Tour de France partners with Dimension Data to leverage machine learning, analytics
- by Virginia Carter
- in World Media
- — Jul 1, 2017
This year a 32-year-old from Launceston might be ready to repeat Cadel Evans' fantastic feat.
Reigning champion Chris Froome and leading rival Richie Porte are both strong time triallists.
No, Porte would not feel the need to have his friend and great rival nobbled, judging by the confidence that seemed to radiate from his toned, Tasmanian torso at the official BMC Tour de France press conference.
"This year at the Tour de France I will live a new experience, because I'll have the freedom of taking my opportunities", said Swift, 29.
The platform is expected to create and analyse over three billion data points during the 21 stages of the Tour, a significant increase from last year's 128 million data points.
The group Dimension Data, a tech partner for the Tour de France, is tapping into "machine learning and predictive analytics", they say to make estimates not only each stage victor but whether the peloton can catch up to breakaway riders-or the likelihood on whether a particular rider can beat their rivals on a mountain stage.
Team Sky have been untouchable, and while Chris Froome's form entering the race appears spotty, he's once again the clear favourite for the yellow jersey.
"Froome is still the favourite".
The 2017 Tour de France will begin tomorrow (Saturday).
"Froome was willing to be aggressive and attack, which he's promised to do on the Tour, plus he's got a very experienced team (and) the experience of winning it himself three times".
"This is the biggest race and this is the big goal", Porte said.
"I've finished second a few times and had some thirds so I'd like to change that", Porte told The Examiner. "The Giro was good and I've arrived here with good legs". I've been in the service of others and so to be outright leader, the faith that BMC is putting on me, I'd like to repay it.
I have taken a much more relaxed start to the year.
It's expected that over three billion data points will be created and analysed over the 21 stages of the Tour, up from 128 billion a year ago.
For one, there is no shortage of rivals in the dominant Dauphine rider Richie Porte, Colombian climber Nairo Quintana and previous Tour victor Alberto Contador.
Froome is race shy - prior to the Dauphine this season he had had just 19 days in the saddle competitively - but at Team Sky, where everything is tweaked to within an inch of its life, there is method to this potential madness. When you have big GC contenders that are really good on the climbs, obviously for them the challenge is to ensure they perform really well on those big stages.
"That's going to favour someone who's courageous enough and good enough to go on the attack".
