Skoda, the Czech car manufacturer, has extended its long-standing sponsorship of cycling’s iconic Tour de France until 2028.
The five-year renewal, struck with race organizer ASO, will take Skoda’s partnership with the race beyond two decades.
The brand will also continue to sponsor the women’s Tour de France Femmes.
Skoda will retain its role as sponsor of the green jersey that rewards the best sprinter in the Tour de France, which it has held since 2015.
The Czech company, which is owned by German automotive giant Volkswagen, has been a major sponsor of the Tour de France since 2004 and provides official vehicles for the race, one of cycling’s three ‘Grand Tours’.
Beyond the Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes, Skoda has confirmed its wider involvement in cycling by committing to the Spanish races La Vuelta and La Vuelta Femenina, as well as in Germany with Eschborn-Frankfurt and the Deutschland Tour.
In total, Skoda is supporting ASO on 19 international cycling races.
Martin Jahn, Skoda board member for sales and marketing, added: “By continuing our trustful partnership with ASO and the Tour de France, Skoda reaffirms its strong connection to cycling and its fans worldwide.
“The Tour de France is the world’s most-watched cycling race. In 2023, it attracted nearly 150 million viewers in Europe alone. This exceptional visibility greatly benefits our products, offering us the opportunity to reinforce Skoda’s position as a key supporter of cycling.”
In October, Le Crédit Lyonnais, the French bank, also extended its long-running sponsorship of the Tour de France until 2028.
The tour’s other main sponsors include E-Leclerc, Continental, and Krys.
The 2024 Tour de France will be the 11th edition of the prestigious race and take place from June 29 to July 21.
It will begin in Florence and end in Nice, finishing away from Paris for the first time in its 121-year history due to the Olympics being held in the French capital later this year.
