UK independent parcel carrier Yodel has partnered with the OVO Energy Tour of Britain and for a tenth consecutive year, celebrating a major milestone in its long-standing relationship with the premier international road cycling event.
As the official logistics supplier, Yodel provides logistics support for the OVO Energy Tour of Britain (7 - 14 September) as well as its sister events, the OVO Energy Tour Series and the OVO Energy Women’s Tour, both of which took place earlier this summer.
Over the last nine years, Yodel vehicles have travelled the length and breadth of the UK to help make the prestigious cycle race possible. Yodel is responsible for transporting the equipment essential to the race.
The task includes moving more than 12,000 items throughout the event, including hospitality and safety equipment, the teams’ apparatus as well as the crucial finishing line gantry and winners’ podium. More than 50 vehicles are being deployed by Yodel to support the event.
Yodel executive chairman, John Hughes, commented: “We’re proud to be the official logistics partner of these three premier cycling events. They attract elite athletes from around the globe and it’s wonderful to help make the races possible. Cycling is all about accuracy, speed and teamwork – three values of paramount importance to our operation. Our drivers and office staff love being involved.”
The 2019 season kicked off with the Tour Series in May, and was followed by the Women’s Tour in June. The Tour of Britain concludes the trio of cycle races in September and is the UK’s biggest and most prestigious cycle race. First held in 2004, it sees 20 teams of professional athletes compete for the coveted yellow jersey, across eight stages, attracting top cyclists including Olympic and World Champions such as Julian Alaphilippe and Ben Swift.
Yodel’s ties to cycling go beyond its partnership with the Tour, it also works with cycle couriers to deliver parcels in urban environments across the country including Oxford, Brighton, Stevenage and Hereford, with plans to introduce them soon in Birmingham, London and Manchester. It also delivers parcels for several cycling equipment retailers selling including Wiggle, Argos and Very.
The Tour of Britain is the country's largest annual free-to-spectate sporting event and also attracts global television audiences. You can catch all the cycling action from all of the events on ITV4. For further information about the Tour of Britain and associated events visit www.thetour.co.uk/.