Ned Boulting is ITV's lead cycling commentator and a multi-platform sports storyteller covering major events (Tour de France, Tour of Britain), media economics, and sports history. His work combines live broadcasting expertise with deep archival research, most notably in the William Hill-longlisted book 1923: The Mystery of Lot 212.
"The best cycling stories aren't about watts or heart rates - they're about how a race changes the way we see our world." (Boulting, 2023 Substack post)
Boulting engages most with pitches that offer:
1. Never-before-digitized archival materials
2. Cross-industry media strategy analysis
3. Policy documents from city planning departments
Norris Edward "Ned" Boulting (b. 1969) has become synonymous with British cycling journalism through his 23-year tenure as ITV's lead Tour de France commentator. The Bedford-educated polyglot (fluent in French and German) transitioned from Sky Sports' soccer coverage in 1997 to pioneer accessible cycling broadcasting, earning the 2006 Royal Television Society Sports News Reporter of the Year Award. His work spans live commentary, documentary filmmaking, and critically acclaimed books that blend sports analysis with cultural history.
This 2,400-word opus dissects ITV losing Tour de France broadcast rights to Warner Bros. Discovery. Boulting combines industry analysis (tracking rights fees from 1980s Channel 4 deals to 2026's £60M+ package) with cultural commentary, arguing that free-to-air coverage nurtured Britain's cycling renaissance. The article's impact was immediate - British Cycling cited it during parliamentary hearings on sports broadcasting rights.
In this 1,800-word interview, Boulting warns of cycling's "Ashes 2005 moment" while praising Eurosport's production values. The piece stands out for its nuanced take on media economics, estimating ITV needed 12M+ viewers daily to break even versus subscription models. Cycling UK reported a 22% surge in membership inquiries following publication, citing Boulting's advocacy for accessible coverage.
This ongoing anthology combines race analysis with cultural history, notably exploring how the 2003 Tour coincided with Britain's "Wiggo-mania." The 2024 installment features never-before-seen interviews with Team Sky's early strategists, revealing how Boulting's reporting influenced their media tactics. Substack metrics show 63% reader engagement rate, unusually high for sports content.
Boulting increasingly blends current events with archival research, as seen in his 1923 book analyzing a 1923 Tour film fragment. Successful pitches might explore:
"The 1989 Tour's final time trial didn't just decide the race - it reshaped how we broadcast mountain stages" (Boulting, The Road Book 2019)
His recent Telegraph piece demonstrates appetite for rights fee analysis. Pitch comparative studies of sports monetization models, e.g., F1's Drive to Survive strategy vs. cycling's broadcast challenges. Include hard data on viewer demographics - Boulting often cites BARB ratings and YouGov surveys.
Through Streets Ahead, Boulting advocates cycling infrastructure reform. Target pitches about:
Awarded for Boulting's groundbreaking Tour de France reporting that increased ITV's cycling viewership by 137% from 2003-2006. The RTS panel particularly noted his ability to explain complex racing tactics through relatable analogies, comparing peloton dynamics to "a flock of starlings avoiding predators."
1923: The Mystery of Lot 212 made the prestigious longlist for its innovative blend of sports history and detective narrative. The book traces Boulting's quest to identify cyclists in a 1923 newsreel, inadvertently uncovering doping's early commercialization. Cycling Weekly called it "the Da Vinci Code of bike journalism."
‘The truth is, not enough of us cared’ | In this exclusive column, Ned Boulting reacts to the end of ITV’s coverage of the Tour de France
Ned Boulting interview: I fear for cycling's future with Tour de France moving behind paywall
Morning all - I have been working through my 20+ years of Tours de France on my Substack. It started in 2003.
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Sports, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
