Volvo Buses
UNITED KINGDOM & IRELAND
One of the SKY branded vehicles was on show in London on January 4th at a spectacular launch event, giving attendees the chance to see what Volvo and SKY PRO Cycling have achieved.
Volvo initially supplied two identical 42 seater coaches which were stripped back by JS Fraser, almost to the chassis and refitted specifically for the purpose of carrying and conditioning riders. The coaches have nine specially designed Estaban seats, which can be fully reclined to provide optimal relaxation for the riders.
Some of the other special features onboard the revolutionary new vehicle include a kitchen, with microwave and fridge, two shower units and toilet facilities. The back office area can be turned into a massage suite and there is also ample storage facility.
To ensure that the vehicle is completely geared for rider comfort and well-being the coach has an inbuilt radio mast and full internet access with Wi-Fi connections. There is a Hi-Fi system as well as TV screens with full SKY TV capability to receive channels from multiple countries.
Mood lighting and a high efficiency air conditioning unit ensure that the environment is perfectly suited towards rider recovery, whilst the floor of the coach is reinforced to facilitate the additional facilities.
Also supporting the 25 riders and 37 staff, combining 13 nationalities, is Volvo Truck who are providing the vehicles to transport the cycles themselves. This marks a pleasing double achievement for Volvo being associated with the transportation of riders and their bikes.
Head of Special Projects for SKY PRO Cycling team Gwilym Evans explained how a recommendation led to them specifying Volvo “DHL are a close ally and put in an extremely good recommendation. We contacted Volvo and they were extremely accommodating and worked fast to provide us with the vehicles”.
“We believe that these vehicles raise the bar in the cycling world, they are state-of-the-art and quite revolutionary. We think that having the right sort of environment for our riders gives them the best chance of success when they take to the roads”, added Gwilym Evans.
Image Caption: The revolutionary SKY PRO cycling Volvo 9700 Tri axle left hand drive coach.