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news
The Road cover.pngVideos: The Road, anthem of 2014 Tour de France Grand Départ + bonus Giro Donne song
We know you've all been waiting for this ever since we trailed it last month - the full video for The Road, the official anthem of the Grand Départ of the 2014 Tour de France. It features two of Yorkshire's finest, singer-songwriter Alistair Griffin and Kimberley Walsh from Girls Aloud.
There's the odd bike in the video - as well as perhaps the most iconic British car of all time, a silver Aston Martin DB5 as featured in the James Bond film Goldfinger - but mainly it's about Walsh and Griffin looking moody, to match the Yorkshire scenery.
Apart from a woman on a Pashleyesque bicycle - or perhaps an actual Pashley, the shots are so fleeting it's difficult to tell - and a rather ragtag peloton flashing by towards the end, it's unclear what the song has to do with cycling at all, let alone the Tour de France Grand Départ.
So, harking back to the Juke Box Jury days, what do you reckon? Hit, miss or maybe?
By the way, if you want a song and video to promote a bike race, we reckon this one from the 2011 Giro Donne by Milan-based Bastian Contrari featuirng Irene Viboras is hard to beat, if only for its sheer exuberance - and of course, the fact it features actual cyclists and bike racing. It's in Italian, but we think the spirit shines through.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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13 comments
Where was all the wonderful Yorkshire scenery? The tune was ok but the video was crap.
It's for a cycle race not a fashion shoot, should have shown some footage of real cyclists giving it the beans flying through the Yorkshire dales, not somewhere that looks like the arse end of America, what the F**** has that got to do with cycling in the UK, or the TDF for that matter?
I could rant on a lot longer.....
Video for Tour de France in Yorkshire. Of two twits who look like they both really need a poo, SAT IN A VINTAGE CAR.
Makes sense.
There were better songs eliminated at the semi-final stages of Eurovision. At least during Eurovision I was suitably medicated; I've just listened to that sober and now I need a drink!
Talk about music to slash your wrists by. Is this really the best this country has to offer?
The whole point of a sports car is noise, speed, excitement, danger and drama. A sports car stationary has no point.
The scenery was as flat, boring and as vapid as the song and the singers. Yorkshire has some of the greatest natural and manmade landscapes in the world. Cambridgeshire and Essex have beauty of their own. London has iconic buildings known throughout the world. We get flat, undistinguished, anymoor, anywhere without anything to identify it. It really could have been filmed anywhere.
As to the lyrics of the song, could someone please explain the connection between the words and the TdF.
"Ne Ho Ancora" - Haven't got a clue as to what the lyrics meant, and do you know something, I don't care. Brilliant, up beat, fast paced with a fun video featuring the competitors and the event. What more could you ask for?
Dreadful. Alex Marco's Le Bicycle should be the theme tune to all grand departs from now on...
http://youtu.be/-q79qfBcRYs
I quite liked the song but in no way would I associate with the TdF
I take it that the woman on the bike is dressed like a St. Trinians schoolgirl in some sort of homage to Jimmy Saville.
I hate this sort of music, but for some reason like this. I imagine Snow Patrol fans will whip themselves in a frenzy as to how bland and melodic it is.
I hate Snow Patrol.
Rubbish. Be surprised if it charts for any other reason than buying it for the novelty factor. They'd have been better using the promotional footage for the video.
What a pile of ****! Ok started off good, an Aston Martin on a moor didn't even get the pleasure of the engine being revved. So what has the song got to do about the greatest show on earth? No mills whippets or even puddings. No yellow, green or polka. The moor could be anywhere as it was nondescript. The song isn't even memorable!
Ne ho Ancona!
Oh well back to looking forward to some weekend warriors riding a strava segment against le tour route and arguing against the Gendarme.
I think it was filmed on a green screen stage at Shepperton Studios, just so the film crew and 'talent' didn't have to travel too far from London.
If I'm honest, that's not as awful as I was expecting. It's pretty inoffensive radio 2 fodder and suitably anthemic to accompany some sweeping helicopter shots of the moors at the end of a highlights programme. Video looks like a Marks and Spencer's advert. Likely to be swiftly forgotten I suspect.
Every component part you mention there add up to an awful whole. I'd be happier if they just played Kraftwerk's Tour de France album on a loop for all future races.
teams up with ? - front page stand first is a bit truncated