British Cycling has secured additional funding until the end of 2016 after Sky extended its sponsorship agreement with the sport’s national governing body.

The cash boost provided by Sky to date has played a major part in Great Britain’s success at elite level, according to British Cycling chief executive Ian Drake, with the broadcaster set to continue backing elite mountain bike, road, track and BMX programmes.

“I’m delighted that Sky has committed to working with us for a further four year period,” said Drake. “The unique nature of our partnership with Sky has been a key factor in cycling’s phenomenal success story, perfectly complementing the support we receive from UK Sport and Sport England.”

“The growth of our sport over the past four years has been amazing. Not only have our Olympic and Paralympic riders continued to deliver on the world stage, but we’ve also seen the emergence of Team Sky as a force on the road scene.”

Sky’s remit with British Cycling also extends to increasing public participation and the partnership has reportedly helped 700,000 more people across the UK ride regularly (as at least once a month or 12 times per year) through the Sky Ride campaign.

Drake added: “Being a world leading cycling nation isn’t just about winning medals – it’s also about inspiring everyone to get on a bike, from the playground right through to the podium. That’s exactly what initiatives like Sky Ride have achieved and we’re well on track to reaching our target of getting one million more people cycling by 2013.

“I’m proud of what we have achieved through our partnership with Sky, and I look forward to delivering even greater success over the next few years.”