Welcome to the new site

Welcome to the exciting new-look Cycling Central website, a production and exercise which has been months in planning and has finally come to fruition.

It's no coincidence the site's launch has been timed on the eve of SBS's 21st anniversary of its Tour de France coverage.

What you see in front of you is the next phase of a sport's website that has enjoyed continued growth and interest as a result of extensive coverage, driven by SBS.

Cycling Central online has been put together by a committed and devoted team whose passion for cycling reflects the increase in numbers of viewers and online visitors who have come to love the sport through SBS.

In fact we like to think we've been responsible for changing the television viewing habits of Australians around cycling, particularly every July since the "Aussie invasion" to the professional peloton started some 15 years ago.

Riders such as Cadel Evans, Robbie McEwen, Stuart O'Grady and Michael Rogers, to name but a few, are now household names in the lounge rooms of fans who religiously follow world cycling.

And with a new generation of stars looming, the future of Australian cycling is bright, therefore our commitment to the sport is certain to continue.

SBS has the rights to broadcast the Tour de France until 2017 both on air and online - and throw in the inclusion of events such as the Tour Down Under, Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, Giro d'Italia, Tour of California, the Vuelta a Espagne and the UCI World Championships, it's clear the cycling portfolio is growing every year.

The new-look site also complements Cycling Central's weekly television program every Sunday at 5pm (Eastern) on SBS ONE, which has been running for almost 12 months under a new one-hour format.

It's important to remember the site will cater for all forms of two-wheel racing - mountain bikes, BMX, track, road, of course, and eventually cyclo-cross will be given coverage wherever possible.

The new design will also allow us to roll out several new features and extended coverage as the the cycling season progresses, so watch this space.

Whether you follow the sport from an armchair or office, or simply race or ride on two wheels for recreation or commuting, we know this site will cater for all your cycling needs.

Unlike most international cycling websites and television networks, Cycling Central has the unique advantage of using the best resources available. The combination of written text with moving and still images, while also making it easy for you to contribute through comments or popular social networks, creates a complete package for any follower of one of the world's biggest sports.

We will endeavour to cover the sport from an Australian perspective, breaking stories as soon as we can and keeping you within reach of events happening either overseas or in our own backyard. We'll speak to the sport's movers and shakers, and bring you exclusives throughout every season and beyond.

So keep coming back daily, and please get involved. We always encourage constructive feedback in the hope of improving our offering to you wherever possible.

Welcome aboard. We know you're going to enjoy the ride.