UK commercial broadcaster ITV renewed its rights for the Tour de France cycle race from 2012 to 2015 in a deal with the Amaury Sport Organisation, the event’s commercial rights-holder.
ITV will continue to show live coverage every day and highlights every evening on digital channel ITV4. The broadcaster will increase the amount of digital and online coverage it shows from 2012.
ITV said audiences for its highlights coverage of the 2011 Tour were up 33 per cent on the previous year, boosted by the success of British rider Mark Cavendish, who won the green jersey, as the competition’s leading sprinter.
The 2012 Tour starts on June 30 in Liège, Belgium, and finishes in Paris on July 22.