Our Privacy & Data Protection Policy

This policy explains how we collect and use your information as you read our Etape Eryri blog and explore our cycling betting guides.

1. What Data We Collect and Why

We collect information you provide directly, such as via comments or contact forms, and automatically through site use. This includes names, email addresses, and technical data like IP addresses for site functionality and security.

Information You Provide

When you engage directly with our site, such as by commenting on an article about the Etape Eryri Snowdonia route or using a contact form to inquire about cycling sports betting, we collect the data you voluntarily submit. This may include:

  • Your name and email address when posting comments or sending messages.
  • Any content you provide when discussing Tour de France betting markets or Welsh sport.
  • Preferences for newsletters or updates on cycle sportive wagering.

Information Collected Automatically

As you browse our content, we automatically collect technical data to maintain site performance, security, and analytics. This encompasses:

  • Your IP address, browser type, operating system, and device identifiers.
  • Pages you view, time spent on pages, and how you arrived at our site.
  • Data gathered via cookies and similar tracking technologies, detailed below.

2. Our Use of Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies to remember preferences and analyse traffic. This includes session cookies for site functionality and persistent cookies for analytics. Third-party services like Google Analytics and betting affiliate platforms (e.g., Bet365, Paddy Power) also set cookies.

Essential Cookies

These cookies are strictly necessary for core website operations, such as maintaining your session security and enabling basic features like commenting on our Etape Eryri Snowdonia guides. They do not store personally identifiable information.

Analytics & Performance Cookies

These cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our content, such as our guides on Tour de France betting or cycle sportive wagering. They collect aggregated data on page visits and user journeys, allowing us to improve site structure and content relevance.

Third-Party/Advertising Cookies

When you click on affiliate links to betting operators like Bet365 or William Hill, these third parties may place cookies to track referrals for commission purposes. We do not control these cookies; their use is governed by the respective privacy policies of those companies.

3. Analytics and Performance Data

We use Google Analytics (GA4) to understand how users interact with our content on Etape Eryri and Tour de France betting guides. This data, anonymised where possible, helps us improve content and is stored on Google’s servers, which may be outside the UK.

Google Analytics 4

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is our primary analytics service. It processes data on user behaviour, such as which articles on Welsh sport or cycling sports betting are most engaging. This insight helps us tailor our editorial focus to audience interests.

Anonymisation of Data

We have configured GA4 to anonymise IP addresses by default and to avoid collecting unnecessary personal data. This means your full IP address is not stored, and analytics reports cannot be used to identify individual users.

4. Third-Party Services and Data Sharing

We use trusted third-party services for hosting, analytics, and affiliate marketing. When you click links to betting operators (e.g., Betfair, William Hill), their own privacy policies apply. We never sell your personal data.

Essential Service Providers

Our website is hosted and maintained by service providers within the European Economic Area (EEA). These providers process data on our behalf under strict contractual terms that align with UK GDPR requirements.

Affiliate and Betting Partners

As part of our coverage of cycling sports betting, we participate in affiliate programmes with operators like Bet365. Clicking these links directs you to their platforms, and any data you provide thereafter is subject to their privacy policies. We only share non-identifiable referral data with these partners.

5. Your Data Rights Under UK GDPR

As a UK-based audience, you have rights including access, correction, erasure, and objection to processing of your personal data. You can manage cookie preferences via our banner and browser settings.

Right to Access and Rectification

You have the right to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you and to correct any inaccuracies. For instance, if you’ve provided details while discussing Snowdonia National Park cycling events, you can ask for that information.

Right to Erasure and Restriction

You may request the deletion of your personal data, such as comment history, where there is no compelling reason for its continued processing. You can also request restriction of processing in certain circumstances.

Managing Cookies

You can control cookie settings via the consent banner displayed on your first visit. Additionally, you can manage cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling some cookies may limit functionality, such as accessing interactive betting guides.

6. How Long We Retain Your Data

We retain comment data indefinitely unless deletion is requested. Analytics data is kept for 26 months. Backup data is stored securely for up to 30 days. Data is held on servers within the European Economic Area.

Comment Data

Comments and associated metadata are retained indefinitely to facilitate automatic approval of follow-up comments. This applies to discussions on topics like the Etape Eryri Snowdonia sportive or cycling sports betting strategies.

Analytics Data

Data collected via Google Analytics 4 is retained for a period of 26 months before being automatically deleted. This allows us to analyse yearly trends in interest for events like the Tour de France.

Backup Data

Regular website backups are created for disaster recovery purposes. These backups, which may contain personal data, are encrypted and stored for a maximum of 30 days before being overwritten.

7. Contacting Us and Complaints

For privacy questions or to exercise your rights, contact our Data Lead via the provided email. You have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK’s supervisory authority, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

Our Data Contact

For any queries regarding this policy or to exercise your data rights under UK GDPR, please contact our Data Lead at [email protected]. We will respond to legitimate requests within one month.

Supervisory Authority

If you believe we have not addressed your privacy concern adequately, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s independent regulator for data protection.

We are committed to protecting your privacy as responsibly as we analyse the climbs of Snowdonia and the odds of the Tour de France.