Deloitte and Team Dimension Data pair up to develop real-time analytics application ahead of Tour de France

• Deloitte extends sponsorship with Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka

• Cutting edge data pooling and analytics technology will take performance to new levels in continuous evolution in ‘smart’ cycling advances;

• Performance analytics seen as the new battleground for professional sport.

NEW YORK, NY, USA, 29 June 2017—Deloitte has extended its sponsorship of Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka, Africa’s first UCI Professional Continental Cycling Team. Through the Qhubeka charity’s #BicyclesChangeLives campaign, Deloitte and Team Dimension Data are making an impact that matters by giving bicycles to students in South Africa, providing mobility to access education and an opportunity to make their own path in life.

Deloitte recently developed cutting-edge data analytics technology to meet the demands of professional cycling in-race conditions. “Deloitte shares a common vision with Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka to advance the sport of cycling through technology innovation,” said Jim Moffatt, Deloitte Managing Partner, Global Consulting. “Deloitte is thrilled to provide leading digital capabilities to help the team both train and race smarter, while gaining competitive advantage through the use of advanced analytics. I have no doubt Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka will accomplish great things this year. Deloitte looks forward to the continued partnership while supporting Qhubeka’s social impact mission.”

Working side by side with Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka’s sports directors, Deloitte has created two apps, Deloitte Smart Map and Deloitte Race Monitor, that will help the team make critical decisions in real-time during professional cycling races. Both apps work together by collating and analyzing open source data. This information is then displayed on an easy-to-use platform that can be accessed by the team’s sports director from anywhere using a tablet or laptop. Hundreds of different datasets are analyzed, from athlete performance to competitor tactics to course conditions.

“Professional sports teams have long been using data to make incremental gains in performance. The challenge, across all sports disciplines, is how to obtain and analyze live data in real-time, as this is the step change required to make strategic decisions during a race or competitive match,” said Mike Manby, lead partner for Performance Analytics in Deloitte UK. “This challenge is most pronounced in competitive cycling, where teams have to contend with varying terrain and demanding environments over long distances. Deloitte’s real-time analytics platform is truly unique and a potential game-changer for professional sport. It will provide team directors with critical information to make informed strategic decisions mid-race, and this could be the difference between winning and losing.”

Race Monitor tracks changes within a race stage, such as a breakaway from the peloton or an accident, enabling team directors to immediately understand situations and make informed decisions mid-race. It also integrates multiple data sources to provide a holistic view of each cyclist and identify the riders who have a competitive advantage during a race. Deloitte Smart Map is a mapping visualization application, charting the race route and highlighting course features that require quick tactical decisions, such as changes in elevation, hairpin turns or significant weather issues.

“I have been so impressed by the capabilities that Deloitte has brought to our team. We have already seen the positive impact it has had on our training and race performance,” added Doug Ryder, team principal of Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka. “We truly believe that Deloitte’s ability to deliver a real-time solution enabled by cutting-edge technology will contribute greatly to our success as we continue to build a world-class team.”

Following successful trials at the Tour de Yorkshire and the Critérium du Dauphiné, the Deloitte technology will be fully implemented for Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka as they ride in the Tour de France, from 1 – 23 July 2017.

As used in this press release, “Deloitte” refers only to the Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited member firms.

About Deloitte

Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee (“DTTL”), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL (also referred to as “Deloitte Global”) does not provide services to clients. Please see www.deloitte.com/about to learn more about our global network of member firms.

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About Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka

Founded in 2007, Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka became the first ever African cycling team to gain a WorldTour license, in 2016. In the team’s palmares you can find a Milan-Sanremo victory, numerous stage wins at the Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana, two Tour of Britain GC victories, and 36 National Championships. The team has bases in South Africa, the Netherlands and Italy. It’s also known as Africa’s Team due to its focus on helping African talents to the world stage of cycling. The team races to raise funds for the Qhubeka Charity to change lives with bicycles in Africa. #DoYourPart and gift a bicycle or part of a bicycle, by clicking here.

Qhubeka is an Nguni word that means “to progress”, “to move forward”. Qhubeka (qhubeka.org) partners with communities, public sector, private sector, and non-profit organisations to provide people with bicycles in return for working to improve their community, environment or school attendance.

Dimension Data (dimensiondata.com) uses the power of technology to help organisations achieve great things in the digital era. As a member of the NTT Group, we accelerate our clients’ ambitions through digital infrastructure, hybrid cloud, workspaces for tomorrow, and cybersecurity. With a turnover of USD 7.5 billion, offices in 58 countries, and 31,000 employees, we deliver wherever our clients are, at every stage of their technology journey. We’re proud to be the Official Technology Partner of Amaury Sport Organisation, organiser of the Tour de France, and the title partner of the cycling team, Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka.

Learn more about the team at www.africasteam.com.