Which TV channels for cycling coverage?

A quick heads up if you didn't know already but BBC2 N Ireland (BBC iplayer) are broadcasting the first three days live (ish) of the giro and the rest is being covered by (I assume) a highlight show.

For dodgy live feeds (something I'd never condone obviously) try
http://www.firstrows.eu/others

One of the big Italian stations also live streams the grand tours if you don't mind watching without understanding the commentary (unless of course you speak Italian).

Surprised at the positive feedback for the Eurosport Player. Personally I see it as a necessary evil given you don't have much other choice if you don't have satellite or cable TV.

The fact that in 2014 you still can't choose a specific program to watch from the past 24 hours, let alone a week like the BBC iPlayer, is pretty awful. The only catchup service they offer is the ability to rewind the real time player by three hours. I appreciate this may be due to licensing agreements that Eurosport have, but they owe it to their viewers to work harder to renegotiate these if this is the case.

This is really, really crappy if you live in a timezone well outside of Europe, as a 3hr window means watching racing at some rather unsociable hours!

Eurosport as part of the S** package...and also getting online coverage into the bargain...impossible to know what's on the ITV channels as no EPG for Irish S**...and too meangy to buy a TV guide...or troll the interweb looking to see who is covering what...

another vote for eurosport - I paid for a year up front which gives me full access on all devices - so I can also watch it via a smart tv app

Another thumb up for Eurosport. They don't have everything (e.g Romandie) and sometimes some proper random stuff (e.g. Azerbaijan) but their coverage of the classics was really good, well worth the dough instead of the usual virus-laden hooky feeds.

ITV4 is about the only freeview channel that regularly shows cycling. It shows the Tour de France & Tour of Britain live & highlights of the Tour Series & Revolution track events. Occasionally there are also highlights from ASO events such as Paris-Nice & Paris-Roubaix. Some years there is coverage of the Vuelta. I think they are broadcasting the Women's Tour too. The presenters are knowledgeable & humorous, but you have to cope with Hugh Porter or Sherwin & Ligget for commentary.

I also like the Tour Tracker which streams US stage races such as Tour of California, Tour of Utah and US ProCycling Challenge on the internet for free.

Eurosport has most of the best races live. Eurosport player (to watch via computer) is only £3.99 a month.

There's another thread on Eurosport player somewhere. Definitely worth £2.99 a month at this time of year.

If you're willing to pay the cost of a pint of beer* a month and have a half decent internet connection then Eurosport Player is pretty good (and the backend software has come on leaps and bounds).

Tour de France is extensive on ITV4, decent hourly highlights and analysis every evening and select live stages. They also have highlights of the Men's and Women's Tour Series crits, they covered the Tour of Britain too. Not sure if they're doing the Women's Tour but I do hope so.

*London Prices.

We usually get a couple of the spring classics on ITV4, but I haven't noticed any this year.

Don't want a Sky subscription. I'd happily pay for good quality internet feeds. Last time I looked they were rubbish, but that was a few years ago. Can you try before you buy for Eurosport?

£2.99 per month for Eurosport on my iPad is a steal at this time of year.

Without subscriptions it's pirated web feeds for live coverage. If you can wait until after the race has been run, cyclingcloud on Youtube has videos of TV coverage but not all races (no Romandie videos for example). Both these options sometimes have non-English commentary depending on the host broadcaster.

Not really, you might get a bit of road cycling here and there on ITV 2/3/4 and sometimes some track stuff on the BBC.

Most cycling is covered by Eurosport "the home of cycling" anything they don't get/don't want, Sky Sports seem to be taking on