British Cycling Reveals Sky Ride Return

Sky and British Cycling have confirmed the return of a host of free events and activities taking place across the summer as part of Sky Ride 2013, including more Sky Ride City events and Sky Ride Local rides than ever before stretching the length and breadth of the UK.

BSkyB claimed the Best Sponsorship of a Sport Team or Individual, sponsored by Kantar Media, for its work with the GB Cycling Team at last week’s BT Sport Industry Awards. Check out the full list of winners here. Meanwhile, Sky Ride 2012 was also shortlisted for The Community Programme Award, sponsored by talkSPORT.

Sky Ride 2013 is part of a national campaign by Sky and British Cycling to encourage thousands of people of all ages and abilities to get on a bike and discover the fun, freedom and health benefits cycling can offer.

Sky Ride City rides are free one-day cycling events offering people the chance to ride their bike on traffic free streets in the heart of major cities and towns across Britain. 

Sky Ride Local rides are led by British Cycling Ride Leaders and are a series of free small, weekly community bikes rides that take place every Sunday and give participants the chance to get out and explore their local area.

This year’s events build on the success of 2012, which saw over 146,000 people take part in Sky Ride City events and over 17,000 people take part in Sky Ride Local ride. Last year also saw British Cycling and Sky beat their goal of getting one million more Britons on their bikes and cycling regularly (once a month) by 2013. 

Sky Ride City Events will take place in the following towns and cities across the UK this summer:

• Plymouth – Sunday 12th May
• Bolton – Sunday 2nd June
• Leeds –  Sunday 7th July
• Stockton-on-Tees – Sunday 7th July
• Bournemouth – Sunday 20th July
• Newcastle – Saturday 27th July
• Southampton – Sunday 28th July
• Manchester – Sunday 4th August
• Bradford – Sunday 11th August
• Hull – Sunday 18th August
• Torbay – Sunday 18th August
• Milton Keynes – Sunday 25th August
• Leicester – Sunday 25th August
• York – Sunday 15th September
• Ipswich – Date TBC
• Birmingham – Date TBC September

There are also events and rides tailored specifically for women with British Cycling’s national Breeze Network , which encourage women to get on their bikes with women-only rides.