SKY DEAL ANNOUNCED BY BRITISH CYCLING

British Cycling has announced a multi-million pound partnership with broadcaster Sky for the next five years.

Every level of the sport is set to benefit from the investment, including Britain’s elite team of world, Olympic and Paralympics cyclists to British Cycling’s talent development programmes and grass roots initiatives in schools and local communities.

The partnership’s announcement comes as the British team enters the final stages of preparation for next month’s Beijing Olympics, when riders such as Bradley Wiggins, Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton are expected to lead a medals blitz.

wiggins.jpgThe arrangement with Sky will provide increased support in the run-up towards the 2012 London Olympics and beyond.

British cycling performance director David Brailsford said: “I believe this partnership will create a step change for cycling.

“Cycling is already one of Britain’s sporting success stories, and this is a truly exciting opportunity to grow the sport even further.”

British Cycling president Brian Cookson added: “Sky’s support presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform our sport by building on our international success and using it to get more people cycling, more people engaged with the sport, more people belonging to British Cycling.”