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ITV has confirmed that it has signed a new deal for the Tour de France, securing live coverage and highlights on ITV4.
The Tour has proved a ratings winner for the channel. In 2011 ITV4’s highlights show secured a peak audience of 502,000, with live coverage peaking at 878,000. For comparison, in the same weekend Sky Sports secured 248,000 viewers for its cricket coverage.
According to ITV’s Press Office, its 2011 audience was up 33 per cent year-on-year.
The new deal with ASO was finalised today, said ITV.
Under the new agreement, ITV4 will continue to broadcast live daily coverage throughout the Tour and will continue to broadcast daily evening highlights on the channel. ITV will also extend its digital and online coverage around the Tour de France from this year.
Niall Sloane, ITV’s Controller of Sport said: “ITV’s coverage of the Tour de France has a terrific reputation with viewers and sports fans and I’m delighted that, in one of the most exciting periods for British cycling, we have secured coverage on ITV4 until 2015.”
