Shimano will replace Mavic as the neutral support partner of Tour de France and Paris-Roubaix organizer Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), ASO announced Tuesday.

In 2020, Mavic was placed into receivership following the failed 2018 sale of the company, which put 250 employees at risk. Last July, the Bourrelier Group bought Mavic and announced a restructuring that would stop the company's expansion into shoes, helmets, apparel, and other accessories and focus on its main specialty, wheels.

At the time, the new owners did not say whether they would continue Mavic's 40-year contract, renewed the previous year through 2022, to provide neutral support for ASO races.

Now, as Shimano celebrates its 100th anniversary, the Japanese component maker has signed a contract to support most of cycling's major events.

For the past 20 years, Shimano has provided neutral support services at some of the world's biggest races, including the Tour de Flanders, Amstel Gold, Vuelta a España, and Giro d'Italia. [ASO's WorldTour, Continental, and women's races, including the Tour de France, Vuelta a España, Paris-Nice, Criterium du Dauphiné, and prestigious one-day classics such as Paris-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and La Fleche Wallonne and women's races, all of which will feature Shimano's iconic blue support cars.

In the event of mechanical problems or crashes, riders will receive assistance from Shimano's neutral support team, regardless of which groupset they are using.

"As we celebrate our 100th anniversary, we are very pleased to mark another page in the sport's history. We are proud to announce a partnership that will provide neutral support for ASO events." That means we will provide top-notch support at ASO events to get riders back on the road and back to racing." [ASO Managing Director Jan Le Moener added, "We are very pleased to extend our partnership with an innovative manufacturer like Shimano. We are very pleased to extend our partnership with an innovative company like Shimano. Being able to partner with Shimano, a family business and pioneer in the cycling world, for all professional and amateur cycling events is a testament to our commitment to providing excellent support not only to our athletes, but to all cyclists who participate in our events "

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Shimano's first race event of the year will be Paris-Nice, with the blue support vehicle first engaged in Saint-Sir-Recor on Sunday, March 7.