The Amaury Sports Organisation (ASO) has appointed a community-based navigation app, Waze, as the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes’ official traffic manager, with the platform used to assist and guide fans plan journeys and lessen the effects caused by specific cycling races.
This year’s men’s Tour will span over 4,000 kilometres of public roads throughout four countries, while the debut women’s occasion will cover 1,029 kilometres. Street closures are an inevitable requirement for both events which will ensure the safe and uninterrupted passage of riders and other vehicles.
Waze uses data from over 140 million users to provide drivers with more precise, actual info about traffic situations, road hazards, and closures, allowing them to plan their journeys more successfully and obtain the best possible directions on the go.
Waze’s community of editors will keep updating maps with real-time street closures, the start and finish points of each stage, momentary car parks, and live traffic speeds for the Tour de France, allowing drivers to avert the race and proceed on their journeys.
This data could be used by anyone who wants to follow the race, such as finding parking spots, the best viewpoint in town, or the perfect camping spot in the mountains.
Moreover, the three-year plan covers a sponsorship component, with Waze branding appearing on safety vehicles and a guest car in the caravan itself.
Julien Goupil, Media and Partnerships Director at the ASO, said, “This year, the Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will cover 4,357 km of roads. Each stage requires safety measures and traffic adjustments. Waze’s acclaimed expertise is an invaluable asset for the Tour de France experience for spectators and professionals who follow us on a daily basis. They will have better guidance to reach the points of passage of the Tour’s champions. This partnership will bring spectators closer to the race.”
Christophe Lautier, Waze Map Editor, said, “After contributing to Waze for eight years, it’s an honour to be extending the app’s usefulness across the four countries and 21 stages of the Tour de France and the 8 stages of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2022. Our group of over 30 map editors will work closely with the Waze team to improve fans’ experiences throughout the Tour, arming them with the real-time insights they need to follow the action and outsmart traffic along the way.”
Waze has over 300 event collaborators who use the platform that helps visitors navigate, and it has previously worked with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), Formula 1‘s French Grand Prix along with European football teams LOSC Lille and AS Roma.