The Tour de Suisse is pioneering the safety of professional cycling with an unprecedented initiative: all bicycles and accompanying vehicles, in both the men's race (15-22 June) and the women's race (12-15 June), will be equipped with GPS trackers.

This major innovation comes in response to the tragic losses of Gino Mäder at the 2023 Tour de Suisse and Muriel Furrer at the Junior World Championships in Zurich, with the aim of dramatically improving response times in the event of an accident.

How the system works

A dedicated security center will monitor GPS signals, TV feeds, and even a weather radar in real time. The system is programmed to raise an alarm in three specific situations:

- If a tracker remains still for 30 seconds

- If an abnormal change in speed is recorded

- If a runner leaves the pre-established course

An investment for life

The organizers of the Tour de Suisse have invested around 50,000 Swiss francs in this technology, becoming the first cycling race in the world to implement such a comprehensive rider tracking system.

Race director Olivier Senn stressed that although participation is voluntary for the teams, full participation is hoped for. Each bike will be equipped with a small tracker, while in the caravan each radio will be equipped with a GPS device.

For fantasy cycling fans, this could translate into more accurate, real-time data on rider positions, adding a new level of immersion to the game.

Sprint Cycling Photo