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news
Video: Sir Bradley Wiggins to star in “epic” Skoda TV ad that debuts this weekend
Sir Bradley Wiggins, currently filming for the Channel 4 winter sports reality TV show The Jump, is the focus of a 90-second “epic” ad for car brand Škoda that will receive its premiere on ITV1 at half-time during England’s Six Nations rugby union opener against France at the weekend.
The spot was shot in north west Wales – the video above contains behind-the-scenes footage – and forms part of Škoda UK’s new Driven by Something Different campaign.
The multichannel campaign follows company’s three-year partnership announced last month with the 2012 Tour de France winner, and according to Škoda UK will focus on “key moments in Wiggins‘ personal and professional life, as he reflects on his achievements.”
With that Tour de France victory, five Olympic gold medals, world championship victories on the road and track and the UCI Hour Record, there are plenty to choose from in Wiggins’ sporting career alone.
The advert has been created by Fallon London and is directed by Martin Krejci who, like Škoda, hails from the Czech Republic.
"I'm looking forward to the advert being released,” said Wiggins, “Škoda has done a great job in capturing my journey through cycling.
“We are already preparing for the next ad which will take a lot to beat this one."
With its origins in bicycle manufacturing – the company, now part of VW Group, can trace its history back to 1895 and the business Laurin & Klement, whose early catalogues can be seen here – Škoda has a strong presence in cycling, including acting as a sponsor to the Tour de France, Tour of Britain and Women’s Tour.
Škoda UK’s head of marketing, Kirsten Stagg, said; "From our humble beginnings as a bicycle manufacturer to the innovative automotive brand we are today, we have always prided ourselves in being driven by something different.
"As Britain’s most decorated Olympian there is no denying Sir Bradley Wiggins’ incredible achievements,” she continued.
“However, we chose to work with him on the campaign because of who he is and what he represents as an individual; he embodies the self-confidence, unique character and spirit which sets him apart from the rest."
The partnership was arranged Škoda UK’s sports sponsorship agency, MediaCom Sport & Entertainment, and Wiggins’ former management company, XIX Entertainment.
Last month, it was announced that he will in future be represented by M&C Saatchi Merlin.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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You might be safer using one of these: https://yplac.co.uk/product/yplac-mini-stickers/
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27 comments
The Perfect Synergy. A cyclist who plays fast and loose with a drug that cheats use and a motor group (VAG) that plays fast and loose with emissions data. What a shiny world we live in.
"he embodies the self-confidence, unique character and spirit which sets him apart from the rest"....
What you mean the rest who didn't get TUE's before their last 3 Grand Tours and didn't get mystery Jiffy bags hand-couriered to France? Skoda-rubbish.
pffft. Fanboys, eh.
It'll be the usual won't it? A background of beautiful unspoilt countryside (unspoilt by cars) will serve as the backdrop to advertise a fecking car.
And in this case the car will be driven by a foolish chap that is willing to both create more motorised traffic and all the bother and danger that produces and at the same time rabbit on about how dangerous it is to be a cyclist http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/cyclesafety/article3495247.ece
Wouldn't make me buy a Skoda though.
And I won't be buying one again with him linked to Skoda.
For soemone who said who siad he didn't want to be a celeb after retiring, he is already failing rather miserably at this goal.
Days work, couple a hundred grand, and the internet is bleating - great work Brad!
Not sure 'Driven by something different' is the best strap-line, given the circumstances.
lol yeah! It made me think it should accompany a picture of Hilter, Stalin, or Pol Pot!!!
But what I really don't need from a cycling site is people bleating about the cycling-related stories not being cycling-related enough, because those stories are considerably more interesting than the bleating.
And yes, I am aware that this post is inherently contradictory.
THIS.
Wiggo is part of British Cycling history and a bit of a enigma regardless of what last weeks chip paper says. I look forward to seeing cycling and Wiggo on TV inbetween the rugby, even if it is to advertise a car. Bravo I say and go buy a Skoda!
Jesus, your head must explode when you see the crossword!
Alright... might have gotten my words mixed up, I suppose BW is the quite the opposite of an enigma, but what I meant was he's an engaging and interesting chap.
...but the point is that if we wanted to keep up to date on all the inane garbage that these celebs get up to then we would do twatter or any of the other modern 'social' ways to keep up with who ate beans on toast and when. Road.cc is a great site for cycling and cycling related stuff...I don't get how that scope gets expanded to included literally anything that a cyclist does...on the basis that he/she is/was a cyclist.
These articles come across as simple reposts from a celeb's press officer who's only job is to ensure the celeb in question maintains their precious (and marketable) celeb status.
Now, where is my copy of Hello, I saw some nice story about Victoria and her horse in that...
Irony of this is that the big social media apps use algorithms to keep people in their own happy little echo chamber minimising stories that dont interest them.
Fuck me. A website about cycling does another story about another of Britain's most well-known former cyclists, and still people wanna come along to bitch and moan.
Well done.
Really.
Well done.
Spot. On.
Don't like this story? Feel free to tut to yourself and move on rather than going out of your way to post just how much it riles you.
To be fair, the same applies to your reaction to other people's comments.
I know, I know, dammed if I do, etc...
Couldn't agree more Valbrona, for someone that wasn't going to do the whole 'celebrity' thing....."I'm a shy bloke, I hate celebrity."... I'm sick of seeing/hearing about him
You have to wonder what the doper wouldn't prostitute himself for?
Next up:
Sir Brad telling us how wonderful Acme Baby Mulching Machines ™ are.
Meow.. ooh Handbags. Insults are cheap, or are you jealous because you got busted Frank Schleck?
Just like Hoy needed Cornflakes to bridge the gap until his bike brand is up and running.
Wiggins already has a bike brand. And a racing team.
What's starting to grate about Wiggins is that he doesn't seem to realise that contradicting yourself ('no needles... apart from those'; 'I don't want to be just another celeb, but I'll happily emulate Joey Essex') while trying to maintain the measured, dry wit, just makes you come across as an insincere berk.
Sure he needs some time to adjust from being an all-conquering cycling legend, just really not sure he's choosing the right path to accepting that he's just a retired all-conquering cycling legend now.
My crystal ball still has him eating kangaroo bollocks opposite Pepsi/Shirley. 2 years away, tops.
Because all bike racing teams are a complete cash cow, especially ones where the main title sponsor is the team itslef and the aim isnt to win races but to give young british track talent experience on the road!
this.
Look, you don't have to publish every press release from Wiggins' PR team.
This site had a news article about Victoria Pendleton falling off her horse, but was otherwise fine. I mean if you're gonna report every time a hunt rider falls, you aren't gonna get much else done in the day.