Microsoft South Africa has announced that it is the official cloud partner of Team Dimension Data (Team DD).

Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka is Africa’s first and only registered WorldTour cycling team competing at the highest level in all of cycling’s showpiece events.

Team DD’s squad of 27 riders has racing for it some of the sport’s biggest names including 30-time stage winner of the Tour de France – Mark Cavendish, South Africa’s Louis Meintjes who twice has finished in the top-10 at the Tour de France and leading Classics specialist Michael Valgren of Denmark.

The team’s racing ambitions are underpinned by it’s partnership with the Qhubeka charity which seeks to change people’s lives in Africa through the distribution of bicycles. It’s this higher purpose that allows us to connect deeply with our partners and fans.

The digital revolution has unlocked new opportunities and is redefining the sports industry with major trends in mobile IoT, the cloud, big data and social shaping how sports is played coached, watched and experienced. In sports, where technology and business model changes are accelerating, finding an opportunity to transform or disrupt – a competitor, the industry, or even your own team/league – is critical. Using the cloud Microsoft works to help sports teams like Team DD embrace digital transformation.

“We stand on the cusp of a new era of technology, what many are referring to as a Fourth Industrial Revolution. It is important that every industry not just sports has a digital strategy to transform the ordinary into extraordinary. Having certain elements of the business as digital is not enough, it is important to embed digital in every aspect. The partnership with Team DD gives us an opportunity to reshape the world of cycling for the future,” says Kethan Parbhoo, chief marketing and operations officer at Microsoft South Africa.

Digital transformation in the recent years has become the main topic of discussion across various industries. It is unlocking new opportunities for growth in the sports industry. We work to help organisations in the sports industry to embrace digital transformation, connect with their fans worldwide, provide more personal experiences and improve and create revenue streams – all with the latest Microsoft Cloud Technology.

“We are proud to have Microsoft as our official cloud partner. This gives us an opportunity to reimagine the way we’ve previously done things and unlock new capabilities in our teams’ performance,” says Douglas Ryder, team principal at Team Dimension Data.