Carmaker Škoda has extended its role as Official Main Partner and Vehicle Partner of the Tour de France, from 2019 to 2023.
Under the deal with the Tour de France organiser ASO (Amaury Sport Organisation), Škoda will retain its presenting sponsorship of the green jersey for the top-scoring rider during the race.
The wide-ranging deal covers extensions at nine ASO-managed races: La Vuelta, Paris-Nice, Critérium du Dauphiné, Paris-Roubaix, La Flèche Wallonne, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, L’Etape du Tour, Paris-Tours and Volta Catalunya.
At La Vuelta, Paris-Nice and Critérium du Dauphiné, Škoda will also present the green jersey.
The deal will take the partnership between Škoda and ASO up to 20 years. The previous agreement ran from 2014 to 2018.
Alain Favey, Škoda Auto board member for sales and marketing, said: “The support of the Tour de France and other renowned cycling events is an expression of our 124-year corporate tradition [in the production of bicycles].”
In terms of its Tour de France activation, individual teams as well as officials and organisers of will be equipped with Škoda vehicles. The Škoda Superb model, for example, serves as the Red Car for tour director Christian Prudhomme.
In addition, Škoda will present large-format advertising at the race and will launch a new marketing campaign on TV, online and on social media.
At the Tour de France in 2018, the event app offered by Škoda recorded around 1.5 million downloads.
Škoda also operates its own bicycle-related website, WeLoveCycling.com.