Chris Froome may not be taking part in this year's Tour de France, but the four-time winner will have a part to play at this year's race, having linked up with Skoda as the car brand's cycling ambassador.
The British rider hasn't raced in the peloton since last year's Tour de Pologne, having suffered a life-threatening injury in a training crash in September.
He's not under contract with any team this year. However, he has had plenty on his plate away from racing, including working as Chief Innovation Officer at AI training platform Vekta, and racing across the Mediterranean Sea on a pedal bike boat.
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Now, Czech car brand Skoda has announced that he's coming on board as an ambassador, with his first appearance in the role coming at the world premiere of the all-electric Skoda Peaq on June 23.
"As a Skoda Brand Cycling Ambassador, Chris Froome will attend several Skoda-supported cycling events over the course of the year, including this year's Tour de France," Skoda announced.
"There, he will join fans on a special ride and share his experience with amateur riders and newcomers to cycling. He will also appear at other major cycling events throughout the year, including La Vuelta, the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift and local competitions across Europe."
Skoda says that the new partnership "reinforces their long-standing commitment to cycling as one of the main pillars of its sponsorship activities." The company has been involved in professional cycling for over two decades.
Skoda started as a bike manufacturer in 1895 before pivoting to cars in the early 1900s. Its reinvolvement in cycling began in 2004, when the company began supplying cars to the Tour de France and other ASO races. The partnership continues today, and has been extended to 2028, while Skoda has also partnered with the UCI at the Gravel and MTB World Championships.
"The partnership between Skoda and Chris Froome reinforces Skoda's long-standing commitment to cycling as one of the main pillars of its sponsorship activities," the company stated.
"The Czech car manufacturer has been involved with the sport at the highest professional level for more than 20 years."
Froome hasn't publicly commented on the new role, and he hasn't commented on his future in cycling for some time, either. He hasn't yet announced his retirement from racing, though at 41, a return to the WorldTour peloton looks unlikely.
His most recent update came last December at the Vuelta a España route presentation, where he said, "I'm not really ready to talk about my plans just yet, but when I am, I'll be sure to let everyone know."
