Yamaha and RCS Sport Announce Mobility Initiative in Support of COVID-19 Containment Measures.
Last Saturday 9th May the Yamaha NIKEN motorcycle fleet provided by Yamaha Motor Europe to support cycling’s three Grand Tours was due to take to the roads for the start of the 103rd edition of the Giro d’Italia, which was scheduled to get underway with the Grande Partenza in Budapest, Hungary.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic all three Grand Tours, the Giro d’Italia, the Tour de France and La Vuelta, have been postponed until later in the year but Yamaha’s NIKEN fleet will not stand idle over the summer months.
Working in close cooperation with RCS Sport, Yamaha has arranged to supply for the coming months the NIKEN vehicle fleet, which was provided to support the Giro d’Italia in 2020, to medical staff and other essential workers in Italy to assist in the fight against COVID-19.
The revolutionary three-wheeled machine is the perfect mobility solution for essential workers, as it minimizes personal contact and reduces the risk of COVID-19 transmission, while allowing for improved transfer times between medical facilities in an urban environment.
The NIKEN fleet will be released to the Red Cross in Italy, with the international humanitarian organisation identifying which areas of their ongoing operations in support of combatting COVID-19 would benefit the most. The NIKEN bikes will also be used by essential workers delivering care services, as well as home deliveries for those who require support.
The NIKEN fleet is being made available as Italy makes the transition from lockdown to more normal life and will be a key component in the efforts to contain the virus in a country that has suffered greatly these past months.
Paolo Pavesio, Director Marketing and Motorsports:
“Mobility will be key as countries make the transition from lockdown to normality, especially for humanitarian organisations like the Red Cross, who continue to play a vital role in supporting medical services across Europe. The NIKEN fleet with which Yamaha normally provides support to cycling’s main events in Europe is the ideal mobility solution for the Red Cross, providing a form of transport that will allow staff to deliver medical support, medicines or food to those who need it, whilst minimising contact during these essential journeys. I would like to thank RCS Sport for their assistance with providing this service to the Italian Red Cross.”
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