- ŠKODA UK is the official vehicle sponsor for The London-Paris 2014
- 18 vehicle strong ŠKODA fleet will support 400 riders across all three stages
- ŠKODA Fleet enters 12 riders into the 300 mile road cycling endurance event
Milton Keynes, 18 June 2014 –ŠKODA UK will be the official vehicle sponsor for The London-Paris 2014. In support of the manufacturer’s sponsorship, a group of 12 fleet staff and customers are preparing to embark upon the 300 mile cycle endurance event (26-29 June) as part of Team ŠKODA.
Recognised as one of the world’s most exciting cycling events open to the public, The London-Paris is the closest amateur riders can get to the Tour de France experience. 450 cyclists will ride in seeded speed groups, each led by a ŠKODA ‘race control’ Octavia Estate, with rolling road closures in France and professional logistical back up along the 520km route from Hampton Court to the Eiffel Tower.
As the official car sponsor, ŠKODA will supply a fleet of Octavia Estate and Superb Estate vehicles to lead each speed group and transport a 260-strong crew of mechanics, marshals, outriders and sports therapists through the three stages of the event.
The team, which includes Patrick McGillycuddy, Head of Fleet, Henry Williams, National Fleet Sales Manager and Andrew Thomas, Rental & Motability Manager will set off from London on Thursday 26 June and tackle the tough 300 mile route over three days.
Patrick McGillycuddy, Head of Fleet for ŠKODA UK said: “This is the fourth year that ŠKODA has been the official vehicle sponsor and the third year ŠKODA has entered a team into The London-Paris. We’re really excited to be part of such an iconic event and have all been training hard and ramping up the mileage in preparation for the 300 mile challenge.
“Our vehicles are ideal for use as a support car; they are incredibly reliable, well-engineered and offer class-leading space so can carry lots of equipment and withstand the wear and tear that comes with the cycling territory.”
Cycling support is of huge importance to ŠKODA – this year, in the UK, the manufacturer has partnerships with three UK teams – Rapha Condor JLT, Team Raleigh and Matrix Vulpine, as well as being official vehicle partner for UK Cycling Events, Prudential Ride London, The Tour of Britain, XCalibre, The Women’s Tour and the Pearl Izumi Tour Series. Worldwide, ŠKODA is a partner of the Tour de France, the VueltaaEspana and other ASO organized races such as Paris-Roubaix and the Criterium de Dauphine.
ŠKODA vehicles are loved by cyclists across the UK and are the car of choice for many pro teams worldwide thanks to the impressive load capacity and the fantastic range of cycling accessories.
The ŠKODA Octavia Estate offers unrivalled space, functionality and fuel efficiency with CO2 emissions from 99g/km and is priced from £17,115. The spacious ŠKODA Superb Estate offers a massive 1,865 litres of boot space; it is loaded with ‘Simply Clever’ storage and comfort features and is priced from £19,815.
For more information on the full series of UK Cycling Events, visit ukcyclingevents.co.uk. .
