Global Cycling Network

Global Cycling Network
Global Cycling Network
Website	www.globalcyclingnetwork.com
YouTube information
Channel	globalcyclingnetwork;
Years active	2013–present
Genre	Cycling
Subscribers	3.18 million; (September 2023)
Total views	1.115 billion; (September 2023)
Network	Play Sports Network
Creator Awards
	Last updated: 10 Jul 2022

Global Cycling Network (GCN) is a cycling-related YouTube channel which was launched in the United Kingdom in 2013. It is part of the cycling-themed multi-channel network Play Sports Network, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery through its TNT Sports unit.^[2] The channel is presented by 2008 Vuelta a Extremadura winner Daniel Lloyd, Under-23 British National Mountain Biking champion Simon Richardson,^[3] Oliver Bridgewood, Alex Paton, Welsh former track cyclist Manon Lloyd,^[4] 2018 Irish national road racing champion Conor Dunne, and James Lowsley-Williams. It is headquartered in Bath, Somerset under its parent company. They are also correlated with Global Mountain Biking Network (GMBN), a channel who have featured riders in their short form content such as Elliot's MTB, and Global Triathlon Network (GTN).

History[edit]

On 1 January 2013, Global Cycling Network was launched by SHIFT Active Media founder Simon Wear,^[5] under Google's now-defunct YouTube Original Channel Initiative, as part of its multi-channel network media strategy.^{[citation needed]} Wear's original objective was to create a "network of quality cycling video content creators and give cycling global promotion through an official channel".^[6] The YouTube channel also provides a media channel for the promotion of the parent company's client brands.^[6]

In 2015, the channel was awarded Best Vlogger/Best Use of Video during the Cycling Media Awards 2015 awards night, which aims to recognise the best of UK cycling media.^[7] In 2016 the parent company's multi-channel network division was spun off as Play Sports Network, and management of the channel was transferred to the new company.^[8] On 18 April 2017 the channel broke the 1 million subscriber mark.^{[citation needed]}

On 27 February 2017, Discovery Communications, the owner of Eurosport, announced the acquisition of a 20% stake in Play Sports Group, the company that owns the GCN channel.^[9] In 2019, Discovery Communications acquired a controlling interest in Play Sports Group and the GCN franchise, increasing holdings to 71%.^[10]

In February 2018, GCN announced the addition of time trial and duathlon world champion Emma Pooley to the team.^[11] On 24 March 2019, Pooley announced that after presenting for a year she would be leaving the channel to concentrate on engineering.^[12]

On 3 July 2018, GCN announced another new presenter, cycling journalist and PhD graduate Oliver Bridgewood,^[13] who previously worked as a writer and video producer at Cycling Weekly.

On 26 July 2019, GCN introduced Jeremy Powers,^[14] a former professional racing cyclist who has won over 90 UCI victories, four USA Cyclocross National Championships, the 2015 Pan-American UCI cyclocross championships,^[15] and the most cyclocross races by any American male.^{[citation needed]}

On 24 December 2019, GCN announced the addition of former Welsh track cyclist 2016 UEC European Track Championships team pursuit bronze medallist Manon Lloyd as a presenter.^[16]

On 29 October 2020, GCN announced the addition of Alex Paton as a presenter on their GCN Tech channel.^[17]

Content[edit]

Global Cycling Network's content tends to be predominantly road cycling-related, with regular sections consisting of instructional videos, including videos on bicycle riding, maintenance and tech news, how-to videos, and a weekly news bulletin, "The GCN Show". The channel also features interviews of professional cyclists and coverage of international professional cycling events, including the Tour of Beijing, Dubai Tour, and the three Grand Tour races (the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España). Occasionally, the channel also creates videos on cyclo-cross and less frequently, mountain biking (mostly covered on Global Cycling Network's sister channel, Global Mountain Bike Network).

The channel also produces a "Road Bike Party" series of videos featuring former trials rider Martyn Ashton performing stunts on road bikes. It was a continuation of Ashton's independently-created first video, Road Bike Party 1. As of April 2017, Road Bike Party 2 had received more than 15 million views.^[18]^[19]

In 2014, British Cycling partnered with Global Cycling Network in the creation of its Racesmart campaign, which aimed to promote safe cycle racing in Great Britain.^[20]^[21]

Presenters[edit]