Universal Sports Network and the Union Cycliste Internationale [UCI] announced today a multiyear extension of their existing agreement to air the UCI’s major cycling events in the United States through 2018. The deal gives Universal Sports multiplatform rights, including exclusive TV and digital rights, to the UCI Road World Championships and UCI World Championship and World Cup events in Track Cycling, BMX, Mountain Bike and Cyclo-cross.
The partnership allows Universal Sports to provide exclusive national coverage of major UCI events throughout the world including this year’s UCI Road World Championships in Richmond, Virginia (Sept. 19-27, 2015).
The announcement comes immediately prior the 2015 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships in Tabor, Czech Republic, which will air live in the U.S. this weekend, Jan. 31-Feb. 1, exclusively on Universal Sports Network and UniversalSports.com.
Brian Cookson, UCI President said “The UCI is delighted that Universal Sports Network has extended its broadcast agreement for our key events all the way through to 2018. The U.S. is a vital market for cycling and with Richmond, Virginia hosting the UCI Road World Championships later this year, 2015 is going to be a great year for cycling in the country. We are seeing excellent demand from broadcasters for our events and around a dozen of new contracts with different broadcasters have been concluded recently.”
Universal Sports SVP of Content & Communications Robert James added “We are pleased to continue our partnership with the UCI and build upon the success of our existing relationship. Cycling is an integral part of our programming line-up, and this agreement allows us to continue servicing the growing community of cycling enthusiasts across the United States.”
With more than 185 hours of exclusive coverage this year, Universal Sports Network is firmly established as the leader in cycling coverage on American television. In addition to the UCI Road World Championships, marquee events in Universal Sports’ 2015 Cycling Series include the Vuelta a España, Volta a Cataluyna, Tour of Belgium, Tour of Britain, Three Days of De Panne, Four Days of Dunkerque, Tour de Suisse, Tour de Wallonie, Eneco Tour and the women’s one-day race La Course by Le Tour de France. For more information, visit universalsports.com/cycling.
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