NTT Ltd., an IT infrastructure and services company, is enhancing the fan experience across the Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. The 2022 event will see the inaugural women’s race, which will start on the Champs-Élysées on July 24, prior to the conclusion of the men’s race on the same day.
The women’s race will feature 24 teams of six riders and will conclude on July 31 in La Super Planche des Belles Filles. NTT has been the official technology partner to the Tour de France for the past eight years.
For the first time and at a time when interest in women’s cycling is on the rise, NTT will bring fans closer to the action and shine a light on this notable occasion through the implementation of live tracking telemetry, the Race Center and its predictive modeling strategy to support the Tour de France avec Zwift. The model also includes @letourdata, the data-driven storytelling social media and broadcast content. Rider and team profiles will uncover insights into the women’s pro peloton.
In addition, NTT alongside A.S.O. will deliver new and enhanced digital experiences to engage fans at home and along the roadside. These experiences include:
- The Digital Human – NTT has developed an interactive kiosk featuring an AI-generated realistic human avatar, which is trained on the relevant race and tourist information. This technology will be deployed at the official fan store at the Grand Depart in Copenhagen and in NTT’s Technical Truck at the end of every stage.
- An enhanced digital twin – Last year, NTT created a digital twin of the event which enabled operations staff to gain real-time visibility and ultimately streamline operations to ensure the continuity and resilience of the race. This year, the technology has been improved to be more connected to provide smarter event operations, enabling quicker, more informed decisions in a highly complex and ever-changing environment.
- Strava partnership – NTT’s live storytelling channel, @letourdata, in collaboration with Strava, will bring real-time comparisons among amateurs, pros and King of the Mountain (or fastest known times) to social media and the broadcast during the race.
To learn more, visit: https://services.global.ntt/tourdefrance
