Women's World Cup gets extended TV coverage

The 2014 Union Cycliste Internationale Women's Road World Cup will benefit from extended television coverage, including highlights from all nine rounds on the UCI's YouTube channel.

The annual women's top-tier race series kicks off on Saturday, March 15, with the Boels Rental Ronde van Drenthe in the Netherlands.

British company VSquared TV Limited will produce the coverage for the UCI, and will be making a series of women's racing feature programmes in addition to the race coverage.

The UCI reports that several television companies have already taken the race coverage, including the BBC (United Kingdom), RAI Sports (Italy), NOS (the Netherlands) and Canal+ (France), with 'discussions ongoing' with other broadcasters.

“We are extremely fortunate to have the support of the race organisers for this initiative,” said UCI president Brian Cookson. “Their dedication and incredible work has already had a large part to play in the growing success and popularity of women’s cycling. By staging exciting and high-level events, they are improving its image and generating more interest from the fans.”

“This is an exciting and positive year for women’s cycling. With the launch in 2014 of La Course by Le Tour de France on the last day of the Tour de France and now this increased visibility of our leading professional women’s cycling series, it is clear that real momentum is building,” Cookson added.

UCI Women's Road World Cup 2014

March 15: Boels Rental Ronde van Drenthe (Netherlands)

March 30: Trofeo Alfredo Binda-Comune di Cittiglio (Italy)

April 6: Tour of Flanders (Belgium)

April 20: La Flèche Wallonne Féminine (Belgium)

May 18: Tour of Chongming Island World Cup (China)

August 3: Sparkassen Giro (Germany)

August 22: Open de Suède Vargarda TTT (Sweden)

August 24: Open de Suède Vargarda (Sweden)

August 30: GP de Plouay-Bretagne (France)

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