Never forget your roots. Czech car maker Škoda certainly hasn’t, because bicycles remain so important to it that it goes far beyond most to keep the love of cycling alive.
Not only does it have a dedicated ‘Cycling Pack’ for all new cars as an option, but it still makes bikes. Other car manufacturers do that, of course, but not quite to the extent of Škoda. Rather than token merchandise-opportunity ebikes, Škoda’s range has included full-carbon top-line racing bikes and city bikes with plenty of character and classic looks.
Best of all, it is so up front about its cycling heritage that it has a dedicated online hub called We Love Cycling.
And it loves cycling so much that it’s going to lending two of its cars loaded with the Cycling Pack and with some of those bikes for Vintage Velos taking place this weekend.
You’ll find an Enyaq vRS, an all-electric SUV coupé that is carrying on the famous vRS line, and an Octavia estate.
Both cars have recent cycling heritage, not least the Octavia. The wagon and the bigger Superb have been the cars of the Tour de France for 19 years, and will in 2023 make it two decades of providing the support vehicle.
Similarly ingrained is now the Enyaq, which will take on the role of Command Car – otherwise known as Red Car – for the third year in a row on the world's biggest cycle race. At the start of each stage, the race director climbs out of the Enyaq’s sunroof to wave the yellow flag.
In all Škoda provides 250 cars for the cross-France epic, plus it designs the trophy and sponsors the green trophy. So not only does Škoda loves cycling but it outright supports it, too.
The Škodas won’t be the only examples of what a service car should look like because the Campagnolo Car will be back. The INEOS Grenadier will also be on display, a week after Tao Geoghegan Hart won the Tour of the Alps.
Tickets for Vintage Velos are £5 per person. Visit the shop to book.
