Oil Giant Shell's presence in cycling a "shared commitment to supporting Great Britain’s cyclists" Chris Hoy believes
Cycling
In a sport that frequently relies on outside investment, stability is key. British Cycling, who propel the nation's riders on several disciplines - but mainly track - have struck a major deal with petrochemical company Shell. A move faced with it's obstacles.
The collaboration will be a "shared commitment to supporting Great Britain’s cyclists and para-cyclists through the sharing of world-class innovation and expertise," British Cycling representative Chris Hoy said in a recent interview. "Helping more – and wider groups of – people to ride, including ways to make cycling more accessible for disabled people.”
Following the announcement of petrochemical giant Shell as a sponsor of British Cycling for the years to come, many questioned the intentions behind the move, and a heap of criticism has been launched in the way of BC. “It’s not unfair to say that it was a controversial partnership to announce," Hoy admits.
"I think most people were quite surprised that a cycling federation aligned with a global corporation that’s in the oil industry. You wouldn’t think those two sit side-by-side. But, put yourself in British Cycling’s management’s position. They need to get a sponsor, they need to have a partner. In the current climate, trying to find a major sponsor for one year, let alone for eight years, is a significant challenge," he justified.
With the presence of INEOS Grenadiers as the the peloton's most-financed squad, and the heavy presence of oil-financed states such as the UAE and Bahrain atop the world ranks, Shell's presence in cycling comes following a familiar pattern. Hoy however is keen that the investment in British Cycling will be one that benefits all.
“It will be interesting to speak to the management to see what they’ve got to say, but I guess a lot of the chatter in the track centre has been saying, well do you know what, if you want to make change, it’s actually better to be on the inside," he continued. "To have a voice within the organisation, to try and make them hear your opinions and what you want to do for your sport.
“It’s not just about elite sport and the national team, it’s about representing the views of the entire membership and putting cycling on the agenda with a massive corporation like Shell. If you can get them to change their policy even slightly, then that’s a positive thing," he concluded.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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What.a.week! 10 medals 🤩 3 gold 🥇 2 silver 🥈 5 bronze 🥉 5th on medal table 🙌 Thank you for all your support. Next week, it's the turn of the para-cycling team, and we cannot wait!!
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