The traditional Swiss watch manufacturer Tissot is known for its high-quality and sporty timepieces. For over 50 years, Tissot has been closely associated with the ASO, the organizer of renowned cycling events such as the Tour de France, and serves as the official timekeeper. Tissot is also a key partner of Eschborn-Frankfurt, one of Germany's most important one-day races, responsible for timing, photo finishes, and intermediate standings.
Tissot in cycling
In cycling, minutes and seconds are the units of measurement for athletic performance. To ensure that everything is above board, Tissot has long relied on its expertise. Tissot's job is complicated and demanding, but it has a long tradition. From the photo-finish system of 1948 to Tissot's live time trials in the 1970s, timekeeping has developed rapidly. In the 1980s, photoelectric cells for sprint speeds came onto the market, and in 1991 the transition from silver to digital film took place. In 1992, real-time transmission was introduced, and in 1995, precision reached 1000 frames per second. Bicycle frames with transponders also appeared, and in 2014 the photo-finish system was already achieving 10.000 frames per second. By integrating the Precision Time Protocol, synchronization now achieves an accuracy of one thousandth of a second.
The current system distributes real-time data across multiple platforms, with 8 to 15 timekeepers accurately recording the position and speed of each rider. The Swiss watchmaker uses this to carefully monitor the rankings and watch out for unexpected events such as crashes, breakdowns or penalties. Like the Tour de France, the Deutschland Tour is a network of races within the race, differentiated classifications and constantly changing positions, which Tissot, as the official timing partner, must perfectly track and communicate. Thanks to Tissot's many years of experience in the field of timekeeping for cycling races, the company is able to master these complex tasks so that fans all over the world can immerse themselves in the action thanks to the know-how provided by Tissot. Even in millimetre-decisions, such as sprint finishes, Tissot experts must name the winner within a few seconds of the finish line.
