Velon and EY launch new VelonLive data-tracking system

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The Velon business group, which represents 11 UCI WorldTour teams, has partnered with digital services company EY to create VelonLive, which is described as "a suite of digital services designed to provide enhanced performance insights and make road cycling more accessible and engaging for millions of fans around the world".

Since its inception in 2014, Velon has sought to provide cycling fans with on-board camera footage – akin to that seen in Formula One motor racing – and real-time information such as riders' speed, cadence and power. The launch of VelonLive coincides with the start of the Giro d'Italia in Bologna on May 11.

"EY is the organisation that can take our business and the sport of cycling as a whole to a completely different level in terms of fan experience," said Velon CEO Graham Bartlett.

"The best teams and riders in the world will bring the races alive both for the fans and our race partners, thanks to the knowledge in data and digital analytics EY provides. EY transforms businesses; we want our collaboration to transform a global sport," he said.

VelonLive has the support of Velon's member teams and riders, including Team Ineos' Geraint Thomas, who is currently preparing to defend his Tour de France title this summer, and 2017 Giro champion Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb), who will start at the Giro later this month.

"I'm all for offering fans as much insight into cycling as we can, and EY and Velon have done a brilliant job of opening up the data side of the sport," Thomas said.

"For elite cyclists, racing is a passion," said Dumoulin. "Sharing our race data with fans adds a new, exciting dimension to the sport, and it's great that we can make fans part of our journey in better and closer ways than ever before."

Velon's live rider data has already been shown this season to viewers of the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race in Australia, the UAE Tour and Belgian one-day Classic the Tour of Flanders.