek Bicycle, the US manufacturer and now cycling team owner, ahead of next month’s Giro d’Italia.

The International Cycling Union (UCI) has announced that significant reforms for professional road cycling will undergo a two-year test phase from 2015, ahead of their permanent introduction in 2017.

British Cycling has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) and the Welcome to Yorkshire tourism agency to develop an international stage race that will act as a legacy of the English county’s staging of the Tour de France’s Grand Depart this summer.

Brian Cookson, the president of the International Cycling Union (UCI), has suggested that summer Olympics indoor sports could be switched over to the programme for the winter Games.

Tour de France organiser Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) has announced the Saitama Criterium by Le Tour de France cycling event will return to the Japanese city for a second time later this year.

UCI (International Cycling Union) ProTeamTrek Factory Racing was born in June 2013 when US manufacturer Trek Bicycle decided to step up from a sponsorship position to acquire the WorldTour racing licence for leading team RadioShack-Leopard-Trek. Trek’s decision to invest in its new team came at the height of the doping storm surrounding Lance Armstrong. Trek was a former sponsor of the Texan, and equipment provider to squads he rode for including US Postal and Team RadioShack.