Team Sky look ahead to Tour in virtual reality

Team Sky has given fans a unique insight into their preparations for the Tour de France, using Virtual Reality to transport viewers right to the heart of the action during a gruelling training regime and also during final race day preparations.

Sky’s in-house VR team were given unparalleled access, following Team Sky in two environments as they build up towards defending their Tour de France title in July, focusing on a training day in Monaco and during the Tour of Romandie in Switzerland, one of team leader Chris Froome’s main preparation races for this year’s Tour.

Operating VR filming in the cycling environment for the very first time provided a set of challenges to the production unit but with the cooperation of the team and the instruction of Sir Dave Brailsford the end product will give fans a truly unique look at how Team Sky prepares for races.

Team Sky team principle Sir Dave Brailsford said: “A lot of work goes into our training and race preparation that wouldn’t normally be caught on camera. This film captures a lot of that detail – from the rider training camps, warm ups and a glimpse inside the team car on race day.

“The film is a first of its kind which provides a unique perspective on Team Sky. I’m sure it’s something that all fans will enjoy.”

Neil Graham, Sky’s VR executive producer, added: “Team Sky are always at the forefront of the latest technology to push their performance further, and by inviting our VR cameras they are bringing fans even closer to their preparation. It’s an amazing insight to one of the most successful teams in sport.”

The exclusive look behind the scenes with Team Sky in VR will be posted on the Sky Sports, Team Sky and Sky Loves Cycling Facebook Pages on 27 June.

Sky VR Studios over the coming year will drive the creation of cinematic, fully immersive VR content, producing more than 20 individual films, across a unique range of Sky content – from major cultural events in news to some of the biggest sporting events on the planet.

Using VR to give sports fans a new viewing experience is the latest innovation that over the last 25 years of Sky Sports has included widescreen viewing, HD and interactive sports broadcasting, changing the ways sports are watched and covered.