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28. 6. 2024
Škoda and the Tour de France: they’ve been inseparable for over two decades now. This year, the race will stay away from Paris for the first time ever. Another innovation will be a new red car for the race director.
This year’s 111th edition of the Tour de France will start on 29 June in Florence, Italy. And for the first time in the race’s history it won’t end in Paris, where the Olympic Games are about to begin. After 21 stages and 3,492 kilometres, this year’s Tour will culminate in Nice on the Côte d’Azur on 21 July.
The race director’s new Superb iV
Another innovation is the new red Superb iV. The plug-in hybrid representative of the popular model’s fourth generation has undergone several modifications to enable it to stand in for the Enyaq as a mobile command centre on some stages. These modifications include a champagne cooler, a fridge, a Kenwood radio system, a red beacon and antennas.
The biggest challenge for the team that converted the Superb into the race director’s car was installing the panoramic retractable roof. Unlike conventional cars, the roof opens from the back to the front to make it possible to manage the race from the car, i.e. when Tour director Christian Prudhomme needs to stand up in the back of the car to control the race and watch the action.
The race director’s Škoda Enyaq
“We cut out the original full roof, welded on another one with a cut-out for the window mounted back to front, designed and fabricated a new frame, fitted the window, and then had to make it fit with the roof profile. To integrate the inverted sunroof perfectly into the interior of the car, we also had to produce a new ceiling panel,” explain Viktor Görög and Miroslav Finkous on behalf of the Test Car Construction team, which normally builds prototypes for driving tests.
“We also had to modify the water run-off channels. Our electrical specialists programmed a time delay for opening the roof, which ensures that all the rainwater runs off in a controlled manner first before the window opens to its full extent,”adds Jan Novák, responsible for Model and Test Car Production, pointing out another interesting detail.
Škoda Superb iV with the main trophy for the Tour de France winner
Škoda’s red fleet also received a slightly modified paint job for this year’s edition, with green elements on the side. This year, Škoda Auto is once again the main official partner and provider of support cars. As part of its sustainable mobility drive, it will provide the organisers with 205 electric or plug-in hybrid cars.
Tour Director Christian Prudhomme was given a first-generation Superb for his mobile office in 2004, and in 2008 it was replaced by a second-generation version. The upgraded third generation entered service in 2016, also receiving an electric motor for the 2019 model year – the car thus started its journey towards eco-friendly operation and economy with hybrid technology in this capacity as well. Continuing the trend, the red Enyaq became the 2020 model for the race director.
You can have the race director’s car for your mantlepiece at home – thanks to Škoda’s partnership with printables.com, anyone who owns a 3D printer can print models of the red Superb and Enyaq race director’s cars to scales of 1:72 and 1:24 respectively. The project is part of the Škodaverse initiative based on exploring new technologies, shifting the boundaries between the digital and physical worlds and co-creation with customers and the community.
The competition for tickets for the exciting VIP programme of the Škoda Hospitality Tour 2024 will be held on Instagram, Facebook and the We Love Cycling YouTube channel. Contestants will upload photos and videos to show their passion for cycling. This fan content should be uploaded with the hashtag #whatsyourtour, which is also the overall motto of Škoda’s support of the Tour.
You can also enter a four-round knowledge competition with fabulous prizes. Each round offers the chance to win cycling equipment and souvenirs. The competition starts on 29 June and prizes include outstanding Cannondale bikes, POC aero helmets and the official green jersey.
Škoda has extended its involvement with the Tour de France until at least 2028. The new contract with TdF organiser Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) also encompasses 20 other international cycling events, including five separate women’s races, the Spanish La Vuelta and two Belgian events, the Walloon Arrow and Lutych-Bastogne-Lutych.
