Intercontinental Rally Challenge in Cyprus to reach 120 countries this weekend

Television coverage of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge title showdown in Cyprus this weekend will reach 120 countries worldwide with four stages shown live on three channels and extensive highlights transmitted by 25 broadcasters around the globe. Eurosport, RTBF in Belgium and host broadcaster LTV in Cyprus will screen live coverage of the Salamiou stages on Friday 4 November and the Anadiou tests on Saturday 5 November. Stations including CCTV in China, the pan-Asian ESPN STAR Sports, AUTO PLUS in Russia and RAI SPORT in Italy will show highlights of the mixed-surface IRC season finale.

IRC promoter Eurosport Events will manage the live television production in partnership with LTV. The organisation is also responsible for the distribution of the worldwide television rights.

“The television coverage of the Cyprus Rally, which includes several live broadcasts, will reflect and enhance what is set to be a thrilling conclusion to a dramatic fifth season of IRC action,” said Eurosport Events’ Motorsport Director Francois Ribeiro. “With so many drivers in contention for the title, it’s only right so many fans around the world will get the opportunity to see the battle unfold.”

The Salamiou and Anadiou stages were chosen for live television coverage after a team from Eurosport Events, led by Gilbert Roy, the Director of Editorial and Programme Development, and IRC Motorsport Development Manager Jean-Pierre Nicolas visited Cyprus in the summer.

Both stages feature sections of asphalt and gravel, which is set to create a thrilling spectacle for fans watching on television as crews negotiate the changing surfaces using compromised car settings. At the same time the stages will highlight the stunning Cypriot countryside and its picturesque Mediterranean coastline.

The live television coverage of the Cyprus Rally, which is based in Pafos, will require five fixed camera locations, 10 onboard cameras, a helicopter-mounted camera, a plane for transmitting the onboard camera signals, plus a team of 70 expert personnel working on the ground in Cyprus and at Eurosport’s headquarters in Paris.

Coverage of the Golden Stage Rally, the end-of-season chase for a prize fund of 150,000 Euros over one repeated stage, will also be shown live on Eurosport, LTV and RTBF with highlights distributed around the world. The event takes place on 6 November, the day after the Cyprus Rally concludes.