The Cycling Development Foundation is proud to announce Howden as a major partner for the 2026 season.

Howden is a global insurance and risk advisory group with a growing presence across Australia, including a strong team in Western Australia. Known for their client-first approach and specialist expertise across commercial, corporate, and community-focused risk solutions, Howden’s values align closely with the Cycling Development Foundation’s mission to build sustainable, high-performance pathways within Australian cycling.

This partnership marks an exciting new chapter for both organisations, building on an existing connection to cycling in Western Australia through Howden’s transition from Unicorn Risk Solutions, who supported the sport locally for more than a decade and partnered with CDF during the 2025 season. Unicorn’s move to Howden represents an evolution in scale, capability, and long-term ambition.

Through their support of CDF, Howden will contribute to the continued growth of junior, female, and elite racing pathways, alongside broader community and participation-based programs that underpin the CDF’s development model.

Eddy Pope, Head of Howden WA, reflected on the relationship between the Unicorn Racing Program and Howden’s evolving support of the CDF Racing Program:

“CDF became a natural progression. Some of our Unicorn riders progressed into the CDF Racing Program because it offers an excellent platform providing structure, discipline and camaraderie within a very supportive framework. CDF set young people up to succeed in life, both on and off the bike. Their mantra resonates strongly with us. Winning is fantastic, but the journey and success as a team is more important than anything else.

JC van der Walt, Head of Howden WA, highlighted the parallels between CDF and Howden:

“At Howden, we help clients identify and manage risk within a supported, teamwork orientated framework, very similar to CDF. We are passionate about using the risk and insurance platform as a “force for good.” We don’t just help clients buy insurance policies, we identify the best outcomes/solutions and find the best path toward achieving optimum results, just like CDF do with young athletes.”

CDF Board Member and Director Brad Hall welcomed Howden as a major partner, noting the importance of working with organisations that understand both performance outcomes and long-term development.

“At CDF, we place a lot of value on working with partners who understand both the performance and the purpose behind our programs.

Eddy and JC, alongside Mark Williamson, have shown a long-standing commitment to cycling in Western Australia through their involvement with the Unicorn racing program. It’s exciting to now build on that foundation with Howden, taking our development pathways to the next level and continuing to deliver meaningful, long-term outcomes for athletes and the communities around them.”

The Cycling Development Foundation looks forward to working closely with Howden throughout 2026 and beyond, strengthening the foundations of WA cycling and supporting environments where athletes and communities can thrive.

More information about Howden can be found at: https://www.howdengroup.com/au-en