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What the hell is neutral service at the Tour de France?

What the hell is neutral service at the Tour de France?

First Published Jul 14, 2023

Besides producing bicycle components, Shimano is also the neutral service provider for the Tour de France – taking over from Mavic in 2021 – along with other major Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O) races such as Paris-Roubaix and Liege-Bastogne-Liege. Everyone sees the blue cars following the race, but who and what is in them and what do they do?

Shimano has been running its neutral service since 2001, and in 2021 began providing neutral service at the Tour de France. Shimano now has six neutral service teams across Europe, covering the biggest professional road races in the world.

The blue neutral service cars are present at all three Grand Tours, the Tour de France Femmes, the World Championships, all five cycling monuments, and many other races on the UCI men's and women's calendars.

2023 Dauphine Shimano neutral support - 3.jpeg

In the Tour de France, each team has two cars following the peloton that are able to assist the riders throughout the race with a mechanic in the back seat and spare bikes on the roof. 

One car will stay near the team's GC contenders and the second car will stay further back. The team cars are assigned a specific number based on the overall GC rankings to keep them in order at the rear of the peloton. 

So, where do the blue Shimano cars fit into this? 

The blue Shimano cars and motorbike that you see amongst the team cars are also support vehicles that provide assistance to riders during the race, regardless of their team or equipment sponsors.

The Shimano squad in every race is made up of three cars and one assistance motorbike, making up what we refer to as the neutral service, with the primary purpose of ensuring all riders have access to support so they can carry on racing without too much interruption. 

2023 Dauphine Shimano neutral support - 1.jpeg

> Psssssst! What happens when a rider punctures in the Tour de France?

Two cars and the motorbike will be at the front of the race with the other car at the back behind the riders. 

In the event of a breakaway, the Shimano motorbike will follow first and when the gap is more than 35 seconds, one Shimano car will join the breakaway so the motorbike can return to the peloton.

> 2023 Tour de France bikes — your definitive guide to what the top pro cycling teams are riding this year

The responsibility of supporting riders falls primarily on the teams themselves and if a rider in the peloton gets a flat or needs water, their team car is radioed and allowed to drive to the front to help the rider. 

This system doesn't always work though, and when the race is split into multiple groups, Shimano's neutral service can help and acts as a backup option to ensure rider safety and fair competition. 

A closer look...

2023 Dauphine Shimano neutral support - 10.jpeg

The neutral service cars are essentially a mobile workshop and you'll see them with multiple bikes on the roof and spares inside the car too. 

Today’s peloton sees arguably the largest number of standards that there has ever been with brake types, different speed drivetrains and numerous integrated components so providing help is no easy task. 

"Shimano’s mechanics carry up to nine pairs of wheels, with two pairs for use with rim brakes, four pairs for use with Shimano’s disc brakes, including 140mm and 160mm rotors, as well two to three sets made for use with other manufacturers’ drivetrains," says Shimano.

> Should you run a 1x set-up on your road bike?

The motorbike is also equipped with extra wheels and Shimano's neutral service cars will also carry four to six spare bikes on the roof, covering four different frame sizes. 

Right now some teams race on 11-speed groupsets and some on 12-speed, some teams use 140mm disc rotors and some use 160mm and some combine both. Different teams also use different cleat systems so neutral service bikes are equipped with different pedals. 

2023 Dauphine Shimano neutral support - 8.jpeg

Shimano doesn't make bike frames, so all of the bikes that you'll see at races with neutral support provided by Shimano are made by another brand and rebadged.

As reported by  Cyclist , the current crop of neutral service bikes are from the little-known French brand Origine, and the framesets are its Axxome GT model (you can find it on the UCI's list of approved models of framesets). All bikes come fully equipped with Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 groupsets and Dura-Ace wheels, with the option of different wheel rim depths. 

During the Tour, one spare bike will always be set up for the GC leader and will be placed on the corner of the roof rack to ensure maximum accessibility. The other bikes have quick releases so that riders can adjust their saddle heights. 

Of course, riders would prefer to have access to their spare bike rather than waiting for a repair but would use neutral service if they are unable to get immediate assistance from their own team vehicles so that they can carry on in the race. 

What support can neutral service provide?

Mechanical support

As mentioned, neutral service vehicles provide mechanical support to riders who have been isolated by their team cars. If a rider experiences a mechanical issue during the race, neutral service is equipped with tools, spare parts, and experienced mechanics to help with bike repairs and adjustments. 

Shimano's mechanics are some of the best in business with decades of experience in the sport and some ex-pro racers. 

Wheel changes 

2023 Dauphine Shimano neutral support - 9.jpeg

> Best road bike wheels

With the many wheels loaded up onto the motorbike and inside the cars, riders can use neutral service to request a wheel change.

Shimano's mechanics can change a wheel in less than 30 seconds allowing the rider to continue without losing too much time. 

Spare bikes

In some cases, a rider may need to have a complete bike change to continue the race, and the neutral service bikes cater for all of the riders. 

We don't often see riders on the blue Shimano bikes from neutral service and when we do, riders will often only use it for a few miles or until they can get a bike from their team car. 

> Affordable* pro race bikes from Specialized, Canyon, Trek, Pinarello, Cannondale and more

Food and water supplies

Team cars can also provide nutrition and bottles to riders and neutral service cars include the provision of essential supplies too. 

There are designated areas in a race where riders can collect food and drink to replenish their energy which they would ideally get from their team cars. 

In the case of emergencies, neutral service often carries extra water bottles and energy gels that they can distribute to riders who require them. But, if you're anything like me, I like to know that I've trialled and tested the gels that I'm using. 

2023 Dauphine Shimano neutral support - 7.jpeg

> Best road bike saddles

Neutral service vehicles may be important for riders but, arguably, they’re even more important for all of us fans because they keep the action going. 

They are also a useful addition for team mechanics, as they often go to Shimano's neutral service if they encounter problems they can't fix. 

Have you noticed Shimano's neutral service at the Tour? Let us know in the comments section below...

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tour de france service car

Emily is our track and road racing specialist, having represented Great Britain at the World and European Track Championships. With a National Title up her sleeve, Emily has just completed her Master’s in Sports Psychology at Loughborough University where she raced for Elite Development Team, Loughborough Lightning.

Emily is our go-to for all things training and when not riding or racing bikes, you can find her online shopping or booking flights…the rest of the office is now considering painting their nails to see if that’s the secret to going fast…

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What it's like to ride in a support car at the Tour de France 

By Andy Mitten

Image may contain Transportation Vehicle Bicycle Bike Human Person Wheel Machine Automobile Car and Spoke

“It’s like hunting sharks. You know they’re there but you can’t usually see them.” The words of Tom, a mechanic in the Shimano neutral car at the start of the second stage of the 2022 Tour de France from outside Copenhagen for 125 miles (think London to Birmingham) across the flats of Denmark and then the 12-mile Great Belt bridge.

GQ has been invited along inside the car, with the driver Nico Verhoeven, a former professional cyclist who won the first stage of the Tour de France he ever raced. We leave from Roskilde, where Dua Lipa and other A-listers are performing in a major music festival. Residents have dressed in yellow in honour of the iconic jersey and hold impromptu parties. The mood is festival.

Image may contain Transportation Vehicle Automobile Car Wheel Machine Bicycle Bike Sports Car Human and Person

The job of the Shimano service car is to keep riders safe, deal with breakdowns and get them back in the race as soon as possible. There are five bikes on the roof, ultra-light carbon machines with £1800 wheels, that can be pulled down in a few seconds ready for a cyclist to mount. The car will travel in front of the peloton, in among the cyclists or behind it.

“Anything can happen,” explains Verhoeven, who has to watch out for enthusiastic spectators lining the streets for the entire route. “In a football match, for example, you know there’s a game that’s going to last 90 minutes with teams featuring 11 players and be played on a pitch. With cycling, there are more variables. Then add in hundreds of thousands of people standing so close to the action.”

He’s worried that there will be an incident between a fan and a rider, a team support car or one of the many motorbikes that make up the caravan which follows the tour, but he’s calm. Yet when he says the riders are “nervous today” he’s forming that opinion on the style in which they ride. There are so many external factors: the wind is strong in parts, the race is now in a new country, riders are jostling for position, yet we might not even see a single Tour de France cyclist in a country where cycling is big. By 2025, Copenhagen aims for 50 per cent of all trips to work and education to be done by bike.

Denmark has paid the Tour a reported €10 million to stage the first three days. It drew some criticism, yet it acts as a giant advert for a country. Or county, as was the case in Yorkshire in 2014. Those in cycling circles still talk about the vast crowds that day. Overhead, three helicopters film, capturing the peloton’s twists, turns and changing shapes, like starlings before dusk.

Image may contain Human Person Vehicle Transportation Automobile Car City Town Urban Building and Downtown

We set off ahead of the race: four hours of smiley happy people by the roadside. Young and old, they all cheer as we whizz past. Workplaces stop to watch the tour pass: firemen stand proudly outside their station, there are eccentrics dressed in naked suits and mankinis. Pensioners stand up from their chairs and smile. Danish flags proliferate in the sun, football shirts too, but there are even flags of sponsors unknown in the British market: E.Leclerc (a French hypermarket chain), French LCL (Credit Lyonnais, a French bank), Krys (French opticians). Team sponsors Cofidis (French money lenders), Quick Step (floors), Groupama (French insurance) and Movistar (Spanish telecoms).

Then there are the flag-waving soft power sponsors: Astana Qazaqstan, Bahrain Victorious, Israel-Premier Tech and the UAE Team Emirates, whose Tadej Pogacar, the 23-year-old Slovenian, is a favourite for a third consecutive tour.

While a Dane wins the first sprint of the day amid tight country lanes and 90-degree turns, no rider has his name marked more along the road than Briton Chris Froome . The four-time winner, 37, is 6 ft 1 inch and weighs just 69 kilos. These physically primed athletes need to be so light for the mountain stages. Froome is popular judging by road markings, while anther Chris, the Dane Chris Anker Sorensen who was killed last year while cycling, is remembered with a huge “Chris Always in our hearts, Never to be forgotten” flag with Denmark flags around it. 

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Four cyclists break and, for the first time, we see actual cyclists from the car. These are the sharks we know the crowds have come to see, who’ve been lurking behind. “What’s the logic in breaking away so early in the race?” we ask.

“Publicity,” comes the reply. “They’re a small French team (B&B Hotels-KTM). If they can stay at the front and be the focus for millions.”

The two B&B drivers are dropped themselves. It happens so quickly it’s like they’ve pushed the reverse button on an escalator. We pass the two dropped riders and they scowl at us. They know they’re to be swallowed back up by the peloton. Verhoeven tells us all about each one (their ages, best wins), his encyclopaedic knowledge of the sport apparent. While all the time he has to drive at speed along tiny roads. We listen to the race radio, in French and English.

“Adam Yates puncture.”

Two minutes later.

“Adam Yates is back in the pack.” Yates, 29, from Bury, Greater Manchester, finished fourth in the 2016 tour as British riders enjoyed their greatest ever decade in the race.

Bradley Wiggins, the first British Tour de France winner in 2012 when he won GQ ’s lifetime achievement award , speeds past on the back of a motorbike, working for a TV channel. Denmark flags fly from cranes, flags saying “Vive Le Tour – Love from the Danish Farmers”.

For a few sparse kilometres, there are fewer fans. We screech to a stop and have 30 seconds to take a pee and stretch legs. Riders do the same or pee while on the bike.

Image may contain Footwear Clothing Shoe Apparel Wheel Machine Transportation Vehicle Bicycle Bike and Human

“There’s a crosswind when we turn south,” observes Verhoeven, as he zips up. “The peloton will be nervous when we turn because of the crosswind. When the peloton is stressed they go fast. Today there’s a lot of stress. Nobody wants to be dropped.

The vast bridge comes into view.

“Now in the Peloton they’re nervous, pressing together. And it’s impossible to ride where you want because of fans.”

“Chris Froome has stopped,” comes over the radio. But he’s soon back up. This is not the place for any health and safety officer, but the accessibility makes it what it is – there are no barriers to entry, no tickets needed. Anybody can watch the tour – and they do. It’s a wonderful outdoor occasion amid pretty towns and fields of poppies and corn. And the vast bridge, where there’s a crash involving several riders. All get-up and finish.

Two hundred metres from the finish, the car takes a sharp right off the course. Job done. We jump out and crouch behind a Gendarme with Escort Presidentielle on his helmet. The French Gendarmerie escort the entire tour, including outside France.

The riders sprint past at 70kms per hour, a bunch finish where one of the sprinters will pounce from the group, timing his maximum effort to cross the finish line first. Mark Cavendish, the greatest sprinter of all time, would have been the favourite in these circumstances, but he was left at home, to much dismay in the cycling world since Cavendish is only one stage win away from surpassing Eddy Merckx’s 34-stage win on the tour record.

The man who replaced him, young Dutch sprinter Fabio Jakobsen, vindicated his own selection after a life-threatening crash. It didn’t make him any less brave as he bumps shoulders with a fellow rider 200 metres from the line. They look like they should crash but the high-speed collision is part of being a sprinter. They pounce.

Image may contain Human Person Transportation Vehicle Bicycle Bike Geraint Thomas Helmet Clothing and Apparel

 Geraint Thomas in the peloton

Ten minutes later, GQ speaks to 2018 tour winner Geraint Thomas as he winds down on a bike by the Ineos Grenadiers team bus, reducing the lactic acid which builds up in the big sprints at the end of the stage.

“Normally those stages can be really stressful but it was OK today,” says the rider from Cardiff, with 11 previous Tours to his name. Not bad for someone who used to run home from school to watch the tour.

“The wind was in a direction where it wasn’t too dangerous so that settled everyone down a little bit. A cross wind on the bridge could have split the race, but we had a headwind and it didn’t affect the race at all. But it was still super nervous with the threat of crashes. I was just happy to get through unscathed.”

The crowds?

“It was incredible. Every time the tour leaves France it gets bigger. It’s rare for those places to have the tour, it was the same in London in 2007, and Yorkshire in 2014. It was similar here today, super noisy. You could hardly stop for a wee because people were lining the route, all 200k. It’s just that some of them get a little too close. They forget we use the whole road or they’re standing on the hard shoulder or have a pram. It was a bit dodgy at times, but luckily there were no incidents.”

Image may contain Vehicle Transportation Automobile Car Architecture Building Human Person Tire Bicycle and Bike

Thomas, 36, isn’t the favourite, but he’s strong and experienced in a team which is the same.     

“I want to take any opportunities which arise and try and win,” he says. “I haven’t really put a position on it for the overall, it’s just about being in the best shape I can be in and helping the boys or taking any opportunities that I can.”

He climbs off the bike and the bus will take him to a nearby hotel. That’s different to some mountain stages where the riders have to cycle back down the mountain, or to a major transfer stage. On Monday, the whole circus had to get from Sonderberg in Denmark to Dunkirk for Tuesday fourth stage to Calais.

And then the sunburned circus moves on with the first of the mountain stages looming on Friday.

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The Shimano Neutral Service Facts and Figures

tour de france service car

Shimano has been running its Neutral Service since 2001. In 2023 our service is operating from bases in Benelux, Spain, France, Italy, Portugal and Turkey with cars and motorbikes plus drivers and mechanics who support riders in professional cycling races. 

Neutral Service vehicles carry spares of the components used by all teams. The majority of teams use Shimano components, but competitor pedal systems and drivetrains also feature within the Neutral Service cars.

The Neutral Service cars often resemble a mobile workshop, carrying multiple bikes on the roof and multiple spares and tools inside the car. This ensures that both the racing and the riders themselves can continue in the event of mid-race circumstances. 

This infographic from the Shimano Neutral Service offers you a clear overview of what it is all about, how many people are involved and how many equipment we bring to races like the Tour de France.

Infographic

By operating with six Neutral Service teams across Europe, Shimano manages to cover the biggest professional road races in the world, such as all 3 Grand Tours, the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, the World Championships, all 5 cycling monuments, all major 1-day spring classics for both women and men as well as many other races on the UCI women’s and men’s calendar. Shimano also provides Neutral Service in U23 and junior races, on the cycling track as well as in para-cycling races.

The Neutral Service mechanics’ job often requires a quick thinking and problem solving mindset . They are among the best in the business. Drawn from Shimano’s network of Service Centre's and from connections within the cycling industry, most have decades of experience within this sport.

In a new content series – Human Science – we will be joining the Shimano Neutral Service team members at some of the year’s biggest races, spending a day in their life as we get to know them and learn exactly what it takes to serve these riders on the world stage when the pressure is high.

Watch here the last episode:

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ŠKODA AUTO is the official main partner of the Tour de France for the 18th time

ŠKODA AUTO is the official main partner of the Tour de France for the 18th time

› ŠKODA AUTO has been supporting the Tour de France since 2004 › ŠKODA ENYAQ iV serves as command vehicle (‘Red Car’) for Tour Director Christian Prudhomme on 15 of 21 stages › ŠKODA AUTO sponsors Green Jersey for the leader in points standings for seventh year in a row › This year’s WeLoveCycling campaign: ‘The beautiful circus: You have to love it. We do.’

Mladá Boleslav, 22 June 2021 – 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. The Czech car manufacturer’s all-electric SUV will again serve as the command vehicle and mobile control centre (‘Red Car’) for Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme this year. In addition, ŠKODA AUTO is sponsoring the Green Jersey for the leader in the points classification and, as a partner of the official Tour de France app, will be keeping fans up to date on the latest race developments.

Martin Jahn, ŠKODA AUTO Board Member for Sales and Marketing, emphasises: “Our company’s long history is inextricably linked with cycling. For this reason, ŠKODA AUTO 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 in sports sponsorship since 2004. It offers us the opportunity to visibly and sustainably position our brand and products in an appropriate setting, as well as to share our enthusiasm for this great sport with the international cycling community. 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.”

The 108th Tour de France begins on 26 June with the Grand Départ in Brest. The Tour de France covers 21 stages over a total distance of more than 3,300 kilometres, including six mountain stages. The peloton will reach the finish line on the Champs-Élysées, Paris, on 18 July.

This year, ŠKODA AUTO is the official main and vehicle partner of the world’s largest cycling event for the 18th time. The company is deploying around 250 vehicles. The fleet, comprising the ŠKODA ENYAQ iV, ŠKODA OCTAVIA and OCTAVIA iV models, as well as the ŠKODA SUPERB iV, will be providing mobility to the organisers and race management and will be out along the route as service vehicles. ŠKODA AUTO will also be providing VIP transport to the annual competition winners, who will again have the opportunity to experience the Tour de France up close.

This year, the peloton will once again be led by a ŠKODA ENYAQ iV: The director of the Tour de France, Christian Prudhomme, will be using the all-electric SUV as a mobile command centre. He waves the yellow flag through the sunroof at the start of each stage and then directs the race from the vehicle with the aid of sophisticated communication technology. For example, he can give safety instructions wherever necessary. On some stages, Christian Prudhomme will also be using the ŠKODA SUPERB iV with a plug-in hybrid drivetrain as the ‘Red Car’.

During the race, the ŠKODA AUTO logo will be featured on the Green Jersey for the leader of the points classification, which the car manufacturer has been sponsoring since 2015. The winner of the world’s largest cycling race will be raising a crystal trophy on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées for the eleventh time; ŠKODA Design and Peter Olah, Head of Interior Design at ŠKODA AUTO, are once again responsible for creating the winner’s trophy.

ŠKODA AUTO campaign ‘The beautiful circus: You have to love it. We do.’ To coincide with the Tour de France, ŠKODA is launching the campaign ‘The beautiful circus: You have to love it. We do’. It emphasises the fact that it takes passion to compete in such a demanding race. ŠKODA is promoting the campaign in television commercials, on its social media channels and on the company’s dedicated website https://www.welovecycling.com/ . On this site, cycling enthusiasts will find interesting information about the world’s most famous bike race and a competition with exclusive prizes.

As the partner of the official Tour de France app, ŠKODA ensures that cycling fans can keep an eye on what is happening along the route. In addition to the current rankings and a live ticker, the app also offers real-time GPS tracking, rider profiles and much more. The app is free to download and is available for Android and iOS.

ŠKODA’s corporate history began with the bicycle ŠKODA’s passion for cycling is rooted in the very beginning of the company’s history: in 1895, Václav Laurin and Václav Klement founded a bicycle workshop in Mladá Boleslav, Bohemia, laying the foundation for today’s ŠKODA AUTO.

As the ‘engine of cycling’, the car manufacturer promotes cycling at various levels. In addition to the Tour de France and the Tour of Spain (‘Vuelta’), ŠKODA AUTO sponsors numerous other international cycling races as well as national and international grassroots sports events. Bikes and cycling accessories are an integral part of the brand’s extended product range.

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Pictures of the new ŠKODA ENYAQ iV appearing as the ‘Red Car’ at the Tour de France

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Pictures of the new škoda enyaq iv appearing as the ‘red car’ at the tour de france, škoda enyaq iv makes its debut as the lead vehicle in the tour de france, škoda is the official main partner of the tour de france for the 18th time.

Shimano's neutral service bikes: What's under the blue paint?

A pro bike analysis of a different kind. We take a closer look at the blue bikes that make up Shimano's neutral service

After a year of hard times for legacy outfit Mavic, earlier this week the ASO announced Shimano would be replacing the French outfit as the neutral support provider for its WorldTour, Continental, and Women’s races, including the Tour de France. Shimano and its fleet of blue cars and bikes have already been providing this service at races all around the world, one of which is the Tour Down Under . At the 2020 edition of the race, we managed to grab one of the neutral support bikes in the pits to take a closer look. It just so happened that this bike, in particular, had been used that day in the race, and the mechanics had not had the chance to clean the day’s race off the drivetrain.

It’s a safe bet that the bikes you see at races in Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Oceania will vary slightly based on what frames that region's Shimano HQ come up with, but for this rim-brake equipped model, under that blue paint is a Pardus Robin SL. Shimano AU’s connection to Pardus came through the St George Continental Cycling Team, which races in Australia's National Road Series.

  • Shimano blue replaces Mavic as neutral support at Tour de France
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This frame, in particular, is a size 54, with a 547mm top tube, 510mm seat tube, and has a stack and reach of 555mm and 378mm. All up, the bike tipped our scales at 7.89kg.

The bike is built up with a full Shimano Ultegra drivetrain with 53/39t chainrings and an 11-30t Ultegra cassette at the back, and 172.5mm cranks. This particular bike had Shimano Dura-Ace pedals screwed into the end of the cranks. We had a peek into the Shimano container in the pits, and there were bikes with Look and Speedplay pedals too. 

The cockpit, unsurprisingly, comes from Shimano’s in-house component brand Pro, with a set of 400mm Vibe 7S alloy handlebars connected to a +/-6 degree, 120mm Pro PLT stem. Given that there was three cars' worth of identical blue bikes, taped to the top of the stem is the car assignment to ensure it ends up in the right place. 

With the frame relying on rim brakes, Shimano has specced a set of its Ultegra callipers, which wrangle a set of Dura-Ace C60 carbon clinchers. All of Shimano’s rim brake carbon clinchers are still a laminate design that uses an aluminium braking surface and a carbon faring. 

The Pardus frame uses a round seatpost, so Shimano could slot in a PLT seat post with a 20mm offset. The Pro Falcon saddle perched atop the seat post has light padding and a pancake- flat profile with a pressure relief channel that runs the entire length of the saddle. 

The only components attached to this bike that doesn’t come from Shimano (well, except for the frame itself) are the 25mm Maxxis Relix tube-type tyres. These come with a 170 TPI casing and the brand’s SilkShield puncture protection.

Shimano Neutral Support bike full specification

  • Frameset: Pardus Robin SL Shimano edition, Size 54
  • Front brake: Shimano Ultegra R8000 Dual Pivot
  • Rear brake: Shimano Ultegra R8000 Dual Pivot
  • Brake/shift levers: Shimano Ultegra R8000 Dual Control Lever
  • Front derailleur: Shimano Ultegra R8000
  • Rear derailleur: Shimano Ultegra R8000
  • Cassette: Shimano Ultegra R8000, 11-30T
  • Chain: Shimano Ultegra 
  • Crankset: Shimano Ultegra R8000, 53/39T
  • Wheelset: Shimano Dura-Ace C60 carbon clincher
  • Tyres : Maxxis Relix clincher 25mm
  • Handlebars: PRO Vibe 7S
  • Handlebar tape: PRO Sport Control Team LTD
  • Stem: PRO PLT alloy 120mm
  • Pedals: Shimano Dura-Ace
  • Saddle: PRO Falcon
  • Seat post: PRO PLT Alloy
  • Bottle cages: Pro Bottle Cage Alloy
  • Total weight: 7.89kg

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Based on the Gold Coast of Australia, Colin has written tech content for cycling publication for a decade. With hundreds of buyer's guides, reviews and how-tos published in Bike Radar, Cyclingnews, Bike Perfect and Cycling Weekly, as well as in numerous publications dedicated to his other passion, skiing. 

Colin was a key contributor to Cyclingnews between 2019 and 2021, during which time he helped build the site's tech coverage from the ground up. Nowadays he works full-time as the news and content editor of Flow MTB magazine. 

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tour de france service car

Škoda celebrates 20 years of supplying the Tour de France’s lead car

Mathew Mitchell

Mathew Mitchell

  • Published on July 1, 2023
  • in Men's Cycling

tour de france service car

Škoda has held the title of the official vehicle partner of the Tour de France since 2004 and maintains a substantial presence at the world’s premier cycling event. As the brand prepares to support cyclists, officials, and teams for the 20th time, it does so with Škoda’s most technologically advanced car to date: the fully electric Enyaq.

Table of Contents

From 2004 onwards, Škoda has utilised the Tour de France as the paramount exhibition for its vehicles. Beyond supplying the command car used by the race director – identified as Direction Generale car number 1 – the brand also furnishes over 200 support vehicles for members of the organising team and event management. Nevertheless, it’s the race director’s car that most spectators will identify due to its prominent role at the forefront of the action. This vehicle, colloquially referred to as the ‘red car’ within Tour de France circles, serves essentially as the race director’s office and operates as a communications centre through which race officials and management teams can oversee and control the race.

In total, Škoda race direction cars have kick-started 399 stages and journeyed more than 41,000 miles since Škoda began its partnership with the Tour de France. By the conclusion of this year’s event, the tally will have reached 420 stages.

Superb Mk1 (2004 – 2007)

tour de france service car

In 2004, Škoda stepped into the role of the official vehicle partner to the Tour, taking over from Alfa Romeo. The brand opted for the Superb as the race director’s car, which, with its extended wheelbase and limousine-like rear legroom, turned out to be the perfect car for Jean-Marie Leblanc, the Director of the Tour de France, to oversee the event. The first-generation Superb, like all race director vehicles, was equipped with a number of special features added by Škoda. These encompassed a rear sunroof that allowed race director Leblanc to stand, along with a set of roof rails custom-built to align with the curvature of the Superb roof. The first-generation Superb also exhibited a number of more peculiar features requested by the management team, including a makeshift desk and a compact, air-conditioned centre console designed to store a bottle of Champagne and two glasses.

Dressed in Corrida red and originally driven by a 130PS 1.9 TDI four-cylinder engine, the first-generation Superb remained in service until 2008, with a revamped model replacing the original in 2006. That same year, Christian Prudhomme took over from Jean-Marie Leblanc as the Director of the Tour de France.

Superb Mk2 (2008 – 2015)

tour de france service car

Introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2008, the second-generation Superb made its debut at the 95th Tour de France in Brest merely three months afterwards. Entirely revamped, the 2008 Superb incorporated numerous new attributes, with the most remarkable being a unique ‘twin door’ boot lid, which could operate as a tailgate or a saloon-style boot with just a button press.

The second iteration of the Superb also provided even more legroom in the rear than its predecessor, enabling the event organisers to equip a larger centre console, an enhanced GPS system, and a workspace for race director Christian Prudhomme. Consistent with tradition, the Superb kept the Champagne chiller and glasses, and included several custom-made additions. These encompassed roof rails fused with front and rear wind deflectors, along with an enlarged, rear-positioned glass sunroof.

Like the original Superb, the second-generation model also served as a hospitality venue for the race director. Prudhomme always maintained his usual place behind the driver, while the additional rear passenger seat was frequently kept for celebrities, VIPs, and dignitaries. Over the past decade, the ‘extra’ seat has accommodated sporting legends, actors, and French presidents including Tom Cruise, Ben Stiller, Connor McGregor, Prince Albert of Monaco, and Nicolas Sarkozy.

“ Škoda is an important partner of the Tour de France and the Škoda car number 1 is my office for each stage. The car is a sort of control tower that receives all the information of what is happening on the race route before the arrival of the riders (demonstrations, potential blockage, road and weather conditions). Over the course of the 3,500 km race I can spend anywhere between two to nine hours in the car number 1 each day. Needless to say I do spend a large portion of the month of July in the back seat of a Škoda.” Christian Prudhomme, Director of the Tour de France

Superb Mk3 (2016 – 2019)

In 2016, Škoda unveiled the third iteration of the Superb. Much like its predecessors, this model afforded race director Christian Prudhomme a more spacious interior, an expanded workspace, and superior comfort for lengthy trips. For that year, Škoda produced a 2.0 TDI four-cylinder model boasting 190PS and a six-speed DSG gearbox.

The Tour de France organising team customised this model with a state-of-the-art GPS and a communication hub, providing Prudhomme with an unparalleled amount of information. For instance, the radio system in this third-generation vehicle came equipped with four channels. One was the ‘Radio Tour’ channel offering a comprehensive view of the entire peloton, another was the ‘Info’ channel conveying information about the route, and the remaining two were private channels reserved strictly for managers and commissioners.

In terms of design, the 2016 Superb retained the same layout as its forebears. Prudhomme’s ‘office seat’ was situated behind the driver, complete with a sizeable glass sunroof at the rear to allow him to stand and observe the riders.

Superb iV Mk3 (2020 – present)

Unveiled the year before, the Superb iV emerged as the optimal selection to cater to the event’s race director from 2020, due to its capability to operate without producing any tailpipe emissions.

Armed with Škoda’s inaugural plug-in hybrid propulsion system, the Superb iV was the focal point of the 2020 event and has been employed at all following events. Gilles Maignan, a former cyclist who is now the driver of the race director’s car, shared that the transition to hybrid power has been well-embraced by both the event organising team and the riders.

Capable of covering up to 34 miles solely on electric power, the Superb iV is used in partnership with the new Enyaq. It boasts the same adjustments as the non-hybrid model it superseded and is deployed during the race’s more prolonged stages. It is also the first Škoda model that does not rely on diesel to be utilised for the Direction Generale car, courtesy of its 1.4-litre TSI petrol engine that functions in unison with the plug-in hybrid’s 85kW electric motor.

Enyaq (2020 – present)

tour de france service car

In 2020, Škoda unveiled the first fully-electric ‘red car’ at the Tour de France, known as the Enyaq. This first-ever purpose-built electric car from the brand made its initial appearance at the fifth stage of the event (Gap to Privas), before being utilised on two additional stages later in the race.

The transformation from a standard Enyaq SportLine to the Tour de France race director’s car was undertaken by prototype creators Best Modell, under the guidance of Škoda engineers. As part of this makeover, a sunroof was fitted above the rear seats, while the standard roof bars were heightened for ease of grip when the car was moving.

The conversion team was also tasked with designing and procuring a new centre console and cooling cabinet for the traditional bottle of champagne. To guarantee that the vehicle’s supplementary equipment didn’t compromise the Enyaq’s driving range, the team integrated two 75 ampere batteries into the boot floor. The design was finalised with new champagne flute holders, conceptualised and 3D printed in-house by Best Modell.

In addition to the body alterations, the Enyaq incorporates a number of attributes that enhance its environmental footprint. Among these are unique tyres devised by Continental (a partner of the Tour de France itself) specifically for the Enyaq. Employed on all Enyaq support models during the event, these special tyres boast carcasses made entirely from recycled PET materials.

Following its successful debut in 2020 on three selected stages, the Tour de France organising team decided to appoint the Enyaq as the primary race direction vehicle for 2021. It has since served as the main Direction Generale car for the event, with the Superb iV being deployed for some mountain stages. In 2022, the Enyaq assumed the role of the command vehicle for 16 out of the 21 stages.

Škoda’s commitment to the Tour de France extends beyond the high-profile command car seen leading the peloton. As the official main vehicle partner, it supplies 200 vehicles to the organisers and race management, as well as service and support vehicles. Alongside the Enyaq, the fleet also includes the Octavia and Superb models.

The brand, which started life as a small bicycle workshop in 1895, has also designed the crystal trophy for the winner for the past 12 years and has sponsored the green jersey for the leader of the points standings since 2015.

Q&A with Christian Prudhomme, Director of the Tour de France

How important is the role of the lead car to ensure the race runs smoothly?

Each car has a vital role in the smooth running of the race. Whether it be a Director or a Commissaire car, everyone plays their role to ensure the safe running of the Tour de France for all the parties involved. Car number 1 is a sort of control tower that receives all the information of what is happening on the race route before the arrival of the riders.

How do you work with Škoda to improve the car to support you in your role?

Škoda is an important partner and plays a key and obvious role in the organisation of the Tour de France due to the fact that it is an event where we are almost constantly on the move. We ensure to collect our feedback and share it with Škoda so they can best adapt (if needed) their vehicles for the very specific usage that we have on the Tour de France.

Q&A with Gilles Maignan, Driver of Race Direction Car Number 1

The Race Direction Car Number 1 is driven by two-time French time trial champion, Gilles Maignan. Maignan retired from the sport in 2001 and was asked by Christian Prudhomme to be his driver after he had previously driven him in a VIP car during Prudhomme’s days working for French TV.

In order to take this important role within the race, Maignan first had to obtain an FCC driving license and is required to attend training sessions specific to driving in the Tour de France. Professional cyclists are often recruited to drive inside the race as they know how to anticipate and react according to the movements of the cyclists and peloton. Each year the lead car driver schedules debrief sessions with Škoda to share feedback gathered from all Tour drivers to help improve the vehicles for future Tours.

What are the best car developments over the years that have benefited you?

The switch to automatic gearboxes has really simplified the driving from inside a cycling race, especially for uphill portions. Also, the dashboard on the Superb shows exactly how many kilometres you have driven to the first decimal, which is very important in a cycling race to know how far you are from the finish. We have recently switched to hybrid vehicles which allows me to be in electric mode between the Fictive Start and Real Start of each stage, which is appreciated by the riders who have to stay right behind me on this section.

How does it feel to lead the peloton?

It changes a bit from back when I was a rider. I have an important responsibility to lead out the best riders on the biggest professional cycling race in the world and my job is to help Christian Prudhomme ensure a safe race for everyone, including the spectators.

How do the cars communicate with each other and how has it changed?

This is done through radio communication as it has proven to be the most effective and direct way to communicate, especially when you reach some very remote areas of France where telephone signal can be scarce.

Are there any speed limits that need to be adhered to?

Yes, we cannot go over 50 mph (80 km/h) except for the downhills if a rider is catching up to me. However, the main rule imposed by the UCI is that we cannot go over 12mph (20km/h) faster than the speed of riders.

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Jonas Vingegaard held up by stalled moto and car at Tour de France in 'nightmare' scenes on Stage 17

Ben Snowball

Updated 19/07/2023 at 17:03 GMT

Jonas Vingegaard's quest for victory on Stage 17 at the Tour de France was held up by a stalled moto – although he can console himself with the knowledge he put over five minutes into his closest rival for the yellow jersey, Tadej Pogacar. The Dane and his Jumbo-Visma team-mate Wilco Kelderman came to a standstill, before he was pushed – somewhat wildly – by spectators keen to help.

'Nightmare' – Chaotic scenes as Vingegaard held up by stalled moto and car

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Skoda adds five more years to long-term Tour de France sponsorship

Skoda, the Czech car manufacturer, has extended its long-standing sponsorship of cycling’s iconic Tour de France until 2028.

The five-year renewal, struck with race organizer ASO, will take Skoda’s partnership with the race beyond two decades.

The brand will also continue to sponsor the women’s Tour de France Femmes.

Skoda will retain its role as sponsor of the green jersey that rewards the best sprinter in the Tour de France, which it has held since 2015.

The Czech company, which is owned by German automotive giant Volkswagen, has been a major sponsor of the Tour de France since 2004 and provides official vehicles for the race, one of cycling’s three ‘Grand Tours’.

Beyond the Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes, Skoda has confirmed its wider involvement in cycling by committing to the Spanish races La Vuelta and La Vuelta Femenina, as well as in Germany with Eschborn-Frankfurt and the Deutschland Tour. 

In total, Skoda is supporting ASO on 19 international cycling races.

Martin Jahn, Skoda board member for sales and marketing, added: “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.”

In October, Le Crédit Lyonnais, the French bank, also extended its long-running sponsorship of the Tour de France until 2028.

The tour’s other main sponsors include E-Leclerc, Continental, and  Krys .

The 2024 Tour de France will be the 11 th edition of the prestigious race and take place from June 29 to July 21.

It will begin in Florence and end in Nice, finishing away from Paris for the first time in its 121-year history due to the Olympics being held in the French capital later this year.

"Skoda adds five more years to long-term Tour de France sponsorship" was originally created and published by Sportcal , a GlobalData owned brand.

The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.

Skoda adds five more years to long-term Tour de France sponsorship

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«Arrêtez de vous draguer, vous deux !» : quand Rachida Dati joue un tour à Cyril Féraud et Léa Salamé en plein direct

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Durant les Victoires de la musique, le 9 février dernier, la ministre de la Culture a profité d’une visite du car régie de France Télévisions pour s’adresser aux présentateurs dans l’oreillette.

Un peu de rap et beaucoup de Zaho de Sagazan. Le 9 février dernier, les Victoires de la Musique célébraient Aya Nakamura, Shay, Damso... Et, avec eux, des musiques urbaines moins souvent mises à l’honneur. Côté retransmission, c’est Cyril Féraud, le souriant animateur de « Slam » et de « La Carte aux trésors », ainsi que Léa Salamé , grande prêtresse des samedis soir de France 2, qui étaient aux commandes de cette soirée diffusée sur la Deux et organisée à la Seine musicale, à Boulogne-Billancourt.

Dans le public se trouvait la toute nouvelle ministre de la Culture, Rachida Dati . Un article de L’Express du 11 mars, consacré à la nouvelle « vie en Macronie » de l’ancienne Garde des Sceaux de Nicolas Sarkozy, relate que celle-ci s’est levée de son siège durant la cérémonie pour aller saluer les équipes de France Télévisions dans le car régie. Là où techniciens et réalisateurs veillent au bon déroulement de la retransmission.

« Je n'achèterai pas son album à lui »

Après des remerciements, Rachida Dati se serait emparée d’un casque pour s’adresser aux deux animateurs, dans l’oreillette. Elle les aurait félicités puis se serait amusée, assure l’hebdomadaire, à commenter la cérémonie : « Hé, arrêtez de vous draguer, vous deux ! » , « Mais ne reste pas devant la caméra, toi ! » , « Je n’achèterai pas son album à lui » . Cyril Féraud et Léa Salamé, qui s’attendaient à entendre la voix de leur directrice du divertissement, mais pas celle de la ministre de la Culture, devaient contenir leurs rires sur scène.

Rachida Dati, qui s’est souvent fait remarquer pour son franc-parler et son art consommé de la « punchline » par le passé, a ensuite publié un message sur son compte Twitter : « Merci aux techniciens sans qui cette fête de la musique ne serait pas possible. Merci pour cette retransmission qui a permis à des millions de spectateurs de participer à la fête. Bravo au service public ! » Le rendez-vous a ressemblé 2,17 millions de téléspectateurs.

  • «Il paraît qu'on a la même tessiture de voix» : Marie-Claude Pietragalla amusée d’être le sosie vocal de Rachida Dati
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tour de france service car

About Karlson Tourism

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CityGuide Book

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What else does Moscow CityPass include

Moscow CityPass is a single electronic card for tourists, which include visits to the best museums and excursions, the best deals and discounts.

Moscow City Tour by Car - Russia

Moscow Panoramic City Tour

  • duration: 5 hours
  • price: 45 €
  • order: Book

What You Will See on Moscow City Tour

During Moscow private City Tour you will observe different aspects of the Russian Capital. Moscow is one of the largest cities in the world. It has grown rapidly in recent decades, and, as a result, comprises high-rise suburbs surrounding a relatively compact historic center with plenty of fascinating ancient architecture. Apart from being a major political player on the world stage, Moscow is also an extremely popular city for business and tourism.

Arbat Street will surprise you with human talent represented by arts, handcraft works, music and magic trick performed here.

The Red Square is the main landmark of Moscow, its historical center with breathtaking St. Basil Cathedral.

The Moscow Kremlin is central architectural ensemble, the heart of Russia and symbol of its greatness. The fortified structures of the Moscow Kremlin are best examples of mediaeval European fortifications.

Cathedral of Christ the Savior is the main spiritual center in Moscow.

So- called Sparrow Hills have a legend which will be revealed to you in bird’s eye view at the time you observe Moscow State University Building and Luzhniki stadium.

Victory Park is another sight where you can touch Russian history of old different times. You will enjoy spacious territory full of historical Hills, fountains and monuments dedicated to wars.

Izmailovo complex, so-called second Kremlin is a fantasy which will open you an amazing architecture typical for old times.

You will enjoy exteriors of Bolshoi Theatre , Manege Square , Alexander Garden , State Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts , Tverskaya Street , Pushkin Square , State Tretyakov Gallery , Moscow high-rise buildings such as Administrative office and dwelling house near Krasnye Vorota and Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Smolenskaya Square, VDNKH Park .

Metro is actually a part of sightseeing in Moscow as Moscow metro stations are considered to be masterpieces of architecture.

Moscow Red Square

Details of the Tour

Panoramic Moscow City Tour lasts 5 hours and during this time you will:

  • know why that is one of the favorite proverbs “ Moscow is not swayed by tears”
  • learn why the Red Square bears this name.
  • be told how many towers in the Kremlin
  • learn what happened to Moscow during Russian-French War
  • know how old Moscow is and where it started its history and development.
  • be told where all treasures of the Russian Monarchy including world famous Faberge Eggs are kept in.
  • see where the cradle of October Revolution 1917 found its eternal rest.

The History of Moscow City - Russia

Moscow is said to date back eight-and-a half-centuries, with the first references to it in chronicles from 1147. It was built by the Prince of Suzdal- Yuri Dolgoruky on the high Borovitsky Hill where the Neglinnaya River flows into the Moskva River. Later in 1367 Dmitry Donskoy erected great Kremlin ramparts of white stone, henceforward Moscow became known as Belokamennaya (White Stone City)

From its beginnings as a hunting village, it grew steadily into a fortress city, to become later the central point of the whole Russian state.

Cathedral of Christ the Savior Moscow

For centuries Moscow has been a treasure house of carefully preserved national tradition. All the Russian Tsars and Emperors were crowned here in Russia’s main cathedral, the ancient Cathedral of the Dormition. Our prominent rulers of the Russian Empire: Peter the Great and Catherina the Great came to Moscow to celebrate Russian military victories.

Russia’s most intense human aspirations, be they artistic, religious or political, have found their most passionate expression in Moscow. The reflection of these aspirations can be seen in the beautiful architecture created over several centuries, particularly in Moscow’s symbols — the Kremlin, Red Square and St Basil’s Cathedral.

All Tours in Moscow

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The Cars of Le Tour de France

The Cars of Le Tour de France

The cyclists of Le Tour need looking after, and so do their bikes. The cars provided by Škoda covered 2.8 million kilometres during the 2016 Tour, in a fleet of 250 cars – a motorcade that would make any President blush with envy. So, what do all these cars do?

Yellow Neutral Service Vehicles

If your bike suffers a mechanical failure you need a car that’s easy to spot in a crowded field, and help appears as a Škoda OCTAVIA with a yellow paint job and Mavic decals – they’re big enough to carry water, wheels, and entire bikes in case of emergency.

tour de france service car

In 2010, Jens Voigt crashed his bike so badly it was beyond repair – he grabbed a Mavic bike from atop the nearest yellow Škoda, and even though it was several sizes too small for him, the bike was enough to keep him in the race.

Race Director Red

As you may expect, Christian Prudhomme rides in Škoda’s flagship model, the SUPERB – although this particular car is unique. Prudhomme’s Superb has a custom-made sunroof to accommodate various duties of the race director, including waving the flag at the start of each stage to signal the official start of racing.

tour de france service car

The red SUPERB also comes with special holders for champagne flutes and a bespoke communication system, so Prudhomme can toast the successes of the riders as well as keep in touch with the teams.

Communication, agility, and safety

Apart from Mavic’s neutral support vehicles, there are two cars per team that follow the peloton. The order in which these cars follow the race is determined by the ranking of each team’s leading rider.

Prudhomme will keep in touch with the fleet of cars, most of which are OCTAVIAs, and share information about the race. Communication between cars is critical, as breakaways and crashes need to be reported so that permission can be granted for the support cars to break ranks and move up or down the race as needed.

tour de france service car

Each Škoda is a mobile workshop, and reports of a cyclist in need will mean the cars need to be agile enough to weave through motorbikes, groups of riders, TV crews, as well as the other support cars. The quicker these cars get to their riders, the faster they get back into the race, keeping the teams, sponsors, and fans happy.

tour de france service car

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IMAGES

  1. Mavic Service Car.

    tour de france service car

  2. The Cars of Le Tour de France

    tour de france service car

  3. Support Team Car at the Last Stage of the Tour De France in Paris

    tour de france service car

  4. Tour de France support cars: The best cars for summer cycling trips?

    tour de france service car

  5. Tour de France Cars: How Do They Help?

    tour de france service car

  6. Gallery: Team Cars Of The 2017 Tour de France

    tour de france service car

COMMENTS

  1. Tour de France Cars: How Do They Help?

    By We Love Cycling July 1, 2022 at 6:47 am 5 min reading If we just take a look at this year's numbers, the Tour de France (1st to 24th July) and the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift (24th to 31st July) will, all in all, cover 4,411 kilometres in four weeks. Events of such gargantuan proportions need a matching support and logistic structure.

  2. What the hell is neutral service at the Tour de France?

    UPDATED Fri, Jul 14, 2023 12:11 0 Besides producing bicycle components, Shimano is also the neutral service provider for the Tour de France - taking over from Mavic in 2021 - along with other major Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O) races such as Paris-Roubaix and Liege-Bastogne-Liege.

  3. Inside the Škoda Shimano Neutral Service Cars

    The Škoda SUPERB service cars are getting a new paint job for the 2021 Tour de France. They are turning light blue as Shimano takes over from the yellow Mavic. This marks a new era in the neutral service car history. Let's take a look behind the scenes to see how Shimano is preparing for its first Tour.

  4. What it's like to ride in a support car at the Tour de France

    The words of Tom, a mechanic in the Shimano neutral car at the start of the second stage of the 2022 Tour de France from outside Copenhagen for 125 miles (think London to Birmingham) across...

  5. The Cars of the Tour de France Explained

    1.5K Share Save 531K views 3 years ago One cannot help but notice all the ŠKODA vehicles skilfully weaving through the Tour de France peloton, whether they fly their team's colours, the...

  6. Inside Tour de France Škoda Team Cars

    The cabin of a Tour de France team car becomes a tightly packed world of its own during the race, containing a repair workshop, an assistance headquarters, a first-aid station, a refreshment point, and more. To get a proper grasp of the importance of it all, you have to go to the source.

  7. ŠKODA AUTO official main partner of the Tour de France for 19

    Mladá Boleslav, 27 June 2022 - ŠKODA AUTO will again be supporting this year's Tour de France (1 - 24 July 2022) as the official main and vehicle partner.

  8. The Shimano Neutral Service Facts and Figures

    Shimano has been running its Neutral Service since 2001. In 2023 our service is operating from bases in Benelux, Spain, France, Italy, Portugal and Turkey with cars and motorbikes plus drivers and mechanics who support riders in professional cycling races. Neutral Service vehicles carry spares of the components used by all teams.

  9. ŠKODA AUTO is the official main partner of the Tour de France for the

    22. 6. 2021 ŠKODA AUTO is the official main partner of the Tour de France for the 18th time › ŠKODA AUTO has been supporting the Tour de France since 2004 › ŠKODA ENYAQ iV serves as command vehicle ('Red Car') for Tour Director Christian Prudhomme on 15 of 21 stages

  10. How to get a ride in the Tour de France neutral service car

    The chance to ride along in a neutral service car for a day at the Tour de France is almost How to get a ride in the Tour de France neutral service car | Cyclist Mavic and Zwift...

  11. Shimano's neutral service bikes: What's under the blue paint?

    After a year of hard times for legacy outfit Mavic, earlier this week the ASO announced Shimano would be replacing the French outfit as the neutral support provider for its WorldTour, Continental,...

  12. Come by car-sharing

    As part of its eco-responsible approach, the Tour de France will be offering its fans a car-pooling service. They will be able to travel to any stage with this service and combine environmental friendliness, a friendly atmosphere and savings. Coming soon: the 2024 platform Tour de France - Official website

  13. A Primer on the Red Škoda ENYAQ iV, the Tour de France's Leading Car

    A Primer on the Red Škoda ENYAQ iV, the Tour de France's Leading Car By We Love Cycling July 4, 2022 at 2:00 pm 5 min reading Besides the Arc de Triomphe, the winding mountain climbs, and, of course, the peloton, the striking red leading car is one of the most characteristic symbols of the La Grande Boucle.

  14. Škoda celebrates 20 years of supplying the Tour de France's lead car

    Škoda celebrates 20 years of supplying the Tour de France's lead car Published on July 1, 2023 in Men's Cycling Škoda has held the title of the official vehicle partner of the Tour de France since 2004 and maintains a substantial presence at the world's premier cycling event.

  15. Jonas Vingegaard held up by stalled moto and car at Tour de France in

    Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) came to a standstill on the steep slopes of the Col de la Loze after a stalled motorbike and a car blocked his path on Stage 17 at the 2023 Tour de France.

  16. Official website of Tour de France 2024

    Guillaume MARTIN. COFIDIS. + 00h 26' 30''. > Withdrawals. Tour de France 2024 - Official site of the famed race from the Tour de France. Includes route, riders, teams, and coverage of past Tours.

  17. Skoda adds five more years to long-term Tour de France sponsorship

    Skoda, the Czech car manufacturer, has extended its long-standing sponsorship of cycling's iconic Tour de France until 2028. ... The 2024 Tour de France will be the 11 th edition of the ...

  18. «Arrêtez de vous draguer, vous deux !» : quand Rachida Dati joue un

    Durant les Victoires de la musique, le 9 février dernier, la ministre de la Culture a profité d'une visite du car régie de France Télévisions pour s'adresser aux présentateurs dans l ...

  19. The Cars of Tour de France

    By WeLoveCycling July 24, 2018 at 6:15 am 6 min reading An event of such size and intensity such as the mother of all bicycle races, the Tour de France, needs steady partners to rely on. Starting with organizers, managers, teams, through to individual cyclists - all these need agile support hubs and troubleshooting solutions.

  20. ⁴ᴷ Walking tour by car to the business center ...

    ⁴ᴷ Walking tour by car 🚗 to the business center 🏙️"Moscow city" |Russia 🇷🇺Friends, please like. Write a 5 word comment and subscribe. Then the algorithms...

  21. About Karlson Tourism

    Car rental Karlson Tourism is an official licensee of a major broker and car rental world leader with the brand of its own called KTcars. We offer our clients car rental in more than 6 000 rental centers in 50 countries.

  22. Why Škoda Cars Are Integral to the Tour de France

    By We Love Cycling June 28, 2021 at 8:30 am 6 min reading. 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 ...

  23. The Russia CityPass

    Inside the cars there are interacting video screens and you can listen to audio guiding tour in four languages, i.e. English, Chinese, Spanish and Russian. Please note! With the Moscow CityPass card return tickets are available. Please note, the operating mode is replaced by a winter schedule. Contacts and location.

  24. Moscow Guided City Tour by Car

    Moscow Private, Panoramic Guided City Tour by car with English speaking guide - reasonable prices, individual approach, pedestrian or private cars with drivers, knowledgeable and friendly guides.

  25. The Cars of Le Tour de France

    The Cars of Le Tour de France. By WeLoveCycling June 28, 2017 at 7:30 am. The cyclists of Le Tour need looking after, and so do their bikes. The cars provided by Škoda covered 2.8 million kilometres during the 2016 Tour, in a fleet of 250 cars - a motorcade that would make any President blush with envy. So, what do all these cars do?