Eurosport, discovery+, and the Global Cycling Network will broadcast the competition
Discovery has secured the exclusive global rights to the Giro d’Italia, exclusing Italy, San Marino, and Vatican City on a non-exclusive basis.
The long-term deal agreed with RCS Sport via IMG means that the Grand Tour will be broadcast through linear on Eurosport, on new streaming platform discovery+, and on the Eurosport App and Global Cycling Network (GCN) where discovery+ is yet to be launched.
The agreement also covers the Strade Bianche Men and Women Elite, Tirreno-Adriatico, Milan-Torino, Gran Piemonte, the Giro di Sicilia, Milan-San Remo and Il Lombardia. There are also rights to the first UCI World Tour event of 2021, the UAE Tour, outside of the MENA region.
President of Eurosport and global sports rights & sports marketing solutions, Andrew Georgiou, said: “We’re pleased to have consolidated our portfolio of world-class cycling rights through a long-term extension with RCS to keep the Giro d’Italia on our channels and platforms for years to come.
“Through our partnership between Eurosport and GCN, and increasingly in 2021 through discovery+, we will continue to harness our deep cycling expertise and unrivalled global scale to unlock the power of the sport for all to enjoy.”
Guy Voisin, director of cycling at Eurosport and GCN, added: “Eurosport and GCN will deepen our collaboration even further this year and will screen more live cycling than ever before including uninterrupted coverage of every Grand Tour, Classic and Olympic cycling event, and through local digital and linear shows covering all forms of the sport.
“We look forward to kick-starting the 2021 road cycling season through our first-class coverage of the UAE Tour from February, offering more ways than ever for fans to engage with the sport they love.”
In addition to live coverage, Eurosport and GCN will provide digital shows and podcasts including The Breakaway and The Bradley Wiggins Show podcast (UK), Bistrot Vélo (France) and Extra Time (Germany).