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Best TV channel for cycling?

by lazyusername
Fri, Jan 06, 2012 18:37
14

Hi everyone

I cracked over the recent dark months and now own a TV, does anyone know which channel(s?) airs the pro cycling tours. I'm hoping it's a free one although would stretch to an extra £1 a month to see in moving pictures that I'm doing it wrong

Ta

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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14 comments

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the_mikey | 13 years ago
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In the UK, I guess it's split between ITV4 and Eurosport, but even with those there's almost no coverage of the spring classics leading up to the Giro d'Italia.

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Simon_MacMichael replied to the_mikey | 13 years ago
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the_mikey wrote:

In the UK, I guess it's split between ITV4 and Eurosport, but even with those there's almost no coverage of the spring classics leading up to the Giro d'Italia.

Eh? Eurosport at minimum last year had Milan-San Remo, Paris-Roubaix, Tour of Flanders plus the three Ardennes races, also a few of the early season stage races (though some of those are like watching paint dry).

Gent-Wevelgem and some of the other smaller one-day races I had to resort to Sporza web feed (though I love the commentary even if I can only understand the odd word).

Best source of info for what is broadcast where is Steephill, there are links to coverage for individual races (updated nearer the time) and if it's not being broadcast in the UK there's usually a list of live feeds and whether they are geo-restricted:

http://www.steephill.tv

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monty dog | 13 years ago
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ITV4 cycling coverage is a bad joke - it's effectively the same broadcast them give to the US so it totally ignores all non-english speaking riders and Phil and Paul's heads are so far up Lance's ar$e they often fail to spot race critical events as they jabber-on about their idol.
Whilst Kelly's accent is quite strong and monotone, he's astutely observant and reads races probably better than anyone and is a great foil to David Harmon's boundless enthusiasm. Both at least manage to give you a decent commentary.

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Cooks | 13 years ago
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And also, there needs to be some consensus on how to pronounce "Fuglsang".

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Cooks | 13 years ago
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Eurosport, but then ITV4 for TDF. If Sean Kelly is commentating, I tend to doze off and miss bits.

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PeteH replied to Cooks | 13 years ago
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Cooks wrote:

Eurosport, but then ITV4 for TDF. If Sean Kelly is commentating, I tend to doze off and miss bits.

Obviously a matter of taste. I think Sean Kelly is head and shoulders above everyone else in terms of what he actually says. That his accent reminds me of some kind of Irish-country-bumpkin doesn't really deter me because the guy's knowledge is so great. Its amazing when you drive through Carrick because absolutely everything is named after him.

I'm also old enough to remember David Duffield who would keep me entertained for hours on end during otherwise dull TdF stages.

One other thing, talking about what cycling on tv, I've remembered a web site dedicated to upcoming live sport. I don't think I ever used it for cycling, more to find out what station particular football matches were on, but it does claim to list cycling stuff...

http://www.livesportontv.com/cycling

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lazyusername | 13 years ago
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Seems to be a consensus on Eurosport, thanks for all the posts

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Super Domestique | 13 years ago
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Yes, Itv4 does do live TDF stages I forgot. Just prefer David Harmon tbh. Is itv4 every stage though? Didn't think it was.

Last year sky had a listing of all cycling it was showing. I am sure it will do again, if it hasn't already.

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Simon_MacMichael | 13 years ago
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Eurosport for me too.

I know David H and Sean put some off, but equally so do Phil and Paul over on ITV.

Much more live cycling, also in the TDF, even when ITV is covering stages live, the Eurosport coverage tends to start earlier.

When ITV covered the Vuelta last year, in one key stage (I think the one Froome won) they cut to an ad break just as it was approaching a key part of the climb.

I tweeted something about that, and got an angry one back from one of the presenters after the ad break saying, see, you didn't miss anything.

Maybe not, but I also had Eurosport running on the laptop (who hadn't cut to an ad break), and the bit ITV showed when they came back on was on tape delay 26

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amc654 | 13 years ago
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Er ... ITV4 has done live TdF coverage for the last several years (with commentary from Phil & Paul, rather than the frequently dopey team at Eurosport), and last year they also added live Vuelta coverage (though with horrendous commentary from Australia).

And it appears that now Sky Sports is getting into the act as well ... it's broadcasting 30-min highlights packages for the Tour Down Under, with the final two stages broadcast live (admittedly in the middle of the night, though they'll also do a 2 hr highlights show for those stages). Not sure how many more races they'll do this year, and I have no idea who the commentary team will be.

Otherwise, yes, obviously Eurosport is the most likely bet (particularly for the spring classics and the one-week stage races.)

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Super Domestique | 13 years ago
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Eurosport as others stated.

Itv 4 does TDF highlights, some live stages plus tour of Britain, Tour series and a few others bits.

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PeteH | 13 years ago
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Yeah, Eurosport for sure. They also show most if not all of the classics if that's your cup of tea.

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Gkam84 | 13 years ago
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Eurosport in the UK is the only channel to show Giro, TdF and Vuelta plus numerous other races throughout the year

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BUZZ6835 | 13 years ago
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http://www.wiziwig.tv/
In the U.K. i guess Eurosport is prob your best bet but i watch it for free online!
Try the above link.

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