Rouvy Virtual Cycling Platform Sponsors Junior UCI Team

Rouvy is looking to bridge the gap between the virtual cycling and outdoor cycling worlds. The company has become a general partner for the UCI team now riding as Rouvy Specialized Cycling Team. The agreement will last for the next three years.

It’s not the first time that a pro team has partnered with a virtual platform, but to our knowledge, it is one of the first times that the platform has become a title sponsor.

Rouvy provides a training environment that takes things a step further than other platforms. Users are able to virtually ride anywhere in the world, with the ability to create the course of an upcoming event. This provides targeted training for the upcoming event and allows users to gain some experience before ever riding the event.

The goal of the partnership is twofold. Not only does Rouvy want to highlight the platform as a way to train, but they also want to gain exposure outside of their current large markets, the US and Western Europe.

“Our goal is to support the team in its race ambitions, but that is also the business idea,” explained Petr Samek, co-owner of Rouvy. “We want to make Rouvy visible at the biggest cycling events in the Czech Republic and abroad. Rouvy is a Czech product, which is paradoxically known mainly in the USA and Western European countries. Therefore, it is great for us to join the Czech team, which is also a UCI MTB team and participates in the biggest Czech and world races. With the help of the team, Rouvy can get more into the awareness of cyclists in the Czech Republic and the world. We plan to present the Rouvy application at several team events, such as the World Cup in Albstadt or the World Cup races in Nové Město na Moravě.”

Samek also hopes the team will help to highlight the platform’s Group Rides.

”Rouvy offers its users so-called Group Rides, regular online rides with Rouvy ambassadors or its partners”, said Samek. “They set the pace and motivate participants to quality performance. Team members will now turn into our ambassadors, with whom our users will be able to train regularly throughout the winter. We will also organize two training camps connected with the team. These cycling hubs will be primarily for Rouvy users, who will be able to train on the campsite routes directly in the app during the winter. They will prepare for the upcoming spring and summer camp along with the team, in attractive Italian destinations in Tuscany and Livigno.”

For the team, the partnership with Rouvy provides a new way to train, along with the ability to help the platform grow and innovate.

“Cooperation with Rouvy as a new general partner is of great importance to both parties,” adds Coach and manager of the cycling team, Jiri Lutovsky. “For us, this means the possibility of maintaining the team’s activities with a further perspective towards its development. For Rouvy, it is an opportunity to use our team as a marketing tool.”

Rouvy will also be working with Kolo pro zivot (Bike For Life) in reviving the Virtual Cup Bike For Life. Originally held in 2008, it was a virtual race held on a forerunner of what is today Rouvy. In January and February, they will be holding two races to revive the series.