The Tour de France is generally considered the highlight of the road bike ride and demands everything from its drivers. In 2025, the 112ᵉ edition of over 21 levels included around 3,338.8 km. Every second is important. Traditionally, the fans remember the legendary showdown of 1989, in which Greg Lemond Laurent Fignon, only 8 seconds, the closest edge of all time, anchored the heartbeat of the sports drama of sport. This year, 184 drivers who represented 23 teams took flat sprints, hilly battles, two individual time attempts and spectacular mountain stages. As an official timekeeper, Tissot plays a crucial role and delivers photofinish precision, transponder-based split-timing and real-time data crucial in order to transform this fast-moving endurance race into a dynamic, haunting experience for television viewers. We had the opportunity to visit the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team Performance Center in Chambéry when the Tour de France went through the region. It was also a unique opportunity to interview Tissot CEO Sylvain Dolla, who insights into the long-standing commitment of the brand for cycling and what it means to be the focus of one of the largest sporty glasses in the world.
Xavier Markl – Monochrome – How does the Tissot partnership match the cycling with the strategy of the brand?
Sylvain Dolla, CEO von Tissot – Sport has been part of our strategy for decades. We have been working with UCI (Union Cyclist Internationale) for cycling since 1995, which corresponds to three decades of commitment to professional cycling. Beyond the street race, Tissot supports the worldwide racing bike, mountain biking, cyclo cross and BMX events. For the Tour de France, Tissot initially served as an official timekeeper from 1988! It is aimed at our strategy because watches are emotional objects. Nothing creates emotions very much like sport. And when you talk about precision that is the essence of a Swiss watch, precision is of crucial importance. This year we already had two phases in which the winner had to be determined by a Tissot photo finish. Precision, endurance and emotions are completely part of Tissot. Cycling is important in our strategy. We focus on 3 main sports: basketball with NBA and FIBA, cycling and Moto GP. And then we have more “regional” sports such as hockey and rugby.
How else is Tissot not involved in the world of cycling? What are the different cycling partnerships in which the brand is involved?
We are the cycling brand. Tissot is the official timekeeper for some of the 21 most renowned breeds in the world organized by ASO (Amaury Sport Organization) – including the Tour de France, La Vuelta, the classics and the UCI World Championships. Our commitment also extends to other disciplines, such as. B. racing, departure and much more. As a timekeeper, we offer technology that is not just sponsorship. We are partners.
Why not sponsor a cycling team?
For simple and obvious reasons, it is not our intention. As an official timekeeper, we strive to stay neutral. Nevertheless, we have an ambassador on the tour, Primož Roglič because we believe that it is important to have a face to promote cycling. However, we do not plan to sponsor teams.
The Tour de France is one of the most viewed sporting events worldwide. How do you measure the effects of your partnership with the race?
The influence is huge. We have agencies that measure the return of the investment. To give a few numbers, the Tour de France was broadcast in 190 countries in 2024. It represents 100 television channels with 60 Rundfunk -Live. It represents over 1 billion hours of view in 2024! The online effect is also enormous. And the audience is surprisingly young.
What was the strategy for product publications in connection with cycling?
We present Tour de France Editions regularly. The current edition is the PR100 Tour de France. It has details inspired by the race, yellow touches, a black asphalt dial and a second hand in the form of a yellow bike. It is equipped with a three-row metal bracelet and an additional black BI material strap, which is inspired by handlebar handles.
How committed is Tissot in the logistical side of the timing such a complex and high operational event?
The setup on the Tour de France is really unique. The time measurement team uses a highly developed network of technology to ensure precise and reliable results. The sensors are embedded along the course, each bike is equipped with a transponder, and the photo cells are installed at the beginning and finish lines. High -speed cameras record 10,000 frames per second, so that we can analyze the analysis of milliseconds and guarantee absolute accuracy.
Every day we arrive early to connect and test all the devices, test time to race, to deliver live data and then to dismantle everything and move to the next city to do everything again. It is a race against the clock for three full weeks – every day. And within the race there are several races: general classification, points competition, king of the mountains, the best young driver and the team ranking. We offer every live data and help fans to follow every shift and development in real time.
There is a significant difference between street races and time studies: We usually use five time owners for a street stage, but, because of its technical complexity and the individual time requirements, need eight for a time trial.
You can find more information at tissot.com and tissottiming.com.
https://monochrome-watches.com/interview-tiss-ceo-sylvain-dolla-cycling-tourde-france-pr100-touch-Connect-Sport-Timekeeping/