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Partnership and a Competitive Edge
AMD technology integration helps the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team realize its full potential
In 2004, Lance Armstrong recorded an unprecedented sixth consecutive Tour de France victory, but he couldn't have achieved so much success without the superb performance of his teammates.
To be successful, Lance and his teammates require powerful technology for use in planning, training and competition. As a critical contributor to the team's success, AMD has built a partnership with the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team that goes far beyond mere commercial sponsorship.
"AMD has not come in and just said, 'Here's a computer, good luck'; instead they've been actively involved all the way through the process," said Lance Armstrong. "From the complex aspects of wind tunnel testing to the smallest detail on a bicycle, it all requires computing and technology and research, and AMD is hugely important in what happens behind the scenes."
Now entering its second year as Official Technology Sponsor of the team, AMD is playing an even larger role in 2005 -- helping to provide the winning edge in three key areas: testing and training; design and development; and communications.
Into the Wind Tunnel 
During training camp this past January, five riders (Armstrong, José Azevedo, George Hincapie, Viatcheslav Ekimov and Yaroslav Popovych) each spent one hour testing in San Diego's Allied Aerospace wind tunnel, which AMD has outfitted with an end-to-end solution based on AMD64 technology.
AMD mobile processors enabled control of the wind tunnel, while AMD Opteron™ processors enabled archiving of test data, design of analysis software, and real-time display of bike and rider performance. The AMD processor-powered systems made it possible for each cyclist to immediately understand how changes in position, equipment and clothing affect aerodynamic drag and power – critical factors riders in time-trial competition seek to improve, to increase aerodynamics and ultimately improve their performance.
Designing for a Champion 
AMD technology also plays a key role with the team’s “F-1” group of sponsors, the team’s name for a group of experts that have collaborated to redesign their equipment, clothing and components.
"With the F-1 group of sponsors, all our partners together looked at everything -- from helmet to componentry to the bike -- toward one common goal: make Lance faster," says Dan Osipow, Communications Director for the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team. "We redefined the helmet. The bike got lighter and has faster angles. There is less drag on Lance, from the shoes to the components to everything. AMD was able to take all that information, from a number of sources, plug it in and help us create the model we worked for months."
All Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team members ride exclusively on Trek bicycles created by Trek's senior design team using AMD processor-powered systems. Systems powered by AMD Opteron processors enable the designers and engineers in Trek’s Industrial Designer Group to perform complex custom modeling and product simulations with greater speed and reliability.
Staying in Touch 
"Because they live out of suitcases either here in the U.S. or overseas, all the guys are Web and e-mail maniacs -- the computer is their one constant," said Osipow. "To stay connected even while they're so mobile, the team also relies on AMD processor-powered thin-and-light notebooks, and it's not unusual as soon as a race ends for these guys to head to the massage table, eat and then log on, in that order. Everyone's either staying in touch with family or they're checking race results and sizing up the competition."
With AMD technology powering the six-time defending Tour de France champion team, the stage is set for the team's efforts to extend its unprecedented success into 2005 and beyond.
"Lance is the engine, and if you look closely at every detail and the support that helps improve performance, the engine's going to work," said Osipow. "In 2004, all the hard work paid off. Our partnership with AMD, along with the integration of AMD technology, is instrumental in making this team lighter, faster and more efficient."
“In cycling, the difference between a good team and a great team is increasingly dependent upon cutting-edge technology,” said Lance Armstrong. “We evaluate every aspect of our training, conditioning and preparation to give us a competitive advantage. AMD plays a vital role because AMD technology helps give us this advantage.”
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