TOUR OF BEIJING2011 - 2014

02

Since its inception in 2011, the Tour of Beijing

has been a significant step forward for the

globalisation of cycling.

Initially introduced as a legacy event of the

2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the Tour of Beijing

became an accepted member of the UCI WorldTour

family and sat comfortably alongside events of

global importance in world sport.

Importantly, the Tour of Beijing was the first and

only UCI WorldTour event in Asia – a landmark

moment for China and the UCI.

The Tour of Beijing had global television, print

and online media coverage to millions of

sports fans.

The event positioned Beijing as a sports leader

and allowed the world to see the picturesque

roads and hillsides of the neighbouring counties.

Through the expertise and hard work of the

Local Organising Committee and the Beijing

Sports Bureau, in harmony with the experts

from the Tour de France and the UCI, the Tour

of Beijing made a valuable contribution to

global cycling.

BREAKING NEW GROUND

2015 AND BEYOND > 03 03

The Tour of Beijing was the ultimate combination

of sport and culture.

As cycling continues to expand its wings beyond

its European base, China opened its doors to

a spectacular event that promoted its capital as a

global city and endorsed the environmental and

healthy living outcomes cycling represents.

A true milestone in the globalisation of cycling,

the Tour of Beijing delivered the best teams,

competing in the world’s premier cycling tour, the

UCI WorldTour, to Asia.

New roads and new mountains.

New fans and new markets.

New trends and new inspiration.

NOT JUST A CYCLING EXPERIENCE

“I THINK EVERYONE HAS ENJOYED IT AND TAKEN IT AS A LIFE EXPERIENCE, NOT JUST AS A CYCLING EXPERIENCE.” DARIO CIONI, SKY PROCYCLING

2015 AND BEYOND > 04 04

The Tour of Beijing created history when it

became the first cycling event in Asia to be

awarded the prestigious UCI WorldTour status

in August 2011.

The culmination of twelve months work by

the City of Beijing and an organising team that

featured worldwide leaders in the organisation,

marketing, promotion, communication and

broadcast of cycling events saw the staging of

its inaugural edition just two months later from

October 2011.

The event was an immediate success.

The introduction of the Tour of Beijing to the

UCI WorldTour was a vital step in the governing

body’s vision to globalise the sport of cycling and

has laid the foundations for a bright future for

cycling in China.

The Tour of Beijing also offered counties such

as Yanqing the opportunity to develop their own

cycling infrastructure and strategy, to the point

where it is now known as ‘The Cycling County’.

FROM THE BEGINNING – A SUCCESS STORY

2015 AND BEYOND > 05 05

Chinese cyclists are creating history and the Tour

of Beijing has made a contribution to this success.

Cheng Ji became the first Chinese rider to start

in the world’s most famous cycling event, the

Tour de France, in news that made headlines

around the world.

Ji has already been a ground-breaker, after

becoming the first Chinese rider to start in a

Grand Tour, when he rode the Vuelta a España

in 2012, a feat he repeated in 2013 at the Giro

d’Italia.

The 26-year-old, whose family live in Beijing,

captured the attention of Chinese media and

cycling fans in 2013 at the Tour of Beijing

when he made his debut in his home UCI

WorldTour event.

Global Cycling Promotion director Alain Rumpf

said the global and Chinese media coverage of

Cheng Ji’s Tour de France participation was

indicative of the potential to continue to grow

cycling in new markets like China.

“The Tour of Beijing has been more than a race,

“The Tour of Beijing has been proud to provide the

opportunity for Chinese riders to shine in front

of their home crowd and a worldwide audience.

His participation has taken will take cycling in

China to a whole new level.”

In all, 13 Chinese cyclists rode the the Tour of

Beijing and the invitation was always open for

a Chinese national team to compete against

the world‘s best teams, as they did in the inaugural

edition of the event in 2011.

CHINESE CYCLISTS CREATING HISTORY

“I CANNOT WAIT TO START THE TOUR AND I HOPE TO INSPIRE MY COMPATRIOTS BACK HOME IN CHINA.”CHENG JI, CHINA’S FIRST TOUR DE FRANCE RIDER

2015 AND BEYOND > 06 06

it was a platform for the whole sport in China:

teams, sponsors, fans and last but not least the

riders,” Rumpf said.

GLOBAL PROMOTION OF BEIJING

Beijing needs no introduction to international

tourists, but the ability to promote the city as

a modern and vibrant international destination

each year has been enhanced by hosting the

Tour of Beijing.

With television pictures broadcast around the

globe, and the world’s best photographers

capturing and distributing stunning images to

media worldwide, Beijing and its neighbouring

counties are presented in the best possible light.

Just as the Tour de France promotes France and

the Tour Down Under promotes South Australia

to a global audience, the opportunity to expand

on the tourism potential exists.

Each year the course route was designed to

showcase Beijing’s famous landmarks, such as

Tian An Men Square, the Olympic Park and Great

Wall. In addition, new highlights were promoted,

such as Chong Li, and the picturesque roads and

towns of Yanqing.

No other global event can provide this

opportunity.

Cycling provided a travelling showcase of Beijing

and surrounding areas and the world’s best

cyclists have taken their stories home, spreading the

news of Beijing as a place to experience.

“IT WAS WELL ORGANISED, VERY SAFE AND WE HAVE BEEN TREATED WELL. I DIDN’T EXPECT TO DO SO WELL HERE.” DAVID MILLAR, GARMIN CERVELO

2015 AND BEYOND > 07 07

YANQING – THE CYCLING COUNTY

Cycling has become a more fashionable sport in

China in recent years, especially after the 2008

Beijing Olympic Games, which promoted healthy

living and a “low carbon” lifestyle.

The cycling circuit at the foot of the Great Wall

is thought by some to be the world’s most

beautiful circuit.

This was showcased in 2008 and following

the success of the Beijing Olympics, Yanqing

has branded itself ‘The Cycling County’.

For each of the four editions, Yanqing County

hosted stages of the Tour of Beijing.

The surroundings and superb cycling conditions,

combined with the proximity of Beijing, provide

the perfect location for elite and recreational

cyclist alike.

Yanqing has already provided many attractions

for cyclists, with helpful signs along cycling

routes, maps and more than 2,000 bicycles for

rent at some 30 different spots, making cycling

more convenient for everyone.

To further the cause, the Bike Ride in Yanqing

continues to grow and in 2014 drew 5,000 cyclists

from Beijing and abroad.

According to statistics provided by the Yanqing

Tourism Committee, in 2012 the County attracted

around 50,000 cycling tourists who generated

revenue worth 1.88 million yuan. The following

year, around 100,000 cycling tourists generated

revenue worth 2.56 million yuan.

“THE SUCCESS OF CYCLING IN YANQING IS JUST A MICROCOSM OF THE SPORT’S RISE IN CHINA. NOT LONG AGO, FEW PEOPLE COULD FATHOM SPENDING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF YUAN ON A BICYCLE, BUT NOW IT IS VERY COMMON. CYCLING HAS BECOME A PART OF MANY PEOPLE’S LIVES.”” ZHAO ANJUN, A 23-YEAR-OLD CYCLIST FROM HEBEI PROVINCE. GLOBAL TIMES 18TH JUNE 2014

2015 AND BEYOND > 08 08

BEIJING CYCLINGOld versus New

The old saying ‘China is the land of bicycles’

could not have rung more true than in the

1980’s. To foreigners the streets of Beijing were

a daunting prospect, but to the eight of every

ten Beijingers who rode a bike as their primary

mode of transport, it was normal daily life.

As cars grew in popularity and became an

indicator of wealth, the number of Beijingers

using a bike as their primary mode of transport

dropped to two in ten.

But with the Chinese economic boom came the

availability of quality road bikes, and with it an

appreciation and passion for cycling as a sport

and recreational activity, rather than purely a

mode of transport.

And as the government works to rebuild its

cycling culture, a new culture is emerging.

On each preparation visit for the Tour of Beijing,

the mountains on the outskirts of Beijing are

spotted with more and more riders reclaiming

the quiet and scenic roads as their own.

Many cycling companies are recording sales

growth in China, whilst bicycle manufacturers

in countries such as India look to the activities

of Beijing for an answer to declining sales.

Dedicated cycling media have also appeared,

servicing the growing fan base throughout

China with news and information, led by the

Tour of Beijing.

And now China has its first Tour de France rider

in Cheng Ji.

So... the wheels are turning and this growth has

been added to by the prescence of the Tour of

Beijing.

2015 AND BEYOND > 09 09

2015 AND BEYOND > 10 10

Media coverage of the Tour of Beijing grew each

year.

In 2013, 27 accredited international media and

80 Chinese media covered the event.

Each year the international press team generated

news and information that was delivered directly to

over 700 international media and reports on the

tour of Beijing were carried in the Washington

Post and New York Times and pictures in Time

Magazine online. Key international news agencies

such as Associated Press, Agence France Press and

Reuters distributed news and results to a global

readership.

In 2014, the event website recieved 40,196 unique

visitors and over 155,000 page views. The event

YouTube channel recieved 74,736 views and over

1 million minutes were watched. Visitors to the event

website came from 147 countries, with France,

Portugal, United Kingdom, Netherlands,

United States, Spain, Italy, Belgium and Australia

the most featured countries.

Social media saw over 4.2 million cycling fans receive

information on the event via Twitter, leaving

more than 11 million impressions on those followers.

Interest in cycling in China continues to grow.

EYES OF THE WORLD ON BEIJING

2015 AND BEYOND > 11 11

Europe Headlined by Pan Europe coverage by

Eurosport into 131.8million households in

59 countries and also included additional

broadcasts in Denmark (TV2 Sporten), The

Netherlands (NOS Studio Sports) and France

(Sport+).

Asia Pacific Commitment by the Chinese host

nation’s main sports broadcast China

Central Television’s (CCTV) to televise

the Tour of Beijing on its sports dedicated

channel CCTV5 alongside their Olympic

Games, Asian Games and FIFA World

Cup commitments.

Host City coverage was also shown

on Beijing TV, whilst the wider Asia

Pacific region was serviced by a Pan

Asia Eurosport tramission that included 47

different countries.

Eurosport coverage in Asia Pacific was

also extensive.

Africa Shown by Supersport

across South Africa.

The Tour of Beijing was amongst the most

watched UCI WorldTour races.

According to 2012 research by IFM Sports

(Repucom) the cumulated audiences show that

the 2012 Tour of Beijing, which was viewed by

146.41million people, ranked in fourth position

sitting behind only the three grand tours – Tour

de France (2,378.47million), Giro d’Italia

(407.54million) and Vuelta a España

(355.80million).

This global coverage delivered a significant

return on investment for Beijing and unlike most

any other sporting event, cycling is held outside

a stadium, so delivers images of the modern

Beijing to the world.

GLOBAL TELEVISION GROWTH

2015 AND BEYOND > 12 12

The Tour of Beijing produced stunning TV images

to an increasing global audience of sports fans.

Following the success of the events inaugural

edition, the 2012 Tour of Beijing was broadcast

by China Central Television’s (CCTV) dedicated

sports channel CCTV5 significantly contributing

to the development of cycling in China.

In 2013 and 2014, the Tour of Beijing was broadcast

live on YouTube, ensuring that cycling fans all over

the world had access to live streaming, daily news

and event highlights.

The team has worked closely with the Local

Organising Committee to create an exciting race

with the end of season battle for ranking points

always adding another level of interest for the

global television audience.

2012 UCI WorldTour – Cumulated Audience

Rank Race Audience (million)

1 Tour de France 2,378.47

2 Giro d’Italia 407.54

3 Vuelta a España 355.80

4 Tour of Beijing 146.41

5 Paris – Nice 125.66

6 Critérium du Dauphiné 70.66

2012 UCI WorldTour –

Cumulated Audience (per day)

Rank Race Audience – Daily

Average (million)

1 Tour de France 118.92

2 Paris – Roubaix 57.25

3 Tour des Flandres 44.18

4 Tour of Beijing 29.28

5 Amstel Gold Race 24.93

6 La Flèche Wallonne 24.36

Note: IFM Sports, now owned and known as Repucom,

is the global leader in sports marketing research. With

more than 25years of experience and 20 offices around

the world, Repucom monitor media, conduct market

research, observe the activities and distil the opinions

of fans every day to provide the knowledge required

to achieve value in marketing and sponsorship.

GLOBAL TELEVISION GROWTH

2015 AND BEYOND > 13 13

THE TOUR OF BEIJING: A NEWMODEL OF COOPERATIO N

2015 AND BEYOND > 13 14

“WE SPOKE TOGETHER WITH THE ORGANIZATION, UCI, AND EVERYONE AGREED THAT WE SHOULD CANCEL THE LAST 30K, I THINK IT WAS A GOOD DECISION,”

“THIS MEANS A LOT, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES IN THE PAST… THEY DIDN’T LISTEN TO US. AND TODAY, WE DID A BIG STEP IN OUR SPORT, I THINK.”

PHILIPPE GILBERT, YANQING 11 OCTOBER 2014

The Tour of Beijing was designed as a new model

of cooperation between the UCI, the teams, the

riders, local organisers, providers and the domestic

cycling scene.

Via its subsidiary company Global Cycling Promotion,

the UCI ensured that the inclusion of the Tour of

Beijing in the WorldTour calendar would benefit

all parties:

- The teams, which received a significant participation

fee and got their transportation costs fully covered.

The Tour of Beijing also provided TV exposure to

their sponsors in China and gave them the

opportunity to connect with potential partners

during the event

- The riders, with a substantial prize money (USD 400K)

and the opportunity to build a fan base in the most

populated country in the world

- Some of the best service providers in the sport, such

as ASO which was a core partner of GCP and the City

of Beijing in the event organisation

- Chinese cycling, with the opportunity for Chinese

athletes to compete against the world's best riders

and train at the UCI's World Cycling Centre. By

producing the 'Beijing Cycling Stories', a series of

short videos available on its YouTube channel, and

supporting the Panda Corner, GCP also supported

the local cycling scene.

During the four editions of the Tour of Beijing, GCP

maintained a constant dialogue with all stakeholders

involved to ensure they would benefit from the success

of the event. This also proved helpful in some critical

situations where cooperation was key.

THE 2014

FINALE

2015 AND BEYOND > 13 15

The fourth and final edition of the Tour of Beijing

took place from 10-14th October 2014.

With a new route that included the winter ski fields

of Chong Li and the best field in the history of the

event, including defending champion Benat Inxausti

(Movistar) and former world champions Rui Costa

(Lampre-Merida) and Philippe Gilbert (BMC), five

exciting days of racing unfolded.

The challenges of the withdrawal of Astana prior

to the event and a shortened race route on stage

2 due to air quality in Yanqing were handled

effectively, and overall the impressions of the race

form the global audience were positive.

The 2014 edition built on previous successes and

learnings and it was apparent by the large crowds

on the road side that the event resonated with

local audiences. Despite a scaled back invited

media program, international media coverage

grew and cycling-centric media coverage focussed

on the debate regarding the event’s final edition.

This is a topic that divided opinion, however many

commentators, cyclists and teams expressed a view

that cycling would be poorer with a WorldTour race

in China – which is in strong contrast to the

sentiment just four years ago

The 2014 edition was once again broadcast to a

global audience in every continent and was live on

YouTube. Views increased significantly from 2013.

On social media the event had an unprecedented

global reach and experienced a 57% increase in

Twitter followers and 114% increase in Facebook

likes from 2013. The #ToB2014 hashtag reached

over 4 million accounts the specific @TourofBeijing

handle reached 3.1 million accounts and the

‘Tour of Beijing’ reached 4.8 million accounts,

a massive 310% increase on 2013.

Website activity also increased, with a 115%

increase in website result page views in 2014

compared to 2013. As did YouTube

And once again the Panda was popular, both at

Panda Corner and during pre and during race

activities.

2015 AND BEYOND > 18 16

THANKYOUIt has been a journey since 2011 and together we

have all achieved a great amount for cycling in

China and for cycling all over the world.

Thank you to the Beijing Municipal Government

and the Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau along

with the LOC staff for taking this journey.

We also thank the governments of Zhangjiakou,

Chong Li and Yanqing for their efforts and we wish

them the best for the bid for the 2022 Olympic

Winter Games.

The international team from Global Cycling

Promotion, ASO, Sport for Television, Jump Media

& Marketing and Silk Road Consulting have worked

closely with the LOC to deliver an excellent event.

We hope it is not an end, but the beginning of

bigger and better things for cycling in China and

around the world.

And in the years to come, all will be remembered as

part of the trail blazing group who rode into a

new frontier for the sport.

2015 AND BEYOND > 18 17