Olympic Cyclist Tests His Mettle Against Skoda Octavia vRS

MILTON KEYNES, UNITED KINGDOM – Sept 19, 2013: Olympic gold medallist Ed Clancy took on a challenge of two wheels versus four this week, testing his downhill racing skills against the uphill power and handling of the all-new ŠKODA Octavia vRS in a race against the clock.

Covering a section of the famed Southern Borders Loop, part of the Tour of Britain stage one route, the race centred on a short, but brutally steep, hill climb with five major corners. To even the odds, Ed Clancy raced downhill from a rolling start whilst the new ŠKODA Octavia vRS raced uphill from a standing start.

Caught on camera in a stunning short film, the Octavia vRS negotiated tight bends and elevation shifts to power up the B6399 between Hawick and Newcastleton. Meanwhile the Olympic cyclist tore downhill, averaging speeds over 50 mph, completing the course in 52.26 seconds, just pipping his rival to the post.

Delivering the perfect combination of sportiness, space and functionality, the third generation Octavia vRS takes ŠKODA performance to a new level and is equipped with a host of standard features designed to fully exploit the car’s performance potential. The impressive Octavia vRS used for the race was the 2.0 TSI 220PS DSG, which climbs from 0 to 62 mph in just 6.9 seconds and delivers speeds of 152 mph, making it the fastest production Octavia ŠKODA has ever built.

Double Olympian Ed Clancy, comments: “I love a challenge and knew that taking on the new ŠKODA Octavia vRS was going to be a tough test. When I was told which section we’d be racing on and that I’d be going downhill from a rolling start, I knew I had a chance. The route is perfectly suited to cycling - whilst the car had to slow down to manouevre around the bends, I could pretty much straight-line most of the corners. The ŠKODA Octavia vRS was seriously impressive, powering up the hill. It’s really good fun to drive and certainly gives the thrill of the track a run for its money!”

A five-time world champion, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and Olympic bronze medalist, Ed Clancy is a big name both on the track and out on the road, riding for domestic team Rapha Condor JLT. Regarded as an explosive sprinter with the durability to match, he took gold in the team pursuit and bronze in the individual Omnium at London 2012.

Heidi Cartledge, Head of Marketing for ŠKODA UK, comments: “Ed has made a name for himself thanks to his awe-inspiring acheivements on the track, and more recently on the road. Like Ed Clancy, performance and handling are exactly what the new Octavia vRS is all about. It pushes the boundaries of great performance, to deliver an exhilarating experience for customers who love the art of driving.”