Cycling is "working on a new strategy" to keep the sport's boom in the U.K. going, according to Malcolm Moore of the FINANCIAL TIMES. This summer "has not been promising." Halfords, which sells a quarter of the bicycles in Britain, reported an 11% dip in sales in the eight weeks to the end of August. After Evans Cycles "tripled its revenues in seven years, Active Private Equity decided it was time to sell out, deciding it could take the chain no further." And an eight-year sponsorship deal for British Cycling with Sky that has "transformed the sport's fortunes" will not be renewed when it comes to an end next year, "raising questions about why the television company would want to make an exit when cycling has overtaken football as the country's third most popular sport in terms of active participants." British Cycling CEO Ian Drake denied that cycling may be reaching its peak in the U.K. He said, "This summer's sales dip was weather-related." Drake said that there were 2 million people cycling every week for sport, excluding commuters, and that he is aiming for 2.5 million to 3 million people "regularly cycling in the next 10 years." British Cycling, which had 15,000 members in '05, now has 140,000. In the past 15 years, the number of U18s who cycle competitively "has risen from fewer than 1,000 to more than 14,000." Now Drake wants to "link up" cycling as a sport, as a recreation and as a form of transport. Drake: "At the moment, these are all separate." He added that policies "should be drawn up to connect the various types of cyclist." He is also targeting women and trying to persuade the departments of Health and Transport to fund cycling. He said, "We have had success with middle-aged men, and there are three times as many men as women cycling" (FT, 9/4).
