UCI looking into Visma-Lease a Bike's Tour de France 'Control Room' after team unveils "high-tech van" for tactical analysis and real-time decisions

In an innovative first for the sport, Visma-Lease a Bike are planning on strengthening their Tour de France challenge by having staff stationed in a mobile 'Control Room' van that will "collect and analyse crucial real-time data such as live TV footage, weather forecasts, and race radio", enabling the team to "support the coaches in the car, and help them make the best possible tactical decisions faster". That is unless the UCI gets involved, of course...

Just hours after the Dutch squad — looking to pull off an improbable comeback from serious crash injuries sustained earlier in the year and help Jonas Vingegaard to a third consecutive yellow jersey — unveiled its new 'Control Room', a dreaded UCI statement dropped, confirming that the sport's governing body is "carrying out verifications to ensure that the setup put in place by the team is compliant with the regulatory framework in force".

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In short, the team said, in collaboration with team sponsor Visma (a "pioneer in business software") and Dutch online bookie BetCity, Visma-Lease a Bike planned to bring a mobile "nerve centre" to the Grand Tour.

Stationed within it, team staff could then relay information to the team cars that otherwise might be missed in the chaos of the race.

"The Control Room is a high-tech van, equipped with advanced software, making its debut during the Tour de France," the team explained. "With this mobile unit, the team can immerse itself directly in the race, ensuring perfect coordination with other members of the performance team.

𝐍𝐞𝐰! 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐦𝐚 | 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐚 𝐁𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥 𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐦 📡 🖥️

In the spirit of limitless thinking, and together with our partners Visma and BetCity, we proudly present this state-of-the-art innovation, enabling us to play smarter.… pic.twitter.com/uAgEYSNYFL

— Team Visma | Lease a Bike (@vismaleaseabike) June 27, 2024

"Our Control Room collects and analyses crucial real-time data such as live TV footage, weather forecasts, and race radio. This enables us to support the coaches in the car, and help them make the best possible tactical decisions faster.

"This innovation would not have been possible without the support of our main sponsor, Visma, a pioneer in business software, and their invaluable expertise in data collection and visualisation. BetCity, a Dutch provider of online sportsbetting, has also been a great support throughout the realisation process."

However, just as quick as news of the 'Control Room' spread, so too came the UCI statement, the sport's governing body stating that it had some "verifications" to carry out before we see the mobile tactics hub at the race.

The statement read: "Our priority is to maintain the integrity of the sport, ensuring sporting fairness, equitable access to technology and the primacy of man over machine. The UCI is committed to upholding these principles and will take appropriate measures based on the findings of the investigation."

Visma-Lease a Bike has not yet responded to the UCI's statement. Needless to say the 'Control Room' has not been particularly popular with the traditionalists, one cheery reply to the announcement on social media simply concluding: "Game has gone."

Another wrote: "Imagine professional cyclists being able to read a race and make decisions. Cycling is dull now."

However, many expressed excitement at the team embracing tech and innovation, even if others questioned how much valuable tactical advice could be garnered beyond telling everyone to follow Tadej Pogačar.

Time will tell whether we see 'The Control Room' at this year's Tour, the race getting underway in Florence this Saturday.