“DUBAI TOUR”: MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN DUBAI SPORT COUNCIL AND RCS SPORT Dubai, 7 January 2013 – On January 4th, during the Opening Ceremony of the first Dubai bike lane, the Dubai Sport Council has announced, starting from 2014, the cycling race “ Dubai Tour ” at the presence of Sheik Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and four great cycling champions as Alberto Contador , Vincenzo Nibali , Ryder Hesjedal and Tony Martin . During the event Dubai Sport Council presented the race logo and the new race jersey, designed by the prestigious Italian fashion house Versace . Dubai Sport Council and RCS Sport signed today a Memorandum of Understanding, with the goal of finalising a deal in the next few months about the organisation of the “Dubai Tour” starting from 2014. Dubai Sport Council received from RCS Sport - organiser of various sport events including the Giro d’Italia – the complete project to develop and launch the race at an international level. A really satisfied Doctor Ahmed Al Sharif , Dubai Sports Council Secretary General, said: <<This agreement with RCS Sport comes in an attempt to reinforce the efforts of the Council in organizing Dubai Tour as per international standards, making it an international race since its offset and making all cyclists look forward to participating in it>>. Words full of satisfaction have been pronounced by Michele Acquarone , RCS Sport Managing Director, too: <<We are really happy and proud that Dubai and Dubai Sport Council have seen RCS Sport as potential partner to organise this great event. We have found a very competent counterpart, who fully understands which is the great potential behind cycling >>. ABOUT DUBAI SPORT COUNCIL, RCS MEDIA GROUP AND RCS SPORT Dubai Sport Council was founded in Nov. 30th 2005 as per a decree issued by UAE Vice- President, Prime Minister, Dubai Ruler H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Dubai Sport Council mission is investing the revenues as well as the capabilities to set up an ideal sporting sector to make of Dubai a pioneering milestone in sports. RCS MediaGroup is an international multimedia editorial group, operating in sector such as newspapers, magazines, radio, new media and digital and satellite TV, plus it is one of the largest operator in advertising sales and media distribution. It’s the publisher of prestigious newspapers such as Corriere della Sera, La Gazzetta dello Sport, Marca, El Mundo and Expansión. One of the major European publishers on the international scenario, RCS MediaGroup, with a turnover generated 40% from its activities outside Italy, is particularly present in Spain, Portugal, USA, South America and China. RCS MediaGroup S.p.A. is listed in the Italian Stock Exchange – Borsa Italiana. RCS Sport is a company, 100% controlled by RCS MediaGroup, specialised in sport business, which offers its partners a complete and personalised series of services and a rich rights portfolio. RCS Sport owns 4 UCI World Tour events (the Giro d’Italia, Milan-Sanremo, Il Lombardia and Tirreno-Adriatico) 4 European UCI Calendar events (Strade Bianche, Giro del Lazio, Gran Piemonte and Milan-Torino) and the IAAF Milan City Marathon. RCS Sport is commercial advisor of the Italian Football Federation FIGC, the soccer Serie A team FC Internazionale and the Italian Basketball Federation FIP. In 2012 RCS Sport have partnered with NBA to organize the Italian stage of the NBA European Tour and with FIG to organise the Italian stage of the Golf European Tour. More information is available at www.rcssport.it and www.dubaisportscouncil.ae Matteo Pastore Head of Media rights and Relations RCS Sport – La Gazzetta dello Sport Mob: (+39) 335 7245407 [email protected] .