There’s going to be one more team car at the Tour de France for Visma – Lease a bike, but it’s unlike anything we’ve seen before in cycling. The Dutch powerhouse will have a mobile ‘control room’ to help staff analyze the race and make real-time decisions.
The van is a collaboration between title sponsor Visma, a business software company, and BetCity, a Dutch online sports betting provider. It uses modern technology to analyze real-time data during the stages which is then relayed to the team cars in the caravan. That data includes TV footage, weather information, and race radio to optimize race decisions. Visma’s data collection and visualization, along with BetCity’s “insights”, will be an additional tool for the staff during the race.
A van with tech to help guide the team
The high-tech van with advanced software, will be there starting on Stage 1 on Saturday. The mobile unit allows the team to stay fully engaged in the race and coordinate seamlessly with the performance team, according to head of performance Mathieu Heijboer.
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“We are very happy that we were able to develop the Control Room with our innovative partners. It allows us to collect and analyze even more live data and get a better overview of the race,” he said. This will enable us to support the coaches in the car and help them make the best possible tactical decisions faster.”
The Visma – LAB team recently announced that the defending champion Jonas Vingegaard will be there to race, after months of speculation. Although his fitness is said to be back, it’s unclear if it’s enough to win. He was unable to do any of the pre-Tour leadup races, but was training with some big rides in the French Alps in June.
Visma for the win?
The software company Visma, is excited to offer its expertise to the team—to be more than just a name on the jersey.
“We are thrilled to provide continued software expertise via the Control Room to help Team Visma – Lease a Bike perform their best,” Visma CEO Merete Hverven said. Together, we are breaking new ground in elite-level cycling. It demonstrates the power of digital solutions to support decision-making and improve performance. Not just for business and society, but also in the world of sport.”
Check out the brain on wheels below.
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