There’s been a lot of talk and writing recently about Visma|Lease A Bike’s advanced control room, a sort of van that collects the data most relevant to race strategy. Or does it actually have another purpose?
Although the data collection vehicle is seen as a new technological step forward for the teams, the UCI was not immediately satisfied. The International Cycling Union launched an investigation into the validity of the new device “in accordance with the current regulations”. The Union stated that it wanted to ensure equal access to technological tools and maintain “the superiority of man over machine”. These principles were appreciated by the UCI, and ultimately the UCI and ASO decided to reject the certification of the vehicle just before the start of the Tour.
For Killer Bee Formation CEO Richard Plagge, this may seem a bit disappointing at first glance, but he told IDLProCycling.com and other Italian media that it wasn’t so bad: “I think our control room is a cool innovation, and in my opinion cycling certainly needs innovation in some areas. The UCI didn’t give us a sticker to be part of a ‘team’ during the race, but we didn’t ask for it either. At the end of the day, it’s a control room and nothing else. So it’s fine for the vehicle to stay somewhere outside the race, for example at the finish line, where it can be fully operated from.”
Plugge and Visma | Lease a Bike are curious about UCI and ASO’s motivations
“As a team, we are naturally obliged to follow the UCI’s rules. There were several reasons for their decision,” the former journalist continued, “so I asked them to send me the specific regulations on which these considerations were based. So I’m very interested to see what decision they will make and what the real reasons behind it are.”
It looks like it will continue. “In the end, it remains an interesting concept,” Plugge concluded. “A lot of team leaders have already messaged me with compliments and questions. This could be a good addition for the future of the sport. Ultimately, we’re all in it. As Visma | Lease a Bike, we want to be a driving force for innovation, so we’ll definitely keep working on things like that.”
“It seems like something new, but maybe it’s not entirely new,” concluded the 54-year-old Dutch driver. “Every team is always on the phone in one way or another during the race. This is a useful additional tool to keep the people involved informed. It’s mainly an idea from a safety point of view. Team leaders in the motorcade get a bit more space and only have to deal with one source of information instead of several. I don’t think anyone would be against such a safety idea.”
