The UCI currently have partnerships with Shimano, Tissot, Mapei, SMS Santini, GoPro, Tacx, The Sufferfest, Beko, Pro Gate and Elmoto.

The majority of the deals are due to draw to a close at the end of this year, however.

Ahead of the start of the next Olympic cycle, the world governing body are hoping to entice major international companies by offering three different tiers with the agreements, which would be due to run through until Tokyo 2020, aimed at fitting the sponsor’s needs.

The highest tier will be open to four sponsors, who will become known as the UCI World Cycling partners and will have rights across all of cycling’s disciplines.

With the category of the sponsor then being blocked, the UCI believe their top tier sponsors will benefit from exclusive coverage in each event, including around 65 World Cup and World Championships competitions per year, in addition to being strongly associated to their digital platforms.

As a World Cycling sponsor, the companies will also be able to upgrade their partnership on one Olympic discipline of their choice, with road, BMX and urban cycling, track, and mountain bike available.

“The packages will cover a lot of opportunities for them to develop the partnership according to their needs, in terms of communication or business development,” Cyrille Jacobsen, head of marketing at the UCI, told insidethegames.

“We will go to each continent with our events and with the World Championships every year it gives them a lot of opportunities over the four year programme.

“We are currently going through our existing partnerships, which are around 10 partners, and we are expecting one or two of them to look at becoming World Cycling partners.

“At the same time we are now going out on the market, either directly or through agencies, and we have already opened negotiations with big international brands to be associated to this new programme.”

The second and third tiers are due to be focused towards a company’s needs and their strategy, allowing them a space as an official sponsor or as an official supplier in the third tier.

The UCI have claimed to have identified a list of categories which have a strong connection with cycling fans worldwide, with a car brand having been targeted as a priority.

Cycling equipment, airlines, credit cards, beer, food and beverages, dining, logistics, information technology, renewable energy and male grooming products are among the categories being considered, although the Jacobsen confirmed they will be open to other areas.