Define a graph to be a Kotzig graph if it is $m$-regular and has an $m$-edge colouring in which each pair of colours form a Hamiltonian cycle. We show that every cubic graph with spanning subgraph consisting of a subdivision of a Kotzig graph together with even cycles has a cycle double cover, in fact a 6-CDC. We prove this for two other families of graphs similar to Kotzig graphs as well. In particular, let $F$ be a 2-factor in a cubic graph $G$ and denote by $G_{F}$ the pseudograph obtained by contracting each component in $F$. We show that if there exist a cycle in $G_{F}$ through all vertices of odd degree, then $G$ has a CDC. We conjecture that every 3-connected cubic graph contains a spanning subgraph homeomorphic to a Kotzig graph. In a sequel we show that every cubic graph with a spanning homeomorph of a 2-connected cubic graph on at most 10 vertices has a CDC.