Velon signs three-year deal with RideLondon-Surrey Classic

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The RideLondon-Surrey Classic has announced a three-year partnership deal with the Velon teams organisation. The deal will run from the start of next season and finish at the end of 2019.

RideLondon was one of 10 races to be promoted to WorldTour level for the 2017 season. At present, WorldTour teams are not obliged to ride all of the new WorldTour races and organisers are only required to invite 10 teams – although these details will be up for debate when the UCI’s Professional Cycling Council meets next Tuesday. However, the new deal ensures that all 11 Velon teams will take part in the newly classified WorldTour race. SweetSpot, who organise RideLondon will also invite the remaining WorldTour teams to take part in the race.

As well as the assurance of the majority of the WorldTour teams, the agreement with Velon will see on-board footage, both live and delayed, and rider telemetry. “This exciting new partnership with Velon takes the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic to a new level as it joins the WorldTour,” said event director Hugh Brasher.

“After just four years, Prudential RideLondon is firmly established as the world’s greatest festival of cycling with more than 100,000 riders participating in events for all ages and abilities, with WorldTour status, equal record prize money and live television coverage for both the men’s and women’s pro races. We know that the greatest names in bike racing will bring out the crowds in London and Surrey and inspire more people to take up cycling.”

The RideLondon event began in 2013 off the back of the Olympic Games test event two years earlier. Arnaud Demare (FDJ) won the first edition with Tom Boonen (Etixx-QuickStep) claiming victory at this year’s event. After starting off as a 1.1 event, it was promoted to WorldTour level for next year. The women’s race was part of the inaugural Women’s WorldTour this season and was won by Kirsten Wild (Hitech Products).

Velon was created at the end of 2014 by 11 WorldTour teams as a way of generating revenue and to ensure a sustainable future for the teams. The currently have partnerships with several races, including those organised by RCS and Flanders Classics, and have a revenue sharing deal with the Tour de Suisse. Through their partnership with camera producer Go Pro, they provide on-board footage for many races throughout the season including the Tour de France. At the start of this season, they announced a 10-year deal with sports marketing company Infront Sports & Media in order to provide rider telemetry, including heart rate and speed.

The 2017 RideLondon-Surrey Classic will take place on July 30, a week after the conclusion of the Tour de France. The same weekend sees the start of the Tour de Pologne stage race and the Clasica San Sebastian, which are also WorldTour races.