Shimano to replace Mavic for neutral service at the Tour De France
The Tour de France organisers, Amaury Sport Organisation, has announced a new partnership with Shimano in 2021. Starting with the first stage of Paris-Nice on March 7, Shimano will provide support at all ASO-organised men’s and women’s races.
Shimano’s move into neutral service brings to an end Mavic’s 43-year stint as neutral support at Le Tour. For many, the loss of the iconic yellow neutral service cars and yellow scrambler bikes at Paris-Roubaix will spell the end of an era.
While the blue car may not be as famous as the iconic yellow Mavic support vehicles, Shimano is no stranger to neutral service with 20 years of experience providing support at countless races. In fact, Shimano is already a long term partner with ASO, providing neutral service at La Vuelta, another ASO event. This extended partnership means we will now see Shimano mechanics chasing breakaways and changing wheels at La Course, Paris-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and Paris Tours.
The partnership also covers ASO’s mass participation events, including the Etape du Tour and Roc d’Azur. Participants at these events will be able to tap Shimano mechanics’ expertise in the event of a mechanical.
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