Škoda celebrates 130 years of heritage at the Tour de France

The 112th Tour de France will take place from 5 to 27 July. The Grand Départ sets off from Lille in the north and will culminate with the traditional finish on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. A total of 184 riders in 23 teams will tackle 21 stages and 3,339 km with a total elevation gain of 52,500 metres, crossing France’s Massif Central, Pyrenees, the Alps including the legendary Mont Ventoux climb, and Jura Mountains. The highest point on the route will be the Col de la Loze (2,304 m above sea level).

As the official main partner of the event, Škoda Auto is supplying the organisers with up to 225 fully electric and plug-in hybrid support vehicles. The fleet will include the new all-electric Enyaq, as well as the plug-in hybrid version of the Superb. In addition to the official vehicles, Škoda will be bringing two show cars to this year’s Tour de France: the Elroq Respectline joins the caravan for every stage of this year’s race, highlighting the brand’s values of respect, diversity, and inclusion. Fans can also look forward to the tenth Škoda Student Car, the L&K 130, designed and built by students at the Škoda Auto Secondary Vocational School of Engineering.

Race Director Christian Prudhomme will have two Red Cars at his disposal, which will once again lead the peloton – the Škoda Enyaq and Superb iV. These mobile command centres, covered in distinctive liveries, are equipped with sophisticated communication technology to continuously monitor events on the track and exchange information with other race organisers.

Škoda is the sponsor of the green jersey for the points leader and supplies the trophies for the overall winner, as well as the points and mountain classification leaders and best young rider. This year’s trophies will feature a special Škoda logo to mark the carmaker’s 130th anniversary.

Throughout the Tour, Škoda will provide race updates and behind-the-scenes stories on WeLoveCycling.com and run competitions with exclusive prizes. The main prizes are places in Škoda cars on the final stage in Paris for seven winners and their companions, including the chance to ride alongside former pros on a 60 km circuit around the Champs-Élysées. Other prizes include professional bikes and official Škoda green jerseys. Members of the Škoda cycling community could also sign up for a ride with 2010 Tour de France winner and Škoda WeLoveCycling ambassador Andy Schleck. During the event, spectators can visit the Škoda Coffee Car, while a Škoda promotional caravan will tour the route with gifts and souvenirs. The car manufacturer also sponsors the official Tour de France app.

The Czech automaker’s history is closely linked to bicycles. In 1895, Václav Laurin and Václav Klement – Škoda Auto’s founders – started with a bicycle factory in Mladá Boleslav. The Czech carmaker supports many other major cycling events for both professionals and amateurs, including the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, the Vuelta, and L’Etape. In May this year, Škoda announced it will be the official partner of two more flagship Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) events for the next two seasons: the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships and the UCI Gravel World Championships.