CYCLING fans will be able to watch every moment of the OVO Energy Tour of Britain live this September as ITV4 screen all eight stages – from start to finish – in their entirety for the first time.
Thanks to ITV4 and OVO Energy, fans won’t miss any of the action between Sunday 3 and Sunday 10 September, as the channel will have exclusive rights to the full live coverage of all eight days, with Matt Barbet and Yanto Barker once again presenting the coverage of Britain’s biggest professional cycle race.
Chris Houghton, managing director, OVO Energy, said: “We’re proud to be the title sponsor of the country’s largest free-to-watch sporting event, the Tour of Britain. This year, fans won’t miss a pedal stroke – with extended live television coverage of up to six hours each day across all eight stages of the race. Those tuning in will witness the most exciting Tour yet.”
In addition to the live coverage, ITV4 will also screen a nightly magazine show bringing a wrap-up of the best of the action from each day’s stage for anyone who has missed the live programmes.
ITV4 will be celebrating broadcasting ten year’s of the OVO Energy Tour of Britain in 2017, having shown daily highlights each September since 2008, and live coverage of each stage since the 2012 race.
Commenting on the announcement, Alastair Grant, commercial director of race organisers, SweetSpot, said: “It is fantastic news that for the first time viewers on ITV4 will be able to watch every second of the OVO Energy Tour of Britain live, from our start in the heart of Edinburgh to the Cardiff finish, we look forward to providing viewers nationwide with a showcase of the best Britain has to offer this September.
“We are also delighted on behalf of our partners and regional stakeholders thanks to the greatly increased promotional platform that this extended live coverage will deliver, with over 15 hours more coverage.”
Among the star names who have already been confirmed for the OVO Energy Tour of Britain, which begins in Edinburgh on the 3 September, are recently-crowned European champion, Alexander Kristoff; World Time Trial champion, Tony Martin, and Team Sky’s Michal Kwiatkowski; plus multiple British Time Trial champion, Alex Dowsett; while British duo, Mark Cavendish and Geraint Thoma,s are expected to ride should both recover from their Tour de France crash injuries in time.
A provisional rider list featuring all 120 riders for the OVO Energy Tour of Britain will be published towards the end of August.
OVO Energy, one of the UK’s top-rated independent energy suppliers, was announced as the title sponsor of the Tour of Britain at the end of April.
The OVO Energy Tour of Britain is arguable British cycling’s premier road cycling event, giving cycling fans the opportunity to see the world’s best teams and riders competing on their door step, taking place between Sunday 3 and Sunday 10 September 2017.
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Notes to editors:
| Stage One | Sunday 3 September | Edinburgh to Kelso | 190km |
| Stage Two | Monday 4 September | Kielder Water & Forest Park to Blyth | 211km |
| Stage Three | Tuesday 5 September | Normanby Hall Country Park to Scunthorpe | 178km |
| Stage Four | Wednesday 6 September | Mansfield to Newark-on-Trent | 165km |
| Stage Five | Thursday 7 September | The Tendring Stage Individual Time Trial | 16km |
| Stage Six | Friday 8 September | Newmarket to Aldeburgh | 187km |
| Stage Seven | Saturday 9 September | Hemel Hempstead to Cheltenham | 185km |
| Stage Eight | Sunday 10 September | Worcester to Cardiff | 180km |
About the OVO Energy Tour of Britain
Re-launched in 2004 after a five year absence from the calendar, the OVO Energy Tour of Britain is British cycling’s premier road cycling event giving cycling fans the opportunity to see the world’s best teams and riders competing on their doorstep. The OVO Energy Tour of Britain is the UK’s highest-ranked professional stage races and the country’s largest free-to-watch sporting event, organised annually by SweetSpot Group.
Ranked at the 2.HC level by the UCI, the OVO Energy Tour of Britain attracts the world’s top cyclists, including Olympic and World champions and Tour de France stage winners, to compete on British roads each September, with three hours of live coverage a day on ITV4.
For further media information please visit www.thetour.co.uk/press
Media contacts for stage one – Edinburgh
Katy Allison, media and social media officer, Communications, the City of Edinburgh Council | T: 0131 529 4452 | M: + 44 (0)7885 976 519 | E: katy.allison@edinburgh.gov.uk
Paddy Cuthbert | Littlehouse Media | M: +44 (0)7913 951717 |
E: paddy@littlehousemedia.co.uk
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Media contact:
Paddy Cuthbert | Littlehouse Media | E: paddy@littlehousemedia.uk.com
M: +44 (0)7913 951717
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