The annual Tour de France cycling event starts July 1, and NTT, which has been the official technology partner of the event for the past eight years, is leveraging artificial intelligence and digital twin technology to enhance fan experiences.
This year’s event will carry special significance, as it features not only the men’s Tour de France race, but also the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, the inaugural women’s race in the series, which will start on the Champs-Élysées in Paris 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 st 2022 in La Super Planche des Belles Filles.
One of the fan experience’s NTT is enabling is called the Digital Human, which employs an interactive kiosk featuring an AI-generated realistic human avatar, 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 of the 21-stage race, according to NTT.
For the second consecutive year, NTT also has created an enhanced digital twin of the cycling event to enable predictive modeling capabilities. This allows event staff to gain real-time visibility and ultimately streamline operations to ensure the continuity and resilience of the race. This year, the technology has enhanced connectivity to provide smarter event operations, enabling quicker, more informed decisions in a highly complex and ever-changing environment, NTT said.
Also, NTT has partnered with Strava, a social network and mobile application for runners and cyclists that allows tracking and other capabilities, to support a live storytelling channel, @letourdata, that will provide real-time comparisons between amateurs, pros, and King of the Mountain (or fastest known times) to social media and broadcast channels during the race.
With female cycling on the rise, NTT said it sees an opportunity to showcase the sport, while supporting it with cutting-edge technology.
“There is still much more work to be done to achieve equality in cycling, but we’re extremely passionate about doing what we can to increase the accessibility of the sport. Our technology means we can bring the action to more fans than ever before,” said Michele McGuire,
Vice President of Managed Services Delivery, Europe at NTT Ltd. “When it comes to the technology, both races are highly dynamic and require access to real-time information
to ensure continuous and smooth operations while creating more informed and engaged fans. NTT’s full stack of solutions and expertise will continue to support the A.S.O. [event organizer in Amaury Sport Organisation] transforming the famous race.”