ASO extends partnership with Amgen Tour of California

The owners of the Tour de France and Amgen Tour of California, the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) and AEG, announced today that they have extended their partnership through 2013.

The ASO will produce the television coverage of the Amgen Tour of California, which takes place from May 15-22 this year, bringing world-wide high-definition coverage of the event. AEG also announced a multi-year deal with the Versus network in the USA to broadcast the race.

By partnering with ASO, the Amgen Tour of California, which was broadcast in more than 200 countries and shown live in over 90, will seek to expand that market.

"The Amgen Tour of California has become one of the premier cycling events on the international calendar, and we are proud to continue our support of a race that further elevates the appeal of this great sport worldwide," said Yann Le Moenner, managing director, ASO.

"Additionally, producing and distributing broadcast images of the 2011 Amgen Tour of California on an international platform further demonstrates that ASO's expertise is recognised not only in Europe, but on an international level as well."

"AEG is delighted to extend our partnership with the Amaury Sport Organisation, which is the world's best organizer of bicycle races," said Andrew Messick, president, AEG Sports. "We expect that ASO will continue to provide viewers around the world with an extraordinary documentation of the race, showcasing of the incredible beauty and diversity of the state of California."