A collaborative piece written by British Cycling chief commercial officer Darren Henry ahead of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
Over the past few weeks, the world’s eyes have been on the Olympics, and at British Cycling, aspirations for a successful Games were two-fold.
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There was of course, the ambition to secure medals of all colors across the five cycling disciplines of Paris 2024 and build on a great track record of Olympic success, but importantly, the organization also had its sights set on seizing the moment to drive public engagement and commercial growth.
The excitement and visibility of the Games offer an unparalleled opportunity to promote cycling to new audiences and raise awareness of everything the bike has to offer, meaning we – as the national governing body for all forms of cycling in Great Britain – have to capitalize in order to deliver on our ultimate ambition of "bringing the joy of cycling to everyone."
All major events have an ability to inspire but with Paris 2024 taking place on European soil for the first time since London 2012, this was a unique opportunity to prosper. With approximately 6.5 million people in the UK riding a bike weekly and 26.3 million riding a bike at least once a year, that equates to one in three adults that currently cycle in some form.
We have had a strong year of commercial growth, signing a new major long-term partnership with Lloyds Bank which became our lead partner, as well as significant deals with Kettle Chips and Gaucho, and each partnership strengthens our ability to make an impact.
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By GlobalDataSuch depth allows us to have a role at all levels, whether it’s about inspiring the next generation of medallists for Los Angeles in 2028, or Brisbane in 2032, or being there for those who lack the tools or confidence to get out on their first ride. British Cycling has a helping hand for all, with programmes, and a range of membership options, to suit all ages and abilities.
In addition to increased awareness, the Olympics is integral to the success of our vision for the future of major cycling events in the UK.
Newly launched in February of this year and headlined by the Tour of Britain men’s, and return of the women’s event, we have an aspiration to stage the world’s biggest events here on home soil.
We saw firsthand last year the impact of the 2023 Cycling World Championships in Glasgow and across Scotland, and while there aren’t plans to bring an event of that magnitude back to these shores anytime soon, we have some big and bold aspirations.
This is particularly important as new, youth-led, disciplines have started to take centre stage, such as BMX Freestyle, which has emerged out of the rich cultural and musical traditions of those that have popularised the sport.
In 2025 British Cycling will deliver a new urban event built around BMX Freestyle, celebrating the sport's dynamism and accessibility. Having showcased these cycling disciplines on the world stage in Paris we’re hoping to see increased interest from prospective participants and sponsors alike.
Beyond this, we hope to bring the world’s best riders across the track, off-road, and on-road, to major events in the UK in the not-too-distant future. Major events must have more than the action on the field of play, and that is why our events strategy is underpinned by a bespoke social impact programme which will tackle inequalities by providing opportunities through sport.
Heightened interest in British Cycling via our elite athletes, and increased traffic to our various channels, should help drive awareness of the positive impact being had at this level, including amongst prospective sponsors or co-partners for our range of valuable initiatives.
In winning almost 70 Olympic medals since Sydney 2000, some of our cyclists have become household names in British sport and Paris 24 has allowed our current crop of athletes to become national superstars. Their success not only brings pride to the nation but also inspires the next generation of cyclists.
This visibility helps us to create new and innovative commercial assets and intellectual property, translating the success of one of the most successful Olympic teams into the long-term growth and sustainability of one of the nation’s most successful National Governing Bodies.
British Cycling aims to epitomise endeavour, teamwork, and achievement; qualities that resonate strongly with commercial partners. All this is encapsulated in a concentrated period of time, making the Olympics and the upcoming Paralympics a powerful catalyst for growth allowing us to further our mission to bring the joy of cycling to everyone and transform Great Britain into a true cycling nation.
