During the race, ŠKODA’s logo will also be featured on the Green Jersey; the company is sponsoring the jersey for the best sprinter for the fourth consecutive time. Fans can encounter the car manufacturer’s vehicles along the track or on the TV for considerably longer. The traditional Czech brand has supported the cycling event as the official partner and vehicle partner since 2004. This year marks the 15th occasion, and the company will be sending a total of 250 organization and accompanying vehicles to this year’s tour through the Grande Nation.
Alain Favey, ŠKODA AUTO Board Member for Sales and Marketing says: “As a manufacturer that began by producing bicycles, cycling is especially important to us. Our comprehensive and visible involvement in cycling strengthens the image and awareness of the ŠKODA brand.”
In addition to the ŠKODA OCTAVIA, the fleet also includes the two SUV models ŠKODA KODIAQ and ŠKODA KAROQ as well as the ŠKODA SUPERB. The ŠKODA SUPERB will be at the front again as the most important vehicle throughout the tour: Tour Director Christian Prudhomme will be using the red saloon as a mobile command centre where he will be kept informed on the latest action and give sport and safety-related instructions as needed via radio. He can also open the panoramic glass roof from the second row of seats at the push of a button, allowing him to stand up in the back. The vehicle will enable him to overlook the peloton from an optimal position before he gives the approval to start each stage.
The 105th Tour de France starts on 7 July with the Grand Départ on the Atlantic island of Noirmoutier-en-lle. During the three-week race, 176 cyclists will go through 21 stages, covering a total of 3,351 kilometers. On the way through France, the peloton will push their limits on the mountain stages. The riders must overcome the Col de la Colombière, the Col de la Madeleine and the notorious Alpe d’Huez ascent before crossing the finish line at Paris’s Champs-Elysées on 29 July.
ŠKODA campaign ‘Always there for those who ride’: Win a VIP trip to the Tour
Just in time for the start of the cycling highlight, ŠKODA’s new 360-degree campaign, ‘Always there for those who ride’, is gaining momentum. The ŠKODA competition is featured prominently on the company’s own website “WeLoveCycling.com”, as well as on their social media channels including Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. All passionate cycling fans can find out about the world’s biggest cycling race at www.welovecycling.com, where an exclusive VIP trip to the Tour de France is also up for grabs.
ŠKODA is the exclusive partner of the Tour de France App, which offers cycling fans interesting statistics, results and exciting background stories. The ‘Tour de France App’ is available for Android and iOS.
Company’s roots in cycling
ŠKODA’s passion for cycling goes back to the company’s founding years. In 1895, Václav Laurin and Václav Klement established a bicycle factory in the Bohemian town of Mladá Boleslav. Ten years later, the young company’s first automobile – the Voiturette A – rolled out of the factory halls. Laurin & Klement merged with ŠKODA in 1925.
In addition to the Tour de France and the Tour of Spanish race (‘Vuelta’), the automaker supports other international cycling events as well as numerous national and international sporting events. Bicycles and related accessories are an integral part of the car manufacturer’s extended product range.
