CSE Crosscom Delivers Critical Communications System for Santos Tour Down Under

CSE Crosscom designed, delivered and operated the comprehensive fully mobile radio communication system for the largest cycling race in the southern hemisphere, attracting over 140 riders and 800,000 spectators.

CSE Crosscom, official 2020 radio communications contractor to the Santos Tour Down Under, has enabled continuous race visibility, safety and collaboration for 19 consecutive years.

CSE Crosscom designed, delivered and operated the comprehensive fully mobile radio communication system which follows the riders during the gruelling 11 day opening leg of the UCI WorldTour, and is the largest cycling race in the southern hemisphere, attracting over 140 riders and 800,000 spectators.

“We are proud to have been associated with the Tour for more than two decades. A huge amount of time, expertise and innovation is required to provide reliable communications for this international event which is constantly on the move. The challenges of having a rolling race are incredibly complex and unique, with CBD street circuits together with small country towns in regional South Australia, the demands are diverse,” explained Damian Costello, State Manager South Australia – CSE Crosscom.

There are many multi-layered aspects to consider when you design a wide-area communications system for such a major event like the Tour Down Under, with bridging communication systems enabling simultaneous talk pathways, hundreds of CSE Crosscom radios used by race officials, emergency services and tour support staff. During the Tour, the network needs to facilitate every user and provide reliable communications every second of every day to ensure this large event runs smoothly.

“Critical to our long-standing relationship with the Tour is our technical delivery team who ensure that official race communications are unblemished during such a fluid, fast-paced event. This is achieved by literally moving with the race. The ground support team provides support vehicles at the front and rear of the race, and air support team have two interchanging aircraft following overhead. This approach not only provides solid assurance of dense network coverage across undulating and rugged terrain, but meets the unique challenge of a rapidly moving peloton that can stretch over many kilometres, not to mention the large contingency of over 100 support vehicles,” explained Costello.

The process of setting up a communication system capable of delivering a successful and safe race begins 12-months in advance of the Tour. The planning includes taking into account every possible scenario, as the world is watching live!

CSE Crosscom’s technical support and scale are well suited for major events that require uniquely tailored solutions. Dedicated to providing 24/7 support to their customers, CSE Crosscom understand what critical communication really means, and are committed to delivering vital support to all their customers.

“We are focused on ensuring the safety of every participant in the Tour Down Under, and have benefited from a long historical footprint on a race where there is opportunity to leverage evolving digital technologies that can enhance not only the safety, but amplify the overall experience for all stakeholders through the integration of data and voice,” concluded Costello.