Shorts: British Cycling, Somerset CCC, Formula E

British Cycling and the Welsh Government have confirmed an agreement to host the next three Lloyds National Road Championships from 2025 through to 2027.  

This news forms part of Wales’ ‘commitment to hosting world-class cycling in the coming years’, following on from last week’s announcement that the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes will both take place in the UK in 2027.

Wales has previous experience of hosting major cycling events having held several stages of the Tour of Britain in recent years.

The first of the hosts for the Lloyds National Road Championships will be Ceredigion which will stage three days of racing with the time-trial on Thursday 26^th June 2025, the circuit race on Friday 27^th June 2025, and the road race concluding the action on Sunday 29^th June 2025.

Jonathan Day, Managing Director for British Cycling Events, commented, “Wales has been a huge supporter of hosting major cycling events, so reaching this agreement with the Welsh Government is a huge milestone in securing host venues for the coveted National Road Championships for the next three years. The popularity of this event among riders and fans continues to grow, so it is fantastic to be working with partners in Wales where I am sure it will be a huge success.

“We are pleased to be working with all our partners to deliver the 2025 Lloyds National Road Championships in June this year.”

Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans, commented, “This landmark agreement is further excellent news for Wales, particularly Ceredigion this summer, and testament to our unique offering of world-class cycling terrain.

“With this exciting announcement following confirmation that the Tour de France will come to Wales for the very first time in 2027, it helps cement our position as a premier destination for elite cycling events and offers a chance to see British and Welsh riders who will go on to compete in Le Tour and Tour de France Femmes in 2027.“

Somerset County Cricket Club has announced garage door manufacturer Garador as a new sponsor for the 2025 season.

The partnership will see Garador supporting both the men’s and women’s teams through match sponsorships and player partnerships.

As part of this agreement, Garador will sponsor a Men’s County Championship match, a Women’s One Day Cup game, and batter Sean Dickson. The Garador name will be featured during live match streams, on the big screen, and across the club’s social media.

Jon Watson, Managing Director of Garador, said, “We are delighted to be partnering with Somerset County Cricket Club, an institution with such a proud history and dedicated following. This sponsorship allows us to connect with the local community, reward our staff, and further elevate the Garador brand alongside one of the most exciting teams in English cricket.”

Formula E has partnered with Google Cloud to develop an AI-powered ‘Driver Agent’ to support the development of racing drivers.

The technology aims to ‘democratise access to data and improve driver coaching, levelling the playing field for emerging racing talent globally’ and is designed to provide equal opportunity to all drivers.

Google Cloud is working with More than Equal, an organisation focused on developing female talent in motorsport, as part of the collaboration.

This partnership includes access to driving simulators at Manchester Metropolitan University Institute of Sport and Centre of Excellence for Women in Sport, and Driver Agent technology for More than Equal’s Driver Development Programme, which consists of five up-and-coming female drivers.

Beth Paretta, VP Sporting, Formula E, said, “Formula E has always been a platform for innovation, and we are thrilled to partner with Google Cloud to push the boundaries of what’s possible when you combine world-class technology with world-class motorsport.

“By developing and offering these cutting-edge tools, we are helping to create a future where racing talent is determined by skill, not resources, enabling a more diverse pool of drivers and especially women, rise to the very top of our sport.”

Virgin Media TV has launched Premier Sports Rugby, the UK’s first dedicated 24/7 rugby channel.

Virgin TV customers currently subscribed to Premier Sports will be able to access the new channel at no extra cost.

The 24/7 rugby channel will provide customers with access to the Investec Champions Cup, EPCR Challenge Cup, the United Rugby Championship and some of the biggest games from the TOP14.

The channel will also broadcast two live games from every round from the topflight Japanese Rugby League One competition and selected games from the Major League Rugby competition in the United States.

David Bouchier, Chief TV and Entertainment Officer at Virgin Media O2, commented, “The expansion of our Premier Sports offering to include the brand-new 24/7 rugby channel, demonstrates our commitment to further enhancing our sports offering and providing something for all of our customers to enjoy – from football and rugby to hockey and motorsport, we’ve got sports fans covered.”

Millwall have become the first UK football club to launch their own mobile network.

Millwall Mobile, in partnership with shaka, will be powered by the UK 5G network, Three, offering 99.9% UK coverage.

Luke Wilson, Chief Commercial Officer, Millwall, said, “With the advent of eSIMs there are now a number of virtual networks in the UK run by a variety of brands including Supermarkets and Satellite TV providers. There are also several football clubs in Europe who have taken advantage of the technology to deliver affordable and rewarding mobile plans to their fans, backed up by the reliability and scale of a main network provider.

“We’re delighted to be the first club in the country to bring this model to the UK and to our fans. And ahead of the proposed Three/Vodafone merger, we believe our tie up with shaka, a pioneering connectivity provider, will not only mean our fans will have great value, flexible plans that reward their loyalty via the club benefits on offer – but also access to the best network in London. Not only that, but every plan will be directly supporting their club. Our delivery partner shaka have a wealth of experience in the Telco industry so we’re excited to now launch the service to our fans alongside them.”

Supporters can choose from three plans starting from £10 per month, with no contract plans available.