At The Heart Of The Tour de France With Sylvain Dolla, CEO of Tissot

Widely regarded as the pinnacle of road cycling, the Tour de France demands everything from its riders. In 2025, the 112ᵉ edition covered approximately 3,338.8 km over 21 stages. Every second matters. Traditionally, fans remember the legendary 1989 showdown where Greg LeMond edged Laurent Fignon by just 8 seconds, the narrowest margin ever, with precision timing the heartbeat of the sport’s drama. This year, 184 riders representing 23 teams took on flat sprints, hilly battles, two individual time trials and spectacular mountain stages. As Official Timekeeper, Tissot plays a pivotal role, delivering photo-finish precision, transponder-based split timing, and real-time data crucial to transform this fast-moving endurance race into a dynamic, immersive experience for TV viewers. We had the opportunity to visit the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale team performance centre in Chambéry, as the Tour de France was passing through the region. It was also a unique chance to interview Tissot CEO Sylvain Dolla, who shared insights into the brand’s long-standing commitment to cycling and what it means to be at the heart of one of the world’s greatest sporting spectacles.

Xavier Markl – MONOCHROME – How does Tissot’s partnership with cycling align with the brand’s strategy?

Sylvain Dolla, CEO of Tissot – Sport has been part of our strategy for decades. For cycling, we have been partnering with UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) since 1995, which represents three decades of commitment to professional cycling. Beyond road racing, Tissot supports track cycling, mountain biking, cyclo-cross, and BMX events globally. For the Tour de France, Tissot served as the Official Timekeeper initially from 1988! It aligns with our strategy because watches are emotional objects. Nothing creates emotion quite like sport. And when you talk about precision, which is the essence of a Swiss watch, precision is crucial. This year, we’ve already had two stages where the winner had to be determined by a Tissot photo finish. Precision, endurance and emotions are entirely part of Tissot. Cycling is important in our strategy. We focus on 3 main sports: Basketball with the NBA and FIBA, cycling and Moto GP. And then we have more “regional” sports such as hockey and rugby.

Beyond being the Official Timekeeper, how else is Tissot actively involved in the world of cycling? What are the different Cycling partnerships in which the brand is involved?

We are the brand of cycling. Tissot is the official timekeeper for some of the world’s 21 most prestigious races organised by ASO (Amaury Sport Organisation) —including the Tour de France, La Vuelta, the Classics, and the UCI World Championships. Our involvement extends beyond road cycling to other disciplines as well, such as track racing, downhill, and more. As timekeepers, we provide technology, which is not just sponsorship. We are partners.

Why not sponsor a cycling team?

It is not our intention, for simple and obvious reasons. As the official timekeeper, we strive to remain neutral. That said, we do have an ambassador on the Tour, Primož Roglič, because we believe it’s important to have a face to promote cycling. However, we do not plan to sponsor any teams.

The Tour de France is one of the most-watched sporting events worldwide. How do you measure the impact of your partnership with the race?

The impact is huge. We have agencies measuring the return on the investment. To give a few figures, the Tour de France was broadcast in 190 countries in 2024. It represents 100 TV channels, with 60 broadcasting live. It represents over 1 billion hours of views in 2024! The impact online is huge too. And the audience is surprisingly young.

What has been the strategy for product releases related to cycling?

We present Tour de France editions on a regular basis. The current edition is the PR100 Tour de France. It features details inspired by the race, yellow touches, a black asphalt dial and a second hand in the shape of a yellow bicycle. It comes with a three-row metal bracelet as well as an additional black bi-material strap inspired by handlebar grips.

How involved is Tissot in the logistical side of timing such a complex and high-stakes event? 

The setup on the Tour de France is truly unique. The timekeeping team deploys a sophisticated network of technology to ensure precise and reliable results. Sensors are embedded along the course, each bike is equipped with a transponder, and photocells are installed at the start and finish lines. High-speed cameras capture 10,000 frames per second, allowing us to analyse finishes down to the millisecond and guarantee absolute accuracy.

Every day, we arrive early to connect and test all devices, time the race, deliver live data, and then dismantle everything and move to the next city to do it all again. For three full weeks, it’s a race against the clock—every single day. And within the race, there are multiple races: general classification, points competition, King of the Mountains, best young rider, and team rankings. We provide live data for each, helping fans follow every shift and evolution in real time.

There’s a key difference between road races and time trials: we typically deploy five timekeepers for a road stage, but require eight for a time trial due to its technical complexity and individual timing demands.

For more information, please visit Tissot.com and TissotTiming.com.