More specifically, Škoda Australia partnered with Wollongong 2022, the organising committee for the 2022 UCI Road World Championships. In total, the automaker will provide 58 cars – 50 KAROQ Styles for the National Federation cars (aka the team cars) and eight KAROQ Sportlines for the race’s officials, including Race Director Scott Sunderland and his commissaires.
Wollongong 2022 chair Dean Dalla Valle expressed gratitude to ŠKODA for partnering with the event, while acknowledging the brand’s continuous support of the sport: “ŠKODA is synonymous with cycling through the ongoing support for the Grand Tour points classification leader jersey – or Green Jersey – and has a long-standing history of supporting international cycling on the world stage,” Mr Dalla Valle said. “This is the meeting of two outstanding partners who share a commitment to high-performance and making the road a safer place for cyclists and drivers,” he added.
ŠKODA Australia Director Michael Irmer commented on the partnership: “ŠKODA is simply synonymous with cycling. No Tour de France is complete without the sight of ŠKODA support vehicles; now nor will be the 2022 UCI Road World Championships held in Wollongong.”
As with Le Tour or La Vuelta, the provided cars were dressed in custom decals and fitted with special add-ons such as bike roof racks and two-way radios for smooth communications between the teams and UCI officials. The National Federation cars will carry spare bikes, parts, protective gear and anything to fix a situation potentially threatening their cyclists.
Besides supporting the 2022 UCI Road World Championships throughout the event, Škoda is also organising community ride activities for both big and small riders in Wollongong, and will be hosting a Škoda Bike Immersion Day after the race is over with the help of the Auscycling organisation. Because since the brand took root in 1895 as a cycling workshop, it knows the real value of an engaged, happy, and close-knit cycling community, without which the sport would lose most of its passion.
Are you watching the 2022 UCI Road World Championships in Wollongong? One thing is for sure – we can’t wait!
