“For us it is all a question of safety” - Tour de Suisse 2025 introduces GPS tracking and enhanced route analysis in major safety overhaul
Cycling
In a significant move to enhance rider safety, the
organisers of the 2025 Tour de Suisse have announced several new measures ahead
of this year’s race, including the introduction of an advanced GPS-based
tracking system.
The decision comes in the wake of tragic incidents that have
shaken the sport. In 2023, Swiss rider Gino Mäder lost his life following a
high-speed crash during the Tour de Suisse. Just a year later, at the 2024 UCI
World Championships in Zurich, Muriel Furrer also died after a crash, further
fuelling calls for improved safety standards in professional cycling.
Furrer’s death occurred during particularly shocking
circumstances, as she lay isolated in the woods next to where she had initially
crashed before someone spotted her. This prompted serious questions to the UCI,
and the sport as a whole, as to how they did not react sooner, or why they did
not realise she was missing.
Tour de Suisse race director Olivier Senn outlined the steps
being taken in an interview with Cycling Pro Net, highlighting a shift towards
greater oversight and expert involvement.
"We have taken several precautions. First of all, all
the safety measures we will adopt will be verified by external experts who will
analyse our documents and decision-making processes with an independent
perspective. We have also reorganised the risk analysis of the route. In the
past, there were one or two people who had this task, but now there will be
five people.
“They will study each stage, identify any possible risk
points and take measures to reduce the dangers. In particular, we will have to
identify the curves that will be taken at high speed to take the appropriate
measures to secure them. The plan is to place workers near those curves, in
addition to using protection and informing the teams in advance in order to
minimise the risks.”
A central component of this year’s safety revamp is the
rollout of a new GPS monitoring system. All bikes will be fitted with small
tracking devices designed to detect irregularities such as sudden speed
changes, route deviation, or prolonged stationary periods.
"We hope that everyone will decide to use this system.
All bikes will be equipped with a small tracker that will sound an alarm in the
event of particular anomalies, such as the bike remaining stationary for 30
seconds, leaving the route or rapidly changing speed. In these cases we will be
immediately informed and will be able to react. All this information will be
managed by the Security Command Center that will keep an eye on the entire
race.”
However, the GPS initiative has not been universally
welcomed within the peloton. Some teams have raised concerns over how the
collected data might be used, particularly fears it could be exploited
commercially.
"There are doubts about the possibility that the data
collected will be used for commercial purposes. So it was decided that the
organizers cannot make these GPS systems mandatory. For us it is all a question
of safety, not commercial. We have introduced the possibility of not using this
system, but those who do so will assume the risks.”
With pressure mounting on race organisers across the
calendar to protect riders more effectively, the Tour de Suisse's 2025 approach
signals a more comprehensive and tech-integrated model. Whether teams will
widely adopt the new systems remains to be seen, but the message from
organisers is clear: rider safety is the priority, and the tools to improve it
are finally being put in place.
Hopefully, we will see a safe race in Switzerland for the
peloton next month, and in all the races going forward.
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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