UK’s only cycling channel rides onto Virgin Media

18th January 2016

BIKE TV now available on channel 552.

Virgin Media is making BIKE the UK’s only TV channel purely dedicated to cycling available to customers.  BIKE is the first channel in the UK designed for the growing cycling market with a mix of live coverage, documentaries and original UK programming.  It is available to Virgin Media TV customers on M+ service and above.

Shown on channel 552, with over 5 million Brits regularly cycling, BIKE has programmes created around seven main categories: Travel, Sport, Training, Endurance, Women’s, Mtb and Legends. BIKE appeals to leisure riders, racers, mountain bikers, commuters and triathletes, with programming that has been tailored to give every fan a full night of programming.  

The channel’s line-up includes live coverage and highlights from professional road cycling including classics like Gent-Wevelgem to stage races including the Giro d'Italia, the UCI Mountain Bike Cross Country and DH World Cup as well as cyclocross and BMX competitions.

Virgin Media’s Chief Digital Entertainment Officer, David Bouchier said: “You can’t question the growth in cycling in recent years, and on our TV service it is all about people’s interests and passions, be it more mainstream media or specialist channels.  We know there is a strong interest in sport from football to cycling so we’re delighted to bring BIKE to Virgin Media homes.”  

Richard Schofield, BIKE’s UK Marketing Director, says, “We’re very proud to now be broadcast to even more UK homes with Virgin Media. We know that 2016 is going to be an exciting year for BIKE and for cycling as a whole with the prospect of more sporting success at the Rio Olympics. BIKE wants to be at the heart of British cycling. If you cycle, we know there will be something on the channel for you.”

Other BIKE programming highlights include:

Highlights and live coverage of many of the season’s top professional races will accompany a mix of documentaries, entertainment and original programming for the UK.  These include:

·          The Greatest Climbs: 2002 and 2005 Giro d’Italia winner Paolo Savoldelli, takes viewers on some of the classic climbs that have become part of cycling’s rich history. 

·         A Racer’s Dream: Over a year in the making, this access-all-areas documentary captures the sweat, sacrifices, planning and heartache that go into a pro team’s assault on the Mountain Bike World Championships.

·         Dandyhorse Double: Join two friends’ tandem ride across Canada’s endless open spaces as they discover their lives quite literally depend on working together, day after day after day.

·         Sunchasers: A documentary exploring three female cyclists at different stages of their careers who happen to be disabled. Follow three stories of strength, dedication and unshakable conviction.

Professional road cycling events on BIKE in 2016 include:

Highlights and live coverage of many of the season’s top professional races are an important part of the programming mix.  Cycling has always been a sport that inspires fans to participate and by showcasing top athletes, great landscapes and fantastic competitive racing, it aims to inspire all watchers to participate.  Cycling events include:

  • Snow Epic
  • Omloop het nieusblad
  • Dubai Tour
  • Tour of Oman
  • Cape Epic
  • Dwars door Vlaanderen
  • Gent- Wevelgem
  • Tirreno Adriatico
  • Milano – Sanremo
  • Vuelta Calatunia
  • Tour of Turkey
  • Tour of Yorkshire
  • Scheldeprijs
  • De Brabantse Pijl - La Flèche Brabançonne
  • Giro d'Italia
  • Tour Romandia
  • Tour of California
  • Tour of Poland
  • Arctic Race
  • Vuelta a Burgos
  • Tour des Fjords
  • Brussel Cycling Classic
  • Tour of Utah
  • GPC Quebec
  • GPC Montreal
  • Roc D'azur
  • Saitama Criterium
  • Il Lombardia
  • UCI BMX Supercross
  • UCI Cross Country
  • The Downhill World Cup



About Virgin Media

Virgin Media offers four multi award-winning services across the UK and Ireland: broadband, TV, mobile phone and landline.

The company’s dedicated, ultrafast network delivers the fastest widely available broadband speeds to homes and businesses. And we’re expanding this through our £3bn Project Lightning programme, which will reach 17 million premises.

Our interactive TV service brings live programmes, thousands of hours of on-demand programming and the best apps and games in a set-top box, as well as on-the-go for tablets and smartphones.

We launched the world’s first virtual mobile network, offering fantastic value and services to customers. We are also one of the largest fixed-line home phone providers in the UK and Ireland.

Through Virgin Media Business we support entrepreneurs, businesses and the public sector, delivering the fastest widely available broadband speeds and tailor-made services.

Virgin Media is part of Liberty Global, the world’s largest international cable company. Together Virgin Media and Liberty Global serve 27 million customers across 14 countries.

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