Team Command Vehicle

Team Command Vehicle

The Tour de France is a race for the finest cyclists on the finest bikes. On top of that, their support also boasts excellent equipment. Step inside!

16. 7. 2018 Lifestyle Sports

Check out how the car works and what the crew has to say about it.

https://youtu.be/0zu3ku6NmMg




First and foremost, all the modifications and digital additions have increased safety for both the crew and the cyclists. They have also made life easier for the team manager at the wheel, his assistant in the front passenger seat, and the mechanic in the back. The ŠKODA SUPERB SPORTLINE team car for the 2018 Tour de France has been customised by the Dutch ŠKODA importer following a discussion with LottoNL-Jumbo team members.

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One of the features enhancing in-car safety is a spare parts holder, which is mounted on the rear seat with the ISOFIX anchoring system. As a result, spares and other bicycle components will not fly around the car no matter how hard the driver brakes.

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Nor are there loose papers floating everywhere – paper is simply not needed thanks to the built-in technical equipment, software, multiple displays, and an app which displays all necessary information about riders and race developments on the infotainment system’s main screen. The crew has all the information it needs online.

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The rear-view mirror, split into two parts, is also a big help. One half is a classic mirror; the other acts as a display for the backward-facing camera mounted on the tailgate, designed to improve the driver’s view of cyclists behind the car.

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The displays tell the manager and the mechanic if any rider is currently trying to get in touch over the radio. “Sometimes it’s not clear which rider is reporting, say, that he has a puncture, because it can be difficult to hear them,” explains team manager Jan Boven. He also heaps praise on the fact that, if he wants to communicate with the riders, all he has to do is press a button on the steering wheel.

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You can’t lead if you don’t have a connection. To make the ŠKODA SUPERB a true team manager’s car, it has technology to receive a 4G signal and a Wi-Fi router incorporated where the spare wheel would normally be under the floor of the luggage compartment.

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Innovation is a priority for us. By developing this car with us in a remarkably short time, ŠKODA has helped the managers and mechanics to get on with their job.

Jan Boven

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15 years of partnership between
the Tour de France and ŠKODA

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This is carmaker ŠKODA’s 15th year as the general sponsor of the Tour de France, the legendary annual cycling race. Besides laying on a large fleet of cars, ŠKODA also designs the winners’ trophies. This year, the designers have teamed up with Bohemian glassmakers to produce 60 cm tall trophies weighing in at 4 kg for the champions of the 105th Tour de France. In the 2018 event, the racers have to surmount 3,351 extremely tough kilometres over 21 stages.

ŠKODA cars at the Tour de France

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ŠKODA, as an official partner, will supply 250 cars for the race. In addition to ŠKODA OCTAVIAs, the fleet also includes the SUVs ŠKODA KAROQ and KODIAQ and the ŠKODA SUPERB sedan. A ŠKODA service team will prep all the cars so that they are in perfect condition before each stage.

RED-ENone ŠKODA SUPERB in Corrida Red will be used as a mobile office for the

YELLOW-EN ready to assist any cyclist in trouble, with mechanics able to help in case of a breakdown or provide a replacement bike or refreshments.

BLUE-EN each team will have two cars following the peloton. The order of these vehicles depends where the team’s leading cyclist is positioned in the field of racers.

ORANGE-EN race organisers’ vehicles used to transport VIP guests and journalists, giving them a front-row seat to enjoy the atmosphere of the Tour de France.