A week before the start of the 2011 Haute Route, a new multi-stage cycling event between Geneva and Nice across the legendary Alpine passes, the organizers announce the implementation of a geolocation system for the riders throughout the entire week.
The Haute Route will thus become the first cyclosportive in the world to provide the entire peloton with a live tracking service. In addition to the leaders in the overall standings and the organization’s vehicles, 15% of the riders will be equipped with a tracker on each stage.
This way, each participant will benefit from this service at least once during the seven days of the race.
Rémi Duchemin, CEO of OC ThirdPole, explains the stakes of this exceptional setup: “In terms of communication, it’s an incredible tool that allows family and friends to follow their champion’s progress live on our website. It’s a real added value for all those who can’t be there in person! The second advantage is the improvement of safety. The Haute Route is a long and demanding event; it’s important to know the distribution of the peloton on the course, especially in case of worsening weather conditions. By equipping the race vehicles, as well as 50 riders daily, we have a comprehensive view of the stage’s progress and can make decisions more calmly and with full knowledge of the situation.”
The trackers, each weighing 80 grams, will be distributed to the riders before the start of the stage. Competitors will carry them during the race and return them to the organization after crossing the finish line.
The French company GPS4YOU is behind this technology, as explained by its director, Pascal Thiriot: “The trackers will transmit each rider’s position in real time, thanks to a combination of GPS and GPRS technologies. Lightweight and compact, they have a potential autonomy of several days, which will be sufficient to cover the Haute Route’s needs, even on the marathon stage between Bourg-St-Maurice and Serre Chevalier!”
The official Haute Route website (www.hauteroute.org) will feature a dynamic map on its homepage to follow the riders by entering their name or bib number.
Additionally, the Haute Route organizers have just published their commitments to ensure that the Haute Route leaves no trace of its passage.
Jean-François Alcan, Race Director, specifies: “The 2011 course crosses the Alps from north to south, passing near protected and sensitive areas. Fully aware of the privilege of traversing such beautiful mountain regions, we are committed to implementing a program aimed at respecting the natural environments and the local populations who, throughout the year, work to preserve their environment. For it to be effective, this commitment must be shared by everyone: organizers, riders, supporters, spectators, partners, and journalists.”
The 2011 Haute Route has decided to focus its environmental protection actions around six key commitments:
- The careful selection of products at the refreshment points
- The limitation of paper usage
- The careful management of waste
- The awareness, with the presence of three EcoCyclo patrols within the peloton
- The regulation, with the decision to exclude from the standings any rider caught disposing of waste along the course
- The relations with authorities (Natura 2000, city charters…)
