Tissot, official timekeeper of the Tour de Suisse, presents the T-Touch Connect Solar and the story behind smooth starts during time trials.
Tissot, the traditional Swiss watch manufacturer, is a trusted partner of the great cycling events in Europe, like the Tour de France, the Vuelta in Spain and the Giro d’Italia. The company is also the proud official timekeeper of the Tour de Suisse.
Josef (Sepp) Wehrli, head of the start team, knows how important timekeeping is, especially in time trials. “Before the start of a time trial, the clocks are always checked by Tissot. Everything has to be right down to the second!” says Wehrli. He is a long-time member of the Tour de Suisse organisation having been a part of the starting team for 25 years. “During all these years we have been able to send a number of National, European and World Champions into the race.” To ensure that the competitors set off at the right time, someone is needed to count down from 5 to 0. Beni Wehrli, Josef’s brother, has amazed many a spectator with his manual precision.
Reflecting on the successful collaboration with Tissot, Josef Wehrli remembers everything running like clockwork. However, he can also recall one or two events that did not go quite so smoothly. “In the Team Time Trial in Uster in 2000, team favourite Saeco Valli & Valli, featuring sprint star Mario Cippolini, ran into the police motorcycle in front of them. Wishing to clear the track for the Saeco team behind him, the policeman turned left sharply and the team followed him!”
Here are a few impressions of the Tour de Suisse 2021.
The high standards that the Tissot brand sets for itself ensure the continued development of ever more innovative timepieces whilst maintaining traditional watchmaking craftsmanship. In 2020, Tissot achieved a great accomplishment by launching its first “connected” watch, the T-Touch Connect Solar. Developed entirely in Switzerland right down to the operating system, this hybrid watch combines smartphone connectivity, touch control and solar charging. It has several functions in connected mode (SMS, activity tracker, notifications), as well as all the functions of a classic timepiece (perpetual calendar, countdown timer, alarm, weather functions, etc.). Moreover, it boasts an extremely long operating reserve of at least 6 months without recharging and an almost infinite running time in offline mode.
The navigation system has been developed so that its use is compatible with practising any type of sport in the great outdoors: hiking, climbing, cycling, basketball, etc. Whether worn for sport or daily life, the Tissot T-Touch Connect Solar offers numerous possible uses to its wearer.
