Johannesburg-headquartered global IT services group Dimension Data has been appointed the official technology partner of the Tour de France for the next five years. The value of the deal has not been disclosed.

Didata, which is part of Japan’s NTT Corp, signed the deal with Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), which owns the Tour de France and a range of other cycling events to which the company will provide a host of technology services.

The analytics and digital platform is being delivered by Oakton, Didata’s Australian-based services business, which it acquired in November 2014.

The solution will be deployed and hosted on Didata’s cloud computing platform and managed by its IT-as-a-service business unit.

The win is significant as it will give Didata access to a global audience of sports fans, with its branding set to appear centre stage on live coverage of the Tour de France and other events.

Watch a video of Didata’s involvement in the Tour de France:

Didata’s deal with ASO will kick off in July this year at the Tour de France and, according to both organisations, their goal in the coming years is to “deliver and share the best race information speedily and in real time with race commentators and the global viewing public”.