52-908: British Cycling (formerly the British Cycling Federation ) is the main national governing body for cycle sport in Great Britain . It administers most competitive cycling in Great Britain, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man . It represents Britain at the world body, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and selects national teams, including the Great Britain (GB) Cycling Team for races in Britain and abroad. As of 2020, it has
104-571: A certain group, such as the Catholic or Jewish sports groups. General sports organizations and multi-sport events also exist for other groups such as the Invictus Games for military veterans. Professional sports leagues are usually the highest level of play in sport, specifically if they consist of the best players around the world in a certain sport. Because of this, they usually work with national or international federations, but there
156-499: A congress or general assembly of the international federation and is responsible for defining its sports policies. It consists of all of the national federations, each of which receives one vote. On the other hand, the executive branch, which is often referred to as the council or executive committee, consists of elected members by the legislative branch and is responsible for directing, managing, and representing their federation. Trusts are organizations or groups that have control over
208-433: A design later known as Lotus 108 . Sport governing body A sports governing body is a sports organization that has a regulatory or sanctioning function. Sports governing bodies come in various forms and have a variety of regulatory functions, including disciplinary action for rule infractions and deciding on rule changes in the sport that they govern. Governing bodies have different scopes. They may cover
260-424: A different governing body that can define the way that the sport operates through its affiliated clubs and societies. This is because sports have different levels of difficulty and skill, so they can try to organize the people playing their sport by ability and by age. The different types of sport governing bodies are all shown below: International sports federations are non-governmental non-profit organizations for
312-566: A dominant force in cycling. In 2001, two key members of staff were appointed, with Dave Brailsford becoming Performance Director for the World Class Performance Programme and Heiko Salzwedel joining as National Track Manager. In July 2002 the Talent Team programme was launched, which aimed to discover new riders through working with schools: riders identified through the initiative who have enjoyed success at
364-588: A frosty response from AusCycling (the cycling governing body of Australia) to the point they confirmed to Australian media that they were actively considering enforcing for a two-year 'non-competition order' on Richardson which would stop Richardson from competing in international competitions for Great Britain until 2026. British Cycling administers road racing , track cycling , cyclo-cross , BMX , mountain biking (including trials riding ), cycle speedway , and in Scotland, road time trials . The main exception
416-558: A given sport (or a group of similar sport disciplines, such as aquatics or skiing ) and administers its sport at the highest level. These federations work to create a common set of rules, promote their sport, and organize international competitions. International sports federations represent their sport at the Olympic level where applicable. About 30 international sport federations are located in Switzerland , with about 20 or so in
468-454: A key role in redesigning equipment and clothing to maximise efficiency. British Cycling continues to work with NASA , McLaren Group and many other organisations to improve track speeds. In the late 2000s, the team consisted of riders as Sir Chris Hoy , Victoria Pendleton , Bradley Wiggins , and Rebecca Romero . This success has continued in road racing with riders such as Nicole Cooke and Mark Cavendish . British cycling has also formed
520-803: A medical tribunal which include lying to colleagues and the UK Anti-Doping Agency. In 2022, British Cycling suspended its 'Transgender and Non-Binary Participation policy' to conform with the requirements of the UCI , resulting in transgender cyclist Emily Bridges being ineligible for the British National Madison Championships . The suspension of the policy led to a sponsor of the Women's CiCLE Classic to withdraw in protest. In September 2022, British Cycling faced widespread ridicule after issuing guidance that following
572-410: A new wheel research by Hope Technology and a collaboration with Lotus Cars permitted British Cycling to adopt an original wide-stay design for the bike's frame and front forks. British Cycling has also enjoyed notable successes at previous Olympic Games , with some successes attributed to their superior bike designs. This was most notable in the 1992 Summer Olympics , where British Cycling unveiled
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#1732797828667624-584: A particular sport, as evident in the example of the Northern Ireland Federation of Sub-Aqua Clubs . Multi-sport event organizers are responsible for the organization of an event that includes more than one sport. The best-known example is the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the organizer of the modern Olympic Games . General sports organizations are responsible for sports-related topics, usually for
676-484: A professional cycling team with BSkyB as the main sponsor and Bradley Wiggins as the team leader and David Brailsford as the manager. In 2012, Bradley Wiggins became the first British cyclist to win the Tour de France . This was followed the next year when Chris Froome won the 2013 Tour de France. Team Sky is registered as a UCI ProTeam . Recent years have also seen British dominance in downhill mountain biking , in both
728-586: A range of sport at an internationally acceptable level, such as the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee , or only a single sport at a national level, such as the Rugby Football League . National bodies will largely have to be affiliated with international bodies for the same sport. The first international federations were formed at the end of the 19th century. Every sport has
780-722: A rival governing body existed, the Northern Ireland Cycling Federation. It was affiliated to British Cycling, causing friction between the British body and the international federation, the UCI. British Cycling represents the cycling associations of British overseas territories in the UCI, if they are not themselves UCI members. The Gibraltar Cycling Association is the regional governing body for Gibraltar. International performances have improved since British Cycling began receiving National Lottery funding in
832-605: A team in the minor leagues . This enables them to shuffle players who are not doing well to the minor leagues, which will inspire them to contribute more to the team by playing better. A 2014 study by the Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB) criticized major international sports governing bodies including the International Olympic Committee and FIFA for not having sufficient provisions for human and labor rights. 1996 UCI Track Cycling World Championships The 1996 UCI Track Cycling World Championships were
884-812: A total membership of 165,000. It is based at the National Cycling Centre on the site of the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester. The British Cycling Federation (BCF) was formed in 1959 at the end of an administrative dispute within the sport. The governing body since 1878 had been the National Cyclists Union (NCU). The legality of cyclists on the road had not been established and the NCU worried that all cycling could be affected by police concerns about racing. The cycling historian Bernard Thompson said: "Events organised by clubs in
936-530: A training base in Tuscany from 2006 to 2010, and has since returned to Italy, basing itself in Montichiari since 2016. Other notable riders who participated in the academy programme include Kennaugh, Geraint Thomas , Ian Stannard , Ben Swift and Simon Yates . That year Keen left his role, whilst continuing to work with British Cycling in a consultancy capacity until the 2004 Summer Olympics : Brailsford
988-531: A type of national federation, as they are responsible for a country's participation in the Olympic Games and in the Paralympic Games respectively. However, a national governing body (NGB) can be different from a national federation due to government recognition requirements. Also, national governing bodies can be a supraorganization representing a range of unrelated organizations operating in
1040-746: Is a member of the European Cycling Union , the UCI and the British Olympic Association . BSkyB sponsored British Cycling from 2008 to 2016. HSBC is British Cycling's Lead Partner for the period 2017 to 2024. In 2017, British Cycling faced criticism from UK Sport over alleged bullying, unlawful discrimination and "dysfunctional leadership". Also in 2017, the Guardian describes how Mark Cavendish and Bradley Wiggins feel as though they have been overlooked by British cycling when they were not selected to compete in
1092-640: Is no regional body for England. England is not recognised as a region by the UCI, and there is no English cycling team outside the Commonwealth Games . For those occasions, British Cycling selects and supports the England team. Cycling is represented on the Isle of Man by the Isle of Man Cycling Association . Cycling in Northern Ireland is organised under Cycling Ulster, part of the all-Ireland governing body Cycling Ireland . Until 2006,
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#17327978286671144-768: Is road time trials in England and Wales , which are administered by Cycling Time Trials , the current name of the Road Time Trials Council. Only road time-trials in England and Wales remain outside British Cycling, but Cycling Time Trials works with British Cycling to organise the time-trial national championships. Cycling clubs or teams affiliate to British Cycling to race in British Cycling events. Adult road racing licences are graded by excellence, from fourth and lowest to first and élite. There are licences for under-18s and for women. British Cycling
1196-494: Is usually a separation between the different federations. Most North American professional leagues usually do not have amateur divisions, as the amateur divisions are mostly run in separate leagues. Also, most professional leagues are related to other leagues, as players usually attempt to play in the league with the highest level of play. Because of this, promotion and relegation can occur; or, in league systems without promotion and relegation, clubs in professional leagues can have
1248-475: The 2007 Tour de France and 2014 Tour de France were deemed to be a tremendous success, the latter being described by race director Christian Prudhomme , as 'the best ever!', over 4.8 million people lined the route, over a three-day period. On 17 December 2009, the names of fifty one people to be inducted into the British Cycling Hall of Fame were announced. The newly established hall of fame
1300-681: The Downhill World Cup and Downhill World Championships . In 2014, all three female podium positions, and the top two male positions, in the Downhill World Championships were taken by British athletes. At 2024 Olympics Great Britain were knocked off the top of the Cycling Olympic Medal table for the time since the Athens 2004 games having finished with eleven medals total but only two golds as
1352-622: The Lausanne area, where the International Olympic Committee is located. International federations for sports that do not participate in the Olympic Games are managed by equivalent organizations to the International Olympic Committee , such as the SportAccord . International federations are typically organized with legislative and executive branches at the top. The legislative body is usually referred to as
1404-528: The Road Time Trials Council (RTTC), began running races of individuals competing against the clock at dawn and in secrecy, to avoid police attention. The NCU eventually accepted the RTTC and the two organisations ran the sport between them, the RTTC interested only in time-trialling and the NCU administering track races and representing Britain at meetings of the UCI. Infighting was sparked by
1456-477: The 1880s, although taking place on quiet country roads, were constantly interrupted by the police. Often horse-mounted policemen charged at racers and threw sticks into their wheels." The race organiser and writer, Chas Messenger , said: "Thousands of cyclists were convicted or fined for dangerous riding, many on mere suspicion and unsupported evidence." The NCU banned all racing on the road and insisted clubs use velodromes . A rebel organisation, eventually known as
1508-854: The British Cyclo-Cross Association, the British Mountain Bike Federation, the English BMX Association and the British Cycle Speedway Council. Each is now a commission within the BCF. In 1996, the BCF incurred large debts as a result of a legal dispute with Tony Doyle , who resigned from his position as President of the Federation shortly after its Board attempted to remove him. Doyle had been elected to
1560-678: The British team were overhauled by other teams inclusing old rivals Australia and Netherlands. Following the 2024 Olympics it was announced that British-born track cyclist Matthew Richardson , who won three medals whilst representing Australia during the 2024 Olympics would be switching allegiance to the country of his birth and would represent Great Britain in international competition from September 2024 onwards. Richardson won 10 medals in international competition whilst representing his previous country including 3 Olympic medals, 5 World Championship medals (including one gold) and two Commonwealth medals (both of which were gold medals). This announcement drew
1612-615: The GB team sprint squad took the first British sprint medal at a World Championship for 40 years at the Berlin Track Worlds . The first fruits of the programme were harvested at the 2000 Summer Olympics : on the track, Team GB took two bronzes, a silver and a gold medal, the latter of which was taken by Jason Queally in the 1 km time trial . Following the Games, Keen started speaking publicly about what Britain needed to do to become
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1664-808: The Presidency in late 1995 on a platform of increasing transparency and accountability in the Federation: the campaign to remove him was based on claims that he had failed to declare his role as a consultant to a company that wanted to act as the promoter for the 1996 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Manchester. In December 1996, the report of auditors from the UK Sports Council into the Federation's finances and management found that there were serious shortcomings in its procedures for accounting and control of finances and potential conflicts of interests between board members and leading companies in
1716-620: The Tokyo Olympics. Wiggins went as far as to say that he felt that British cycling were lacking in 'someone who actually knows what they're talking about'. The organisation has also been criticised during the "Combatting Doping in Sport inquiry" of the House of Commons, particularly in relation to the supply of fluimucil to Bradley Wiggins in 2011. In 2019, 22 charges were brought against former British Cycling doctor Richard Freeman by
1768-447: The UCI's decision that world road championships from 1933 would be not individual contests but competitions in which riders started together. The NCU had never been against such races but insisted that in Britain they were on roads closed to traffic, such as airfields and motor-racing courses. It now had to select riders not on their talent against the clock but in a bunch. Selection races were held at Donington Park and Brooklands . Among
1820-460: The cycling sector. The board were then removed by the membership and replaced with an emergency management committee. As a result of the report, Minister for Sport Iain Sproat warned that the BCF's Sports Council grants could be withdrawn and that it could be banned from applying for Lottery money. Brian Cookson was elected as president soon afterwards: he described the organisation's situation at
1872-618: The death of Queen Elizabeth II that cyclists should avoid cycling during the funeral "out of respect"; British Cycling subsequently amended its position after a widespread backlash. In October 2022, British Cycling faced a barrage of criticism on the announcement that it would be entering into a major partnership with the oil company Shell , with Greenpeace calling it "brazen sportswashing". In Scotland and Wales , British Cycling operates with regional bodies: Scottish Cycling (Scottish Cyclists' Union) and Welsh Cycling (Welsh Cycling Union). Scotland and Wales run national teams. There
1924-608: The final technical polish, whilst building up training loads to those likely to be experienced by the senior elite athletes. Riders aged typically 16 to 18, who are already experienced and focused on a career in professional cycling. The programme aims to add technical experience, including experience of preparing for major (junior) championships, plus conditioning. Athletes are typically still in education and focus on intense training camps, whilst still living at home. A regionally based programme aimed at finding talented young riders, typically aged 14–16 and preparing them for transition to
1976-462: The first six riders joined British Cycling's new Olympic Academy for junior riders, under the leadership of Rod Ellingworth , with a budget of £100,000 for the first year. Among the first cohort were Ed Clancy and Mark Cavendish , although the latter was almost passed over due to his relatively poor performance in lab tests, with coaches Ellingworth, John Herety and Simon Lillistone lobbying Keen to include him due to his potential. The academy used
2028-505: The focus of the Plan, emphasising that it would mainly be aimed at targeting track cycling due to the large number of Olympic medals on offer. He spent much of the next year developing an eight-year plan to secure longer-term funding: in January 1999 it was announced that British Cycling had secured lottery funding for six years, with an award of £2.5 million for the first year. Later that year,
2080-585: The headquarters of the Sports Council in Park Crescent, near Hyde Park . They subsequently moved to other London premises on Brompton Road and Upper Woburn Place , before moving out of the capital to Rockingham Road , Kettering , Northamptonshire in 1988, and finally to the velodrome in Manchester . The British Cycling Federation was renamed simply British Cycling after it merged with
2132-460: The higher programmes. Athletes competing in four disability categories, primarily in track, road-race and time-trial disciplines. Britain has hosted stages of the Tour de France on four occasions. The 1974 Tour de France , was not particularly well received. The 1994 Tour de France also visited the UK. Due to the improved popularity of cycling, and the international achievements of British cyclists,
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2184-522: The highest level include Dani Rowe , Laura Kenny , Peter Kennaugh , Elinor Barker and Lizzie Deignan . After a disappointing performance at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, the squad bounced back at the Track World Championships , where they finished second in the medal table with three gold medals. That year also saw the appointment of Shane Sutton in Manchester, having previously been Welsh national coach. In 2003,
2236-486: The late 1990s. It won three golds in the 2002 world track championships and four in 2005. Britain won nine of 18 gold medals at the 2008 world track championships. In September 2004, British Cycling helped organise the Tour of Britain , a five-day race finishing in London . Riders in this programme are expected to be seasoned world-class performers with a track record of success at the highest level. Athletes are full-time on
2288-477: The money that will be used to help someone else, such as the Youth Sport Trust . National governing bodies have the same objectives as those of an international federation, but within the scope of one country, or even part of a country, as the name implies. They support local clubs and are often responsible for national teams . National Olympic Committees and National Paralympic Committees are both
2340-461: The open road and controlled all competitive cycling other than time-trialling, which remained with the RTTC. Cyclo-cross was administered by the British Cyclo-Cross Association, which was linked to the BCF. The BCF was recognised by the UCI. The first officials were perceived to be drawn largely from the NCU and there was bitterness among supporters of the former BLRC that they had been betrayed. The BCF had offices in central London. The first were in
2392-466: The programme and generally based near the team's Manchester HQ. Athletes may also be members of professional (trade) teams, receiving additional support from the programme. Athletes on this programme include Olympic champions Jason Kenny, Laura Trott and Philip Hindes as well as Tour de France winner Sir Bradley Wiggins. Riders aged typically 18 to 23 and exceptional athletes with the clear potential to become world-class performers. The programme aims to add
2444-556: The riders were some, like Percy Stallard , who believed races ought to be run on the open road. He organised a race from Llangollen to Wolverhampton , in 1942. The NCU suspended Stallard and others and they formed the British League of Racing Cyclists (BLRC). It and the NCU fought each other until they merged in 1959. The merged organisation became the British Cycling Federation. It accepted racing on
2496-418: The squad. From 2004 to 2009, it came top of the medals tally for three out of six UCI Track Cycling World Championships . The team is noted for its distinctive high performance equipment. From the early days of Keen's tenure, they worked with outside firms to produce more aerodynamic bicycles and bicycle parts. They started using their own Sport Institute bicycles in 2002, and subsequently Chris Boardman played
2548-536: The time as "close to bankruptcy, 14,000 members and falling, one Olympic gold in 76 years and not much else to show. It was pretty dire". In December 1997, British Cycling appointed Peter Keen as its Performance Director, with initial responsibility for £900,000 of funding granted by the UK Sports Council on the basis of a one-year interim World Class Performance Plan. He was chosen ahead of Steve Paulding and Paul Sherwen . Keen immediately outlined
2600-408: The world number one nation in track cycling. The team backed up their Olympic success at the subsequent 2000 UCI Track Cycling World Championships on home ground in Manchester by winning five medals, including a first world title for Yvonne McGregor in the individual pursuit. From 2001 to the present day, British cycling has greatly improved its standing in world track cycling and is now considered
2652-400: Was appointed as his replacement. At the 2004 Athens Olympics cycling events , Great Britain came third in the medal table: they took two golds, a silver and a bronze, with Bradley Wiggins taking one medal of each colour - the first British Olympian to do this in 40 years. Brailsford gave much of the credit for the team's results to the psychiatrist Steve Peters , who had started working with
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#17327978286672704-457: Was created as part of British Cycling's 50th anniversary celebrations. Further names were added in 2014 and 2016 British Cycling has an active Research and Development department for developing track bikes for upcoming Olympic games. Tony Purnell is the current Head of Technology. British Cycling released a radically original design for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. The bike itself included
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