Škoda Ready for Tour Down Under

BOTANY, NSW, AUSTALIA – January 19, 2010: For the third year in a row, Škoda Australia is supporting cycling in Australia as Premier Sponsor and Official Car Partner of the 2010 Tour Down Under, taking place in and around Adelaide from 17th to 24th January.

As Official Car Partner of the event, Škoda is supporting the tour with a fleet of 110 vehicles, including all the team and organisation cars. The complete Škoda model range will be in action, from the practical Roomster to the versatile Octavia and the luxurious Superb.

In 2008, the Tour Down Under became the first UCI ProTour event to be staged outside Europe, and is the first stop on the world cycling calendar.

Cycling superstar Lance Armstrong will be returning to the Tour Down Under this year to compete alongside Australia’s rising star and Škoda Ambassador Jack Bobridge, who won gold at the Men’s Under-23 Time Trial at the 2009 UCI Road World Championships in Mendrisio, Switzerland back in September.

At last year’s Tour Down Under, Lance Armstrong identified Jack as the ''real deal'' and expressed regret at not being able to sign him up for his own outfit, Team RadioShack. Instead, Jack will be lead rider for Garmin-Transitions when he makes his ProTour debut at the 2010 Tour Down Under.

Another Australian cycling great to compete in this year’s event is Cadel Evans, who also won gold at the UCI Road World Championships last year, but in the Men’s Road Race, category.

Škoda is also putting its name behind the ‘Škoda Breakaway Series’, including the Mutual Community Challenge Tour, where the general public can ride the same stage as the professionals on Friday 22 January.

Škoda’s romance with cycling began in 1895 with the production of bicycles. While the brand has made the transition from bicycles to motorbikes and cars (since 1905), the relationship with cycling has remained strong.

Head of Škoda Australia, Matthew Wiesner, elaborates on Škoda’s partnership with the Tour Down Under:

“Our support and involvement in Australian cycling and The Tour Down Under has had a significant role in the way the Skoda brand has evolved in the Australian market in the sense of what we stand for as a brand. It is a great participation sport for all people and enables us to reach out and show people who we are and what we offer through our involvement.”