Visma-Lease a Bike presents high-tech rolling control room for the Tour de France

The Visma-Lease a Bike team has long been known for its eagerness and ability to find new angles to impact and improve performance. From innovative time trial helmets to attacking Grand Tours with a three-leader strategy, the Killer Bees are never afraid of the unconventional.

It’s no surprise then that the team recently announced its new rolling control room, a team-branded van packed with cutting-edge technology and equipment to assist team principals and riders in real-time.

The van, sponsored in part by online sportsbook BETCITY, will use available information such as race footage and commentary, real-time weather reports and race radio to adjust and refine their strategies during races.

“We are very pleased to have been able to develop the Control Room with our innovative partners, which allows us to collect and analyze even more live data and have a better overview of the race,” said Mathieu Heijboer, Visma performance manager. This will allow us to support the coaches in the car and help them make the best possible tactical decisions more quickly.

The team has confirmed that the rolling control room will be used throughout the Tour de France, which begins in Florence this Saturday, when its GC man Jonas Vingegaard attempts to win the race for the third year in a row.

“We are excited to provide ongoing software expertise through the control room to help the Visma-Lease a Bike team do their best,” added Merete Hverven, CEO of Visma, a software company based in Norway. “Together we are innovating elite cycling, demonstrating the power of digital solutions to support decision-making and improve performance, not only for business and society, but also across the world of sport.”

Given the terrible season Visma-Lease a Bike is having (a far cry from last year, when the team won all three Grand Tours), they can use all the help they can get.

Of course, the headline-grabbing crash at the Tour of the Basque Country eliminated Vingegaard and seriously damaged his chances of a triple. The team took another blow earlier this week with the news that its super servant, climbing ace and reigning Vuelta a España winner, Sepp Kuss, was ruled out of the Tour after contracting COVID-19.

The only bright spot for the team this season is that of Matteo Jorgenson, who was something of a revelation last year having made a name for himself with a courageous attack in Puy de Dôme (driving for Movistar) . He has since won Paris-Nice and Dwars door Vlaanderen, and just a few weeks ago he finished second at the all-important Critérium du Dauphiné.

Beyond the successes of Jorgenson and the isolated victories of Jonas Vingegaard in Tirreno-Adriatico and Olav Kooij during the 9th stage of the Giro d’Italia, Visma is far from his typical world champion form.

Perhaps a rolling computer providing essential data to team leaders and riders is just what Visma needs to get back into shape.

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