At the GP de Quebec and GP de Montreal, Velon has teamed up with race organisers Groupe Serdy to provide "riders' speed, cadence, power, heart rate and position" during the broadcast. In total, 104 riders in the peloton will be providing the data with four riders from the 11 Velon teams and Movistar, 60 from the other teams, and the entire Team Canada squad.
Velon CEO Graham Bartlett explained the announcement is another important moment for Velon and demonstrates the growing interest for on-screen data from the fans.
"Our experience tells us that they really appreciate being able to monitor real-time rider data alongside great broadcast coverage and the teams are enthusiastic about using innovative technology to make fans more connected to the sport," Barlett said.
Sébastien Arsenault, President and CEO of Groupe Serdy, further explained last year's race was an important test and is looking forward to the full product during the broadcast of both WorldTour races.
"We're thrilled to be partnering with Velon on this project, and delighted that the cyclists are so optimistic about it," said Arsenault. "None of this would have been possible today were it not for the work done in collaboration with a number of the teams during the 2015 races.
The data will be broadcast on the feeds from TVA Sports, Eurosport, race website www.gpcqm.ca, with complementary data available via www.velon.cc.
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"With this innovation, we're taking the TV experience to another level entirely. Our races are already broadcast on TV in over 130 countries and now fans all over the world will be able see the benefits of our innovation," added Arsenault.
Aggressive Beppu completes grand tour set
Trek-Segafredo's Fumiyuki Beppu spent stage 17 of the Vuelta a Espana in the breakaway, animating the race to the extent that the race jury awarded him the most combative prize. The Japanese rider is making his debut at the Vuelta a Espana having previosuly ridden the Tour de France in 2009 and the Giro d'Italia on four occasions.
The 33-year-old had Quentin Jaurégui (AG2R-La Mondiale), Pierre Rolland (Cannondale-Drapac), Mattia Cattaneo (Lampre-Merida), and Louis Vervaeke (Lotto Soudal) for company in the breakaway. While the breakaway was caught with 11km to race into Gandía, Beppu's aggressive showing earned his the combative award to go with his red dossard from stage 21 of the 2009 Tour, and Giro award.
"I had already taken the prize for the most combative rider on the Giro and on the Tour de France and now I've claimed it on the Vuelta. It's my personal slam. We were not enough in the break to make it go all the way. I'm happy to finish my sixth Grand Tour," said Beppu.
The prize was also Beppu's second of the season having been adjudged the most aggressive rider at the Jayco Herald Sun Tour in February.
Wilier Triestina-Southeast contract extensions for Liam Bertazzo and Matteo Busato
Bertazzo will remain with the team until the end of the 2018 season with the 24-year-old impressing the squad during his Giro d'Italia debut and sixth place at the Dwars Door Het Hageland. The sprinter also represented Italy at the Rio Olympic Games on the track.
All-rounder Busato, 28, signed a one-year extension having recorded top-ten stage results at the Giro d'Italia, Giro del Trentino, Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali and most recently the Tour du Poitou Charentes.
Campenaerts ready for Vuelta TT in Belgian national skin suit
LottoNL-Jumbo's Victor Campenaerts is ready for his first time trial in a grand tour and the Belgian champion against the clock and is aiming to make a mark in the 37km test from Xàbia to Calp.
"Victor Campenaerts can not wait to start tomorrow, before we go to the hotel, we are going to see a bit of it in the car. The stage will not surprise many because they come here to train in the winter," said director sportif Addy Engels.
The 24-year-old won his first elite national title in June, debuting the Belgian skin suit at the Tour de Pologne where he was fifth in the final day time trial. In the four time trials he has ridden in 2016, Campenaerts has finished top-ten and was 18th in the Paris-Nice Prologue. A crash in the Tour de Romainde prologue saw him finish 160th from 160 starters in what has otherwise been a good season of time trial results.
"It will be the first time for Campenaerts to race a time trial in a grand tour, so we want to see what he can do. He is motivated, at least for tomorrow," added Engels
