Tadej Pogačar will be using Avery Dennison near field communication tech throughout the race.
This summer, as Tadej Pogačar takes aim at his third win of the Tour de France, his new DMT Pogi cycling shoes will be equipped with NFC technology, marking a first for the race.
This new tech will provide the cyclist with a way to transmit “in case of emergency details” digitally.
The double winner of the race will have NFC technology in his shoes that makes it possible to provide “in case of emergency” (ICE) details through contactless tech in his footwear. The tech works through a tag within his shoes. Though carrying contact information doesn’t sound like much, elite cyclists tend to have a preference for a riding experience that is as light as possible. As a result, being able to skip the need to carry physical copies of documentation such as emergency contacts and medical records can be highly appealing.
Instead of needing physical copies of those details, it is saved digitally in a tiny chip that will go anywhere the cyclist goes, provided he wears his shoes. Should anything happen to Tadej Pogačar, responders can simply tap a device against his shoe and obtain all the information they need to make quick, appropriate decisions.
Following the race, DMT Cycling will use this test to decide whether to expand the use of NFC technology.
DMT Cycling will consider the expansion of the NFC technology tags across more of its range. It will work with Avery Dennison partner ICE-KEY. This has been a priority for Roberto Simonelli, its CEO, who has been working to enhance athlete safety using this tech for years. It was Simonelli who pioneered the agreement between Tadej Pogačar and DMT Cycling, not only bringing on this tech test, but also raising awareness regarding safety issues in cycling.
“Tadej is pioneering a ‘first’ for cycling which we are looking forward to introducing across our range,” said DMT Cycling product creator Nicola Minali. “Cyclists of all abilities want to take as little as possible out on a ride with them but they also want to ensure their own safety. Embedding NFC within shoes is the perfect solution and means that the cyclist never need worry they have left such important details at home.”
