Cycling will once again receive the most funding of any sport for the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic cycle, as UK Sport declares its largest investment to date for the Los Angeles Games in 2028.
Announced today, cycling has been awarded £38,950,000 of the overall £330 million pot for the 2025-2029 funding period.
This will be split into £30,125,000 for the Olympic cycling squad and £8,825,000 for the Paralympic squad, both housed within British Cycling. As a result, each programme is set to receive a boost of almost £1 million compared to the funding for Paris 2024, a previous best.
“We’re incredibly pleased with the funding award,” said Stephen Park, performance director of the Great Britain Cycling Team. “With the continued support of UK Sport, we are able to support the maximum number of athletes to train full-time across the seven Olympic and Paralympic disciplines, with the ultimate aim of delivering world-beating performances.
“Our ongoing partnership with UK Sport and this funding commitment for the next four years through to LA 2028 will allow our athletes to continue to inspire the nation to experience the joy of cycling for themselves and increase the social impact that they can provide in their communities, both on and off the bike.”
The money allocated is drawn from National Lottery and Government funding. It will go towards supporting all aspects of the Great Britain Cycling Team, including equipment development and competition costs across road, track, mountain bike and BMX over the next four years.
Dr Kate Baker, UK Sport's director of performance and people, hailed the funding announcement as the body’s “greatest investment to date”.
“Following the spectacular performances of Team GB and ParalympicsGB in Paris this summer, it’s so important for us to be able to keep the momentum going as we head into the LA cycle,” Baker said.
Since UK Sport funding began in 1997, Team GB has topped the Olympic medal table in cycling four times – in Beijing, London, Rio and Tokyo.
Team GB finished fifth overall in cycling events in Paris, winning 11 medals, of which two gold – one in cross-country mountain bike through Tom Pidcock and the other in the women’s team sprint on the track, thanks to Emma Finucane, Sophie Capewell and Katy Marchant. The Paralympics squad finished third in the cycling medal table, finishing on a tally of 22, including nine gold.
The next best funded sports for the LA Olympics are aquatics (£28,750,000), rowing (£24,850,000) and sailing (£23,950,000). Para athletics will receive the highest Paralympic allocation with £9,800,000.
These figures do not include the salary grants given to athletes, which are paid directly in the form of Athlete Performance Awards (APAs).
