Bike, the new television channel dedicated entirely to cycling, enjoyed its launch recently after a duo of events in central London. After the channel was presented to industry personnel, the masses were invited to join ex-world champions Mario Cipollini and Alessandro Ballan as well as two-time Giro winner Paolo Savodelli on a ride around Regent's Park.
Over a hundred riders left the gates of London Zoo to join the trio of cycling heavyweights as they completed 10 laps of the park, before sinking a coffee afterwards. 'It's wonderful to learn that there is a huge interest in Bike from both consumers and trade,' said founder and CEO Filippo Ubaldini.
As Ubaldini's name suggests, Bike is originally an Italian venture, debuting there in 2012 and going on to accumulate an audience of over one million viewers per month. After the initial UK launch in December 2015, Bike will now be available to a further 15 million households thanks to its broadcasting on Sky (channel 464) and Virgin Media (channel 552). Plans for further distribution channels and digitised platforms are to be announced soon.
As well as pro racing coverage, including live and exclusive broadcasts, there will also be programmes covering adventure, cycling legends of the ages, and insight shows.