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To coincide with new President Bob Howden’s first week in the role, British Cycling today launched its four-year strategy detailing its ambitions for the next four-year cycle to 2017.

British Cycling: Our Commitment sets out the future vision and direction for the sports governing body and builds on the strong foundations that have already been laid over the past four years.

The main commitments published today in British Cycling’s strategy are:

• A push for greater sustainability with an increased volunteer workforce, who can drive participation, supported by an increased membership base.
• Continuing to grow the membership to provide a strong voice on behalf of all cyclists, actively promoting their needs and protecting their rights.
• Ambitious targets for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games to support the aspiration to maintain or even increase the medal tally of the British team’s performance in London – a feat not achieved by a host nation to date in the history of the Games.
• By 2017, increasing once a week participation by 125,000. That will only be achieved through our continued partnership with Sky and a significant expansion of British Cycling’s delivery model with local authorities and other stakeholders.
• Significant strides in addressing the gender gap in cycling with an ambitious target of getting one million more women cycling by 2020.

"Over the next four years we need to remain true to what has become our tradition: to succeed on the world stage and to inspire people to enjoy riding their bikes."

British Cycling President Bob Howden

Commenting on the launch of the strategy, British Cycling’s Chief Executive, Ian Drake, said: “British Cycling is now well-established as the leading sports governing body in this country, thanks to an astonishing range of successes across the Olympic and Paralympic Games, world championships and the creation and successes of Team Sky.

"But it is not just there that we have delivered. Our participation programmes have continued to thrive. Our partnership with Sky is transforming participation in cycling across Britain with over one million new regular participants recruited since we launched the Sky Ride programme in 2009.

“Looking to the future, our challenge is to continue to thrive in this new era and expand in a sustainable manner, making the most of the opportunities offered to us. More people than ever before, in every walk of life, now know more about cycling and want to get involved. We are determined to welcome them, encourage them and work with them to move our sport forward.”

British Cycling’s President, Bob Howden, added: “Over the next four years we need to remain true to what has become our tradition: to succeed on the world stage and to inspire people to enjoy riding their bikes more often, be it for sport, recreation or transport.

“Brian Cookson is a tough act to follow – especially when you look at the amazing roll call of successes that British Cycling has enjoyed under his leadership. We are certainly riding high and it’s now my job to ensure that we build on this over the next four year cycle. I’m looking forward to getting stuck in.”

Minister for Sport, Helen Grant, added: “This ambitious four-year plan shows that British Cycling has no intention of standing still.

"I welcome the focus on increased participation, closing the gender gap by getting more women riding bikes and continued elite success. I also applaud the much-needed governance changes that will mean that it can have a more representative board. This will provide opportunities for talented women to help shape cycling’s future in this country from the top of the organisation.”

On 9 November - the same day that Bob Howden was appointed as President - British Cycling’s National Council representatives also voted through significant changes that will allow the sports governing body to recruit three appointed Directors to its Board.

Up to now, only elected Directors could sit on the Board. Instead of having elected Directors purely drawn from representatives on Regional Boards, British Cycling’s Board will be made up of seven elected Directors and three appointed Directors.

British Cycling: Our Commitment is available for download on the British Cycling website.