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London-Paris Cycle Tour 2008 ushers in a new era for cyclosportives
London, UK. 15 April 2008.
The London-Paris Cycle Tour 2008 continues to lead the field in the ultra competitive world of cyclosportives with the announcement of new and
significant partners that will ensure that the mass participation rides move up to a new level.
In a star-studded press conference at Stamford Bridge (shown right), home of English Premiership soccer team Chelsea, event organiser Sven Thiele unveiled an exciting double partnership with sportswear giant adidas and the governing body of cycling in the U.K. British Cycling.
adidas, the Official Sportswear Partner to London 2012, and sponsor of British Cycling are proud to announce a new 3 year sponsorship of the London 2 Paris event. Using some of their key Olympic symbols such as their 2012 ambassador James Cracknell, adidas will be offering involvement from Beijing Olympic bound cycling superstars Victoria Pendleton and Chris Hoy whilst also becoming the official jersey suppliers to the L2P peloton.
“Previously we have had involvement with the professional peloton but it’s key to adidas that we support cycling at the grass routes level too,” commented Mark Sinclair, Senior Sports Marketing Manager for adidas, “I rode the event myself last year and was really impressed by its level of professionalism and the creative way it’s structured, we’re very pleased to offer our support to the London-Paris Cycle Tour”
Also announcing a new and vibrant link with L2P was Simon Lillistone, Marketing and Communications Director for British Cycling;
“Sven Thiele has been very creative in the way the London-Paris Cycle Tour is structured. We think it’s a great way to blend leisure and competition riding and it sits perfectly within our Everyday Cycling initiative. We intend that the London-Paris Cycle Tour will be the flagship event for British Cycling in the rapidly expanding sportive market and we endorse and support it fully as such.”
Clockwise: Cracknell, Sinclair, Thiele, Roche
Amongst the guests present to share the occasion were Olympic gold medallist James Cracknell and Tour de France winner and former world 
champion Stephen Roche.
Cracknell, who since retiring from rowing has embraced endurance cycling, will line up alongside the Irish cycling legend in group 1 as both make their first appearance on the London-Paris Cycle Tour;
“The whole event looks fantastic, I’m really looking forward to it,” said James, “Riding with great champions like Stephen, especially on the 21st anniversary of his Tour de France victory, is a privilege but I know I’ll have to train hard and practice my bunch riding!”
Walters, Roche and Cracknell.
The London-Paris Cycle Tour leaves Hampton Court Palace on June 26th and after running through Kent to Dover will swing through the north of France to Amiens and finally down toward Paris, finishing at the iconic Eifel Tower on June 28th.
The route takes in 600km of challenging terrain with 4 groups on the road ranging for the elite and competitive Group 1 to the relaxed cruising of Group 4 with the all new adidas jerseys will be awarded to best climber, best sprinter and overall classification winners each day, reflecting the ‘grand tours’ such as the Tour de France.