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2028 : the future remains green with Škoda

Škoda, loyal major partner of the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, is celebrating twenty years of presence on the Tour, 10 years of sponsorship of the prestigious green jersey that rewards the best sprinter in the Tour de France (since 2015) and will continue its commitment until 2028. Beyond the Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, Škoda has confirmed its wider involvement in cycling by committing to the Spanish races La Vuelta and La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es, as well as in Germany with Eschborn-Frankfurt and the Deutschland Tour. The Czech carmaker sees its future in cycling as an opportunity to promote both women’s and men’s cycling, as well as providing solutions for carbon footprint reduction. Škoda is supporting A.S.O on 19 international cycling races and 3 cyclo-sportive.

It is worth a look in the rearview mirror: twenty years ago, the red Škoda’s Superbs made their appearance on the Tour de France to help supervise the pack, iniciating an adventure that witnessed the Czech carmaker switch from official supplier and White Jersey partner from its arrival on the race in 2004 to a different colour in 2015, namely the Green Jersey for the points classification. This collaboration built on loyalty has constantly been nurtured by new perspectives and the next five seasons, for which Skoda has signed up will  again, see it continue this culture of challenge. The partnership involves sponsoring the Green Jersey on the Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, but also La Vuelta, La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es, and provides overall support for all women’s races, namely Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift, La Flèche Wallonne Femmes and Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes. Looking ahead to 2028 also makes it possible to imagine and develop new carbon footprint reduction plans. Already, the organiser’s entire fleet of light vehicles is made up of cars with hybrid engines and three fully electric Škoda Enyaq iV cars will be joining the fleet this year for several stages. In total, 17 races organised by A.S.O., in France and abroad, will benefit from the professionalism of Škoda’s teams and the quality of their vehicles.

Yann Le Moënner, CEO of A.S.O.: “I am very proud of Škoda’s commitment to us in several ways: in addition to its involvement in promoting both men’s and women’s cycling throughout the world, Škoda is a major player in the ecological transition of our races thanks to the alternatively powered vehicles that the brand is making more widespread on all the events. Its digital activations based on “we love cycling” or official mobile applications for our races also contribute to increasing the fans’ involvement and promoting the discipline to young people. This partnership is the perfect expression of our shared commitment to developing cycling in all its forms, both in France and abroad”. Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France director: “I am delighted to see that the future of the Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will take place with Škoda. Since 2004, Škoda’s commitment has never wavered. First with the White Jersey and then with the Green Jersey, Škoda has seen its brand share top billing with prestigious names such as Alberto Contador, Andy Schleck, Thibaut Pinot, Peter Sagan, Mark Cavendish, Jasper Philipsen or Lotte Kopecky. Škoda’s adventure is unquestionably linked to the history of the Tour de France and its elite women and men riders”. Klaus Zellmer, CEO of Škoda Auto “Supporting the cycling mission of the world’s preeminent race organiser A.S.O. is an honour and privilege for us at Škoda Auto. After all, we started as a bicycle company almost 130 years ago, and cycling today is a passion for many of the everyday explorers who are our customers. We have been the main partner and car supplier of the Tour de France for the past 20 years, so it is only logical to now extend our relationship and support a growing portfolio of events – for men and women, professionals and amateurs. We want to help A.S.O. and the cycling community inspire people to pursue their highest personal standards of individual performance, teamwork and fairness”. Martin Jahn, Škoda Auto Board Member for Sales and Marketing “By continuing our trustful partnership with A.S.O. and the Tour de France, Škoda Auto reaffirms its strong connection to cycling and its fans worldwide. The Tour de France is the world’s most-watched cycling race. In 2023, it attracted nearly 150 million viewers in Europe alone. This exceptional visibility greatly benefits our products, offering us the opportunity to reinforce Škoda’s position as a key supporter of cycling and to celebrate the heritage of our brand”.

The 17 races organised with the support of Škoda:

• Paris-Nice (march, 3-10)
• Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift (april 6)
• Paris-Roubaix  (april 7)
• La Flèche Wallonne men and women (april 17)
• Liège-Bastogne-Liège men and women (april 21)
• Eschborn-Frankfurt (may 1)
• La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es (may 1-7)
• Tro Bro Leon (may 5)
• Critérium du Dauphiné (june 2-9)
• Tour de France (june 29 – july 21)
• L’Etape du Tour de France (july 7)
• Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift (august 12-18)
• Deutschland Tour (august 21-25)
• La Vuelta (august 17-september 8) 
• Paris-Tours (october 6)

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Why Škoda Cars Are Integral to the Tour de France

If you are aware of Škoda’s history, you know it has been inseparably tied to cycling since the company’s founding in 1895 as a little bicycle workshop named Laurin & Klement. Today, about 250 vehicles bearing the distinctive winged-arrow logo can be found at the Tour de France front lines. This has been the case since 2004, when the car manufacturer became the race’s official vehicle partner. With each rider facing nearly 3,000 km in the saddle and the immense annual visitor numbers, a strong and agile support structure is essential to the grand race’s success. Škoda cars represent a big piece in that organisational puzzle.

The 2021 edition of the Tour started on 26 th June in Brest in France’s northwest and finishes, of course, at the Champs Élysées in Paris on 18 th July. There is a good chance that if you are watching, you are about to witness a piece of road-cycling history, as new records are broken every year. But while the main focus is (justifiably) on the riders, the sheer numbers of support, assistance, team and crew humans and vehicles involved are almost hard to comprehend. The Škoda cars, mostly Škoda SUPERB models, are manned by some 300 drivers and 60 technicians. Besides providing vehicles, Škoda’s cycling support also extends to sponsoring the Tour’s Green Jersey points classifications since 2015.

Now, let’s look at the specific roles Škoda cars will play in this travelling grand show in 2021 – as they did multiple years before.

The race director’s Leading Car

Let’s start from the top of the vehicular Tour de France “hierarchy” since the director’s striking red ride is probably the first one you’ll notice as it launches and accompanies each stage. When you see the distinct decals and the cap visor-like yellow attachment above the windscreen anywhere near the starting line, you hold your breath as you watch the panoramic glass roof slide open to allow Mr. Christian Prudhomme , the A.S.O. and Tour director, to stand up in his car and wave the white flag at “Kilometre Zero”. And then it’s on.

The velvet-red Škoda SUPERB iV plug-in hybrid made its debut as the Leading Car last year and will continue to accompany Mr. Prudhomme in 2021 since it proved to be a quiet, efficient and comfortable partner. For certain stages, it will be switching places with the recently introduced Škoda ENYAQ iV, also bearing the distinctive red paint, as was the case last year. While the cars might resemble typical Škodas on the outside, were you to take off all the add-ons and six antennas, the inside is also extraordinary as both models have been extensively adjusted. First, you notice a control panel located between the front seats, which contains a built-in radio. Mr. Prudhomme sits in the back and uses the radio to connect with his race marshals in three other Škoda cars, and to communicate with each individual team car to give orders, advice and, if needed, the permission to break rank. Then, besides other custom-made communication equipment, there’s also a cooler for refreshments and foldable champagne-flute holders so Mr. Prudhomme can treat his VIP guests, such as the French president.

To once again quote Mr. Prudhomme himself: “Škoda is an essential partner for the Tour de France as well as for the races that we organise. During the Tour de France, the red number 1 Škoda is more than just a car, it is a control tower, an office, and a valued and trusted friend. We are thrilled to extend this cooperation with an efficient, reliable and dynamic partner.”

If you want to take a peek into the Red SUPERB iV’s unique interior, check out the first-hand exclusive experience of one of our writers from last year.

Neutral support cars

We’ve all got used to equating assistance with the cheery yellow shade of Mavic cars and it’s no wonder – they made their Tour debut in 1977 – but this year will be different. The Japanese component giant Shimano has cut a deal with A.S.O. to take on the noble mantle of neutral support cars. The whole fleet’s colour will switch to electric blue, but the Škoda SUPERB iV model will stay.

What will not change, though, is the professional approach and readiness to help any struggling rider. The Mavic cars used to carry spare tyres, chains, cranksets, complete bicycles and even accessories like raincoats alongside a fully equipped mobile bicycle workshop and, naturally, a mechanic in the back. There’s no doubt that Shimano will ensure all that and more. As tradition and foresight dictate, one support car always stays near Christian Prudhomme’s Leading Car with three bikes specially adjusted for the top three general-classification contenders, ready to save the day if needed.

We are sure many will remember the yellow life-savers fondly because they’ve been, throughout the years, indispensable for the success and safety of some big names such as Jens Voigt and Rigoberto Urán. Nonetheless, Shimano’s vividly blue fleet will certainly be a worthy successor.

🇪🇸🛠 @shimanoes , asistencia neutra en La Vuelta hasta 2024 🇬🇧🛠 @ShimanoROAD , renews agreement with Unipublic for neutral assistance at La Vuelta until 2024 — La Vuelta (@lavuelta) April 9, 2021

Nearly every team car is driven by a former cycling pro or someone with similar experience—and the reason is simple. Not only do the cars need to tightly follow the progress their riders are making, but when something unexpected occurs, such as an accident, the car needs to speed up and seamlessly weave through swaths of other vehicles, motorbikes, cyclists and spectators to get to the affected riders as quickly as possible. For that, you need to have an intimate knowledge of the Tour, the peloton and their rhythm.

Furthermore, the driving order of the team cars – mostly Škoda OCTAVIAs and Škoda SUPERB models – is subjected to a strict order based on the ranking of the team’s lead rider, which is updated before each stage. The better your team is doing point-wise, the closer your team car is to the nose of the peloton, which means a shorter distance and fewer seconds lost when reaching your riders. And mere seconds often mean victory at the Tour. As mentioned, the only authority able to permit the team cars to break rank is Christian Prudhomme via the two-way radio in his Leading Car. All team cars have a direct communication line to him. Without this mutual trust, support and Mr. Prudhomme’s speedy evaluations of any situation, the sprawling spectacle that is the Tour de France would be much more chaotic indeed.

And if the team OCTAVIAs and SUPERBs are unable to assist their riders on time, Shimano’s neutral support cars are always at the ready.

The cars of the VIP Škoda Tour de France Hospitality Programme

The winners of the Škoda Hospitality Programme will get the chance to ride around in Škoda SUPERB iV.

They may be a small portion of the Tour’s vehicle fleet, but they mean everything to the winners of the VIP Škoda Hospitality Programme. Of course we’re talking about the Škoda ENYAQ iVs and Škoda SUPERB iVs that chauffeur them around for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The lucky few who win through our annual contest enjoy three days of the closest proximity to the ‘Mother of All Bicycle Races’, all expenses paid, including a car ride in front of the peloton and a helicopter flyover over the riders and the stunning French landscape. The designated cars even have decals with the winners’ names – what’s not to like?

After one virtual Tour and one with restrictions last year, 2021 is poised to bring back the Tour de France we all remember – the beautiful circus full of sweat, grit, determination and joy. So, whether you’ll be watching from the sidelines or at home in front of a screen, be sure to take in all the effort and immense dedication of those women, men and vehicles behind the scenes.

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The Tour de France car in front is a Skoda… again

Skoda is the official car partner of the tour de france once again – and the 2021 fleet includes the pure electric enyaq iv..

For the 18 th year running, Skoda is the official car partner for the 2021 Tour de France, which begins this weekend and runs for 21 stages until 18 July.

Skoda is supplying a total of 250 vehicles in support of the Tour – including a pure electric Enyaq iV which will serve as the ‘Red Car’ command vehicle for Tour director Christian Prudhomme on the majority of stages.

Other Skodas in the fleet include the Octavia, Octavia iV and Superb iV.

Skoda is also sponsoring the Tour de France Green Jersey award for the leader in the points classification.

“Our company’s long history is inextricably linked with cycling,” said Skoda board member Martin Jahn.

“Skoda is committed to being a strong long-term partner of international elite and amateur cycling; supporting the Tour de France has been one of the cornerstones of our activities.

“I am particularly pleased that the Enyaq iV, our first all-electric SUV, will be used as the lead vehicle in the Tour de France.”

In total, the 2021 Tour de France will cover over 2,000 miles, and Skoda cars will be used by race officials as well as organisers and VIPs.

For stages where the Enyaq iV will not run as the Red Car, a Skoda Superb iV plug-in hybrid will take its place.

From either vehicle, the race director will wave the yellow flag as the start of each stage, before directing the race from the vehicle itself with a welter of onboard communication tech: hence all the aerials on each Red Car….

Skoda is also partner of the official Tour de France app, allowing cycling fans to keep up to date in real time: the free app has a live tracker, real-time GPS tracking and plenty more.

It works on both iOS and Android devices.

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Tour de France 2023

Škoda au tour de france 2023.

Bienvenue au Tour de France 2023, la plus grande course cycliste du monde ! Cette année, nous sommes fiers de vous présenter une édition épique en partenariat avec Škoda. Préparez-vous à vivre une expérience sensationnelle où la passion du cyclisme et l'innovation se rencontrent.

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Le Tour en Vert

Cartman accompagne Škoda sur le Tour de France 2023 pour 9 épisodes d'une petite série pour découvrir le Tour de France sous un nouveau jour. Avec son public, ses professionnels, les virages verts, les caravaniers, etc...

Le Détour du Tour

7 épisodes durant lesquels Škoda part à la découverte d'un endroit secret (peu connu et original) à proximité d'une étape du Tour de France. Et cela guidé par le concessionnaire Škoda concerné par l’étape.

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Partenaire de la seconde édition.

La 2e édition du Tour de France Femmes aura lieu du 23 au 30 juillet 2023 et naturellement Škoda poursuivra son soutien aux côtés de l’organisateur A.S.O., des athlètes et du public de la région Auvergne Rhône Alpes jusqu’en Nouvelle Aquitaine qui ne manquera pas de célébrer les championnes.

L'Enyaq : La Star du Tour de France

Cette année, l'Enyaq prend la tête de la course en tant que voiture officielle du Tour de France ! Le SUV 100% électrique de Škoda devient le véhicule phare du Tour de France, et c'est à son bord que Christian Prudhomme prendra place. Grâce à une autonomie allant jusqu'à 547km*, l'Enyaq représente un atout de taille pour le directeur de la course.

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La berline est la voiture idéale pour celles et ceux qui veulent avoir de la place, qu’ils soient en intérieur ou en extérieur. En plus d’être spacieuses, nos berlines Škoda travaillent leur style, assurément.

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* En cycle mixte WLTP sur une batetrie chargée à 100%

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Škoda marks 20 years of supplying the Tour de France 'red car' – the most famous car in cycling

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Tour de France confirms partnership extension with Skoda until 2028

The new five-year contract extends Skoda's involvement with Tour de France beyond two decades.

Cycling’s premier event,  Tour de France  (TDF) has announced a collaboration extension with the Czech automotive manufacturer,  Skoda , until 2028.

The new five-year contract, signed with race organiser Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), extends the Czech firm’s involvement with the race beyond two decades. Additionally, the company will also remain a sponsor of the women’s Tour de France Femmes.

💚 Škoda and the Tour, the future remains green ! 💚 Loyal major partner of the Tour de France and @LeTourFemmes , Škoda is celebrating twenty years of presence on the Tour, 10 years of sponsorship of the prestigious green jersey and will continue its commitment until 2028! More… pic.twitter.com/G1iKssL3wh — Tour de France™ (@LeTour) February 29, 2024

Moreover, as it has done since 2015, Skoda will continue to support the green jersey that is awarded to the best sprinter in the Tour de France.

Martin Jahn, Skoda Board Member for Sales and Marketing, said, “By continuing our trustful partnership with ASO and the Tour de France, Skoda reaffirms its strong connection to cycling and its fans worldwide. The Tour de France is the world’s most-watched cycling race. In 2023, it attracted nearly 150 million viewers in Europe alone. This exceptional visibility greatly benefits our products, offering us the opportunity to reinforce Skoda’s position as a key supporter of cycling.”

Skoda has also demonstrated its broader interest in cycling outside of the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes by committing to the La Vuelta and La Vuelta Femenina in Spain, in addition to the Deutschland Tour and Eschborn-Frankfurt in Germany. Skoda is ASO’s sponsor in a total of 19 international cycling competitions.

The 111th Tour de France will be held from June 29 to July 21, 2024, and for the first time, it will conclude away from Paris. As the Olympics will be staged in the French city later this year, TDF, for the first time in its over hundred-year history, will start and end in Florence and Nice, respectively.

• Tour de France

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Skoda electrifies Tour de France

This year’s Tour de France, which started on 1 July, marks Skoda’s 20th anniversary as the official main sponsor of the world’s most famous cycling race. This year’s 209 support and organisation vehicles are almost entirely electric.

207 of the 209 Skoda models in use have electric or hybrid drives. The race director leads the field in the so-called “Red Car”, a specially converted Skoda Enyaq Sportline iV. The Tour of France ends on 23 July in Paris.

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Škoda has been the official vehicle partner of the Tour de France since 2004 and continues to have a major presence at the world’s biggest cycling event. As the brand gears up to support riders, officials and teams for the 20th time, it does so with its all-electric Enyaq.

Since 2004, Škoda has used the Tour de France as a showcase for its cars. In addition to supplying the command car used by the race director – known as Direction Generale car number 1 – the brand also provides more than 200 support vehicles for members of the organising team and event management.

It is the race director’s car that most will recognise thanks to its starring role at the front of the field. This vehicle, known simply as the ‘red car’ in Tour de France circles, is effectively the office of the race director and is a communications hub via which race officials and management teams can control and monitor the race.

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ŠKODA ENYAQ i V gets ready for Tour de France

In fact, it’s simple: you turn a car that the public hasn’t seen yet into a star of one of the most watched sporting events on the planet. This is exactly how the new ŠKODA ENYAQ iV was transformed into the Tour de France director’s car.

I n order to be able to lead cyclists through three stages of this year’s Tour de France, the ŠKODA ENYAQ iV electric SUV had to be transformed from its serially produced form into a mobile control room, the “command car” of the race director, Christian Prudhomme. This involved cutting out a piece of its roof, for example. See how the director’s “red” car came into being in the video:

The ŠKODA brand has long been the main official partner of the famous cycling race and provides the fleet to the race organizers. The fleet also includes the director’s red car, which needs to be adapted to the needs of the Tour de France director, before it can be used on the race route. The transformation of this year’s car took place in complete concealment near Mladá Boleslav, where the ENYAQ iV was manufactured . Details were disclosed to ŠKODA Storyboard by Martin Smutný of the firm Best Modell, which carried out the modification in cooperation with the car manufacturer.

Simply clever champagne glasses

What modifications did you make to the car?

The car has six aerials, four on the roof and two on the sides, a flag holder, a special horn, advertising banners, five radio circuits, and a number of other electrical installations. 

What was the most difficult?

The most difficult task was to cut out the sunroof in a way that met the requirements of the Tour de France director. We had to find the right position and then cut out the opening in the roof, so that it didn’t get damaged; this was a really big challenge. Everything had to fit exactly in just one go.

What criteria did you take into account when looking for the right position?

Several clues served us during our work. We had the sunroof solution available from the director’s SUPERB. We also consulted the location of the sunroof with the organizers of the Tour de France. The key criterion was that it had to be possible for the director to easily stand up from his seat. First, we had to dismantle the whole car, cut out the hole while cutting also the existing reinforcements, weld the sunroof, seal it, connect it to the power supply, and make a new roof lining. In order for the director to have something to hold on to, we raised the roof racks, so that they could be comfortably gripped in the palms.

If I’m not mistaken, there is never a champagne fridge missing in the director’s car...

Yes, that’s right, Director Prudhomme invites important guests aboard his car and welcomes them with a glass of sparkling wine. Therefore, there is also a refrigerator for two bottles of champagne in the ENYAQ iV. We searched for a suitable refrigerator for quite a long time, but we managed to find one. In addition to the refrigerator and the movement of the sunroof, the director’s car also has power-operated beacons and a radio station, thanks to which the director is in contact with all important units of the race. We placed two 75 ampere batteries in the car’s luggage compartment.

Does the ENYAQ iV for the Tour de France also have some Simply Clever solutions that are typical of ŠKODA cars?

In my opinion, the Simply Clever solution is champagne glass holders, which we made ourselves on a 3D printer. We designed them so that the glasses could be hung comfortably.

Was your work affected by the fact that the modifications took place before the premiere of the ENYAQ iV model ?

It was nothing new to us. We process car models for ŠKODA AUTO that are still being prepared and that will be produced only at some point in the future, so we are used to working while maintaining the highest degree of confidentiality.

How do you feel about the result?

I think we did a good job and I am sincerely happy about it. I have been in the field for a long time, but ENYAQ iV for the director of the Tour de France is still a unique novelty for us, because it will be shown to the public, unlike most of the results of our work. If I do not count the models for the ŠKODA Museum, no one sees our models, outside the narrow circle of the car factory’s employees. The ŠKODA ENYAQ iV for Christian Prudhomme is the exact opposite, as it will appear live during one of the most watched sporting events on the planet. I used to watch the Tour de France even in the past, but now I will not miss a stage.

Martin Smutný

Martin Smutný, originally a cabinetmaker, founded Best Modell with his colleague three years ago and works in it as a production manager. They focus mainly on modelling the bodywork of future car models in a 1:1 scale. The company often collaborates with ŠKODA brand designers and with the EGV department, which prepares prototypes. It also deals with the renovation of antiques. The Best Modell designers are the authors of a golden sculpture that is on display in an exhibition celebrating the car factory’s 125th anniversary, in the ŠKODA Museum in Mladá Boleslav.

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ŠKODA AUTO official main partner of the Tour de France

ŠKODA AUTO is supporting the Tour de France for the 18th time this year (26 June – 18 July 2021).

With 250 vehicles in total, the car manufacturer is providing mobility to the organisers of the cycling classic as well as to numerous teams. The fleet includes the ŠKODA ENYAQ iV , ŠKODA OCTAVIA  and OCTAVIA iV models as well as the ŠKODA SUPERB iV.

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Oplev Tour de France med Škoda

Nu sker det snart! For 20. gang i træk er Škoda hovedsponsor af Tour de France. Derfor er der masser af sjove og spændende aktiviteter med Škoda i Danmark både op til og under løbet 1. juli-23. juli. 

Her får du et overblik over, hvad du kan glæde dig til.

Aktiviteter med Škoda

Snart drøner rytterne over asfalten til Tour de France, og hvis du gætter med om hvad der kommer til at ske på Touren, kan du vinde en valgfri Škoda i et år.

Der venter også gode oplevelser op til Touren. Som familiebilsmærke sponserer Škoda en række motionsløb for store og små, og du kan komme i Tour de France-stemning med et helt eksklusivt cykeltøjssæt fra Part of the Tour-kollektionen.

Vind en valgfri Škoda

Gæt hvad der kommer til at ske i Touren og vind en valgfri Škoda i et år. Vælg blandt alle vores modeller. Svar rigtigt og få lod med i puljen.

Cykelavisen sponseret af Škoda

Vil du op i gear til Tour de France? Så skal du læse Euromans Cykelavis. Du kan bl.a. møde sidste års Tour de France-vinder, Jonas Vingegaard samt læse om de vigtigste etaper i årets Tour, udstyr, favoritruter og meget mere.

Tour de France modeller

Der er Tourfeber hos Škoda hele sommeren. For dig betyder det udstyr op til 31.000 kr. på vores regning, når du vælger Scala eller Kamiq i Tour de France-udgave.

Škoda BørneTour

Et børnecykelløb, der bringer cykelglæde rundt i hele landet.

Eksklusiv Part of the Tour-kollektion

Klæder skaber folk, og du kommer helt sikkert til at køre lidt hurtigere, hvis du iklæder dig dette nye, eksklusive Part of the Tour-cykelsæt.

Škoda Danmark har i samarbejde med Rapha Copenhagen designet og produceret cykelsættet, og det består af en pro team-jersey og et par pro team-bib shorts i superlækre kvalitetsmaterialer med tekniske detaljer. Sættet fås til både mænd og kvinder og koster 2.150 kr. 

Sådan sponserer Škoda Touren

Škoda stiller op mod 250 biler til rådighed for den kæmpe cykelbegivenhed – inklusive løbsdirektørens ‘røde bil’, der fungerer som rullende kommandocentral på etaperne. Derudover sponsorerer Škoda den grønne pointtrøje, der som regel bliver tildelt den bedste sprinter.

Løbsdirektørens bil

Løbsdirektørens røde bil igangsætter løbet, ledsager rytterne på hver eneste etape og fungerer som et mobilt kontrolcenter. Elbilen Škoda Enyaq iV og plug-in-hybridbilen Škoda Superb iV fungerede begge som løbdirektørens bil i sidste års Tour de France.

Servicebilerne

De holdneutrale blå servicebiler hjælper ryttere i problemer og har normalt reservedæk, kæder, hele cykler, et komplet cykelværksted og naturligtvis en cykelmekaniker ombord. Det er plug-in-hybridbilen Škoda Superb Combi iV, der anvendes til servicebil.

Teambilerne

Ikke alene skal teambilerne følge cykelrytterne tæt. Når noget uventet som f.eks et uheld indtræffer, skal de accelerere og køre ubesværet gennem sværmen af andre biler, motorcykler og cykelryttere for at hurtigt frem til de berørte ryttere. Škoda Octavia Combi og Superb Combi anvendes som teambiler.

We Love Cycling

Tips og tricks til tohjulede..

Škoda elsker cykelsport, og derfor har Škoda We Love Cycling, hvor du finder masser af artikler og videoer om træning, kost og vedligehold af din cykel. Du behøver ikke at give den gas på landevejen eller i skoven hver weekend for at have glæde af hjemmesiden – den er også for dig, som bare bruger cyklen som transportmiddel i hverdagen.

Derfor elsker Škoda cykling

Škodas passion for cykling går tilbage til starten af virksomhedens historie. I 1895 grundlagde Václav Laurin og Václav Klement en cykelfabrik i Mladá Boleslav, Bohemia og lagde således grundstenen til Škoda Auto. I dag er Škoda 'feltets stærkeste hjælperytter' på mange niveauer: Ud over Tour de France og Tour of Spain ('Vuelta') støtter Škoda andre internationale cykelløb såvel som adskillige nationale og internationale populære sportsbegivenheder. 

Jonas Vingegaard has collapsed lung, Tour de France defense in doubt

• Associated Press

BARCELONA, Spain -- Two-time defending Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard remained hospitalized in Spain a day after he broke his collarbone and several ribs in a bad crash with other top riders during the Tour of Basque Country.

The Danish rider's Visma-Lease A Bike team said Friday that further tests revealed the Vingegaard also suffered a collapsed lung and a pulmonary contusion. The team said that cycling's leading star was "stable and had a good night" but remains in a hospital in the northern Spanish city of Vitoria.

The accident comes less than three months before the start of the Tour on June 29 when Vingegaard is scheduled to to again face off against top rival Tadej Pogačar. That highly anticipated rematch is now in doubt.

Vingegaard was hardly moving as he was put in an ambulance wearing an oxygen mask and neck brace after the crash occurred on Thursday with less than 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) left in the race's fourth stage.

The pileup also took out cycling stars Primoz Roglič and Remco Evenepoel.

Evenepoel, considered one of the favorites for the road race at the Paris Games, broke a collarbone and his right shoulder blade and was set to undergo surgery when he returns to Belgium on Friday, his Soudal Quick-Step team said.

The accident happened as riders were making what looked to be a conventional right-hand turn going downhill when one rider's front tire appeared to slip out and send other cyclists off the road. There were some large rocks and trees in the area, though it wasn't clear if any of the riders hit them. There was also a concrete drainage ditch place on the edge of the curve.

Roglic, a three-time Spanish Vuelta winner, emerged with just scratches but he did have to abandon the race he was leading.

Vingegaard was trying to defend the title he won last year at the six-day Tour of Basque Country.