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The extraordinary success of British Cycling in 2012 has made it 'another bumper year' British Cycling’s Chief Executive said today, as the sports governing body announced that its membership has reached 80,000 for the first time with over 40% year on year growth.
British Cycling’s annual report published today, sets out how key successes at elite level – including a second British winner of the Tour de France – are continuing to boost progress at the grassroots end of the sport. Key successes for British Cycling in 2012/13 include:
- British Cycling reaching 80,000 members for the first time in the organisation’s history.
- The sports governing body - alongside Sport England and its principal partner Sky - achieving their target - one year early - of encouraging one million more people to cycle regularly.
- Chris Froome becoming the second consecutive British winner of the Tour De France.
- British Cycling’s former President, Brian Cookson OBE, being elected as the new president of the UCI – the world governing body for cycling.
- British Cycling making significant progress at government level with Prime Minister David Cameron pledging to invest on improving cycling infrastructure across eight major cities and four national parks and committing to cycle proof all new roads and junctions.
- British Cycling being named Sports Governing Body of the Year at the Sports Industry Awards.
- Success for elite athletes across major disciplines with world champions in track cycling, BMX and mountain bike downhill.
- A new strategy launched to get one million more women cycling by 2020.
- The continued boom of cycling facilities with the opening of the Sir Chris Hoy velodrome in Glasgow, the refurbishment of Herne Hill velodrome in London and a new Mountain Bike facility at Clayton Vale in Manchester.
- The largest turn out yet for a National Road Racing Championships with 35,000 people taking to the streets of Glasgow.
- The delivery of nearly 100,000 opportunities for young people to take part in British Cycling’s youth development programme, Go-Ride.
In his final foreword as British Cycling’s President before replacing Pat McQuaid as the President of world cycling’s governing body, the UCI, Brian Cookson OBE said:
“The legacy of our remarkable success at the Olympics and Paralympics, our Tour De France winners and the success of our athletes across all disciplines continues to have a huge impact on all people in Britain being inspired to get on a bike..
“When I first joined British Cycling in 1997 it was on the brink of collapse, had limited resources, no medal record to speak of and a historic low in its membership. I am delighted to be leaving British Cycling with the sport’s governing body being in such fantastic shape and I know that there’s plenty more to come yet.”
For a detailed look at British Cycling’s last 12 months, including in-depth reports from each major area of the business, compilations of winners and medallists and key financial details, download the annual report.