Florian, can you tell us more about the importance of attracting the best riders in order to reach and engage a global audience?
It’s really important for us to attract the best riders in the world in order for the UCI Track Champions League to be a success. For example, the rivalry between Harrie Lavreysen and Matthew Richardson last year was incredible to watch, week-after-week, and we’re delighted to have them both back for the 2023 series.
As well as the riders, we also put a lot of effort into creating an electric atmosphere inside each velodrome; with the music and light shows being really important in engaging the fans as well.
What are the challenges that come with attracting the biggest names in the sport?
It’s not always easy to secure the riders. We put a lot of effort into working with them, as well as their coaches and federations, to make the UCI Track Champions League as attractive as possible to them. It’s vital that the series doesn't clash with major training blocks or other races - especially heading into an Olympic year. That’s why we moved the series slightly forward this season, and why it takes place at this time in the calendar.
We also work very closely with the UCI to offer additional benefits to the riders, like scoring UCI points during the races which they can use to qualify for future events like the Olympics or UCI Cycling World Championships.
Finally, we also put a lot of work into providing the best-possible hotels, travel and logistics to give riders the best experience possible. They’re very well cared for. The UCI Track Champions League is still young, so it’s important to show the athletes what we’re trying to achieve and make it as attractive as possible to get them involved.
And tell us more about the fan experience…
We work with an incredible selection of partners to deliver an innovative and immersive fan experience. For instance, since the series launched in 2021, we’ve partnered with AWS to provide a whole host of live data. I’ve been closely involved in that, and also internally with our own Warner. Bros Discovery Sports (WBDS) TV producers to make the broadcasts as engaging as possible.
After the end of each season, we review our five-year roadmap to make sure the experience we’ve produced has met the needs of the fans, but we also discuss how we’re going to test and implement new ideas for the following season.
For Seasons 1 and 2, we were very focused on capturing live data from the athletes during the races. You need to have a lot of that to provide in-depth stats, and fans will be treated to some amazing insights in the coming years.
For instance, as we see more rivalries like Harrie Lavreysen and Matthew Richardson develop, we want to make more stats available to the fans, allowing them to make their own predictions about how the action will play out.
This year we’re focusing more on showcasing how the series has developed since its launch, putting it into context within the wider racing calendar. It’ll help remind fans that the UCI Track Champions League isn’t an isolated event, it’s an integral part of the track cycling calendar.
Does this season hold a lot more importance than previous years because of the Olympic Games in 2024?
The Olympic Games remains the pinnacle race in the career of a track cyclist and we really wanted to position the UCI Track Champions League as a key stepping stone between the UCI Cycling World Championships and Paris 2024. The fact Round 3 will take place in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, where the Olympic Games will be held, is proof of this. Riders typically don’t have the opportunity to race in the hosting velodrome the year before an Olympic Games, so our series represents a great opportunity to do that, against world-class opposition.
Away from the racing, the Olympic Games is also a key event for the WBDS team. We are an Official Broadcaster of the Olympic Games, so having the UCI Track Champions League slotted between the UCI Cycling World Championships and the Olympic Games is an important step in keeping track cycling in the spotlight. I really hope we have the winners of the UCI Track Champions League winning gold medals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Finally, Season 3 kicks off this weekend in Mallorca. What are you looking forward to most about this coming season?
This season I’m eager to see Matthew Richardson and Harrie Lavreysen competing against each other again. That was a major highlight of last year’s racing.
There’ll be an incredible atmosphere in London again, but I hope to see the same across all the venues this year. The fans have definitely grown in passion about track cycling, so I’m sure we will see that because the atmosphere is what drives the athletes’ performances.
