Yamaha Niken becomes official Grand Tour support bike

Yamaha has signed a deal to make its Niken leaning three-wheeler the official support bike for the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and La Vuelta.

A three-year partnership with A.S.O and RCS Sports, organisers of the three Cycling Grand Tours, will run from 2019 to 2021, and should give the Niken a prominent position in the highly-viewed and televised events.

Nikens will be allotted to riders with a range of duties including medical assistance, wheel changing for cyclists and the transportation of drinks. They’ll also be used for the regulation of the races and the publicity caravans that accompany them.

As well as the three Grand Tours, the Nikens will perform the same rolls on other cycle races organised by A.S.O and RCS Sports. Their first appearance was as support bikes on the Strade Bianche in Italy on March 9, followed by the Paris-Nice event from March 10-17.

The first of the Grand Tours, the Giro d’Italia, starts on 11^th May and runs for 3,518.5km across 21 stages until 2^nd June. The Tour de France follows from 6^th-28^th July, followed by La Vuelta in Spain from 24^th August to 15^th September.

Yamaha Motor Europe President Eric de Seynes said: “This thrilling new agreement with the organisers of the three most prestigious cycling tours globally is a perfect opportunity to demonstrate the vast potential of our Niken machine. Competition in all of its forms is deeply rooted within Yamaha's DNA and this collaboration allows us to be a vital part in the smooth operation of some of the world's biggest sporting events. With the assistance crews covering innumerable kilometres crossing the heart of Europe, this is also a great opportunity for Yamaha to bring its revolutionary product closer to the public and demonstrate its performance and reliability no matter the terrain or conditions. Our range of Niken models stands out for its multipurpose nature, its ability to welcome riders of all levels and its unique capacity to offer unmatched comfort and riding safety on any road. I am truly confident the Niken will perfectly adapt to the needs of all riders assigned with the challenging task of supporting these big sporting events.”