Security in focus: Tour de Suisse relies on GPS tracking after accidents

Security in focus: Tour de Suisse relies on GPS tracking after accidents

Security in cycling is increasingly important in the face of tragic events. After the fatal accidents of the cyclist Gino Mäder two years ago and Muriel Furrer last year, a comprehensive security system at Tour de Suisse is implemented. Tour director Olivier Senn has announced that new measures will be introduced from the Tour de Suisse 2025 to improve security.

A central innovation is the comprehensive driver and convoy tracking, which is used for the first time in the history of cycling. Each wheel is equipped with a GPS tracker. This tracker reacts with an alarm with exceptional abnormalities. The information gathered comes together in a specially designed security center that monitors the entire racing situation and can intervene immediately in the event of an incident. This security center has direct access to all TV cameras and a weather radar in order to be able to make optimal decisions.

the latest technology for more security

The security center will also record all routes and potential danger spots in advance. This information is available to the professional teams via the so-called Veloviewer system. According to Senn, there is no absolute security, but the new measures should help minimize the consequences of falls. "Flooring cannot be completely prevented, but we want to reduce the risks," he emphasizes.

To ensure that everyone involved in the race is always informed, a radio connection is set up, which transmits all relevant information. The entire racing convoy is also tracked in real time and displayed on screens in the security center. These comprehensive security measures should not only offer the athletes, but also the spectators a safe experience.

The introduction of these innovative security measures comes to the tragic incidents of recent years. Gino Mäder died in 2023 after a fall during the Tour de Suisse, while Muriel Furrer also died fatally at the junior's World Cup race in Zurich. The Tour de Suisse is now doing everything possible to avoid such accidents in the future and to ensure more security in cycling. These developments are a significant step towards a responsible and safe event in cycling.

For more information and details about the new security strategy, please visit [Laola1] (https://www.laola1.at/de/Red/sport-mix/radsport/world-tour/radsport ---gps-tracking-der-fahr-ge-suisse/), SRF or or Tagesspiegel.