Ed Warner: British amateur sport must take a match to bonfire of bureaucracy April 13, 2023 Different patterns of belonging in this social media age are a stiff challenge to those of us attempting to build membership rosters for sporting bodies. What can we offer to persuade amateur athletes and casual fans to give a chunk of their identities – and a few quid from their virtual wallets – to organisations [...]
Women’s Tour of Britain at risk of cancellation over sponsor issue March 9, 2023 This year’s Women’s Tour is at risk of cancellation if fresh sponsorship cannot be found. Britain’s longest-running major international stage race, which counts Lizzie Deignan, Marianne Vos and Elisa Longo Borghini as former winners, is in peril after the loss of key partners has left a £500,000 shortfall in funding. Organisers Sweetspot announced the route [...]
Sir Chris Hoy: Track Champions League can win over new fans in London November 15, 2022 Sir Chris Hoy believes the UCI Track Champions League can create new cycling fans when it returns to London next month. The five-date competition, which got its second season underway in Mallorca last weekend, features some of the world’s best riders including Britain’s Dame Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald. London’s Lee Valley VeloPark is set [...]
Ed Warner: English football of all levels penetrating hyper-commercial US sport November 3, 2022 Does anyone in England call the Premier League the EPL? I ask because I had a random encounter at Heathrow last week with one of a group of five Crystal Palace fans headed to Selhurst Park for their “first EPL game”. The Ted Lasso effect maybe? I only hope they made it to the Clifton [...]
TfL extends e-scooter trial until May 2024 October 25, 2022 TfL has extended its e-scooter trial until the end of May 2024 following updated guidance from the DfT, which allows local authorities to continue for the next year and a half. The extension comes on the heels of the government deciding to create a new vehicle category in the legislation to include e-scooters. Launched in [...]
Ed Warner: Don’t criticise British Cycling for accepting sponsorship from Shell October 20, 2022 Disclaimer No1: I don’t think I’ve written anything in support of British Cycling down the years. Quite the opposite in fact. But I can’t bring myself to add my name to the lengthening petition that splutters in indignation about the governing body’s sponsorship deal with Shell. So, here’s a first for me. British Cycling’s eight-year [...]
Cyclists form human barrier in Old Street to protest bike safety concerns September 22, 2022 Around 350 cyclists gathered in Old Street earlier this morning to protest cycling safety concerns on one of the Capital’s most dangerous routes. The Make the Lane protest was organised by campaigner groups Camden Cyclists and Cycle Islington brought traffic to a standstill along the Clerkenwell boulevard route, on the way into the City. During [...]
Marco Pantani story is a modern fable of fragility September 14, 2022 When you’re at the very peak of your sport there will always be questions asked around how you got there, and how you stayed there. But for some of the very best in history, they became victims of high performance; chewed up by their own hype and spat out at the side of the road [...]
La Vuelta a Espana: Ones to watch as third Grand Tour departs August 19, 2022 This lunchtime the eyes of the cycling world will be on Utrecht, the unlikely starting point for the third and final Grand Tour of the year, La Vuelta a Espana. A Dutch Grand Depart kicks off the 77th edition of the race, which has traditionally followed the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France, and this [...]
Dame Sarah Storey previews the Tour de France Femmes July 22, 2022 One of sport’s most recognisable scenes involves a peloton of more than 170 men hurtling down the Champs-Élysées, where the Tour de France yellow jersey wearer is traditionally crowned champion of the gruelling 21-day bike race. But just hours before the latest chapter of men’s cycling history is written, the first of a monumental era [...]