# Tour De France Eurosport Commentary



## line71 (5 Jul 2014)

Looks like the excellent Rob Hatchs informed intelligent commentary has been overlooked in favour of Carlton Kirbys mindless stupidity
Yes,thats 3 weeks of Carlton Kirbys raving luncay


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## jowwy (5 Jul 2014)

Ive switched to itv4, rather listen to imlach, boardman and miller


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## thom (5 Jul 2014)

3 weeks laughing at his own crap jokes - booo


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## Pro Tour Punditry (5 Jul 2014)

ITV is fine until Liggett and Sherwen come on. 

Are they going to start racing at any point or is it a ride round the streets of Yorkshire behind a car?


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## JasonHolder (5 Jul 2014)

Omg I'm so excited!!!!! Eek


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## JasonHolder (5 Jul 2014)

Yorkshire looks beautiful this morning! Pleasantly surprised


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## deptfordmarmoset (5 Jul 2014)

jowwy said:


> Ive switched to itv4, rather listen to imlach, boardman and miller


I heard Millar commentating for a race last year and he did an excellent job with lots of insider info.


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## threebikesmcginty (5 Jul 2014)

"They've not even had to put barriers up, they're just trusting the crowd", said as the camera just pans past a long line of barriers.


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## Dayvo (5 Jul 2014)

As an Englishman abroad, I'm amazed and impressed at the huge numbers of people lining the streets in the towns and out in the countryside.

And the beauty of the Yorkshire countryside is outstanding. 

I hope Essex (my home county) can compete during the 3rd stage.


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## deptfordmarmoset (5 Jul 2014)

https://twitter.com/a_thomas_commin/status/485388152539217920/photo/1


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## Roadrider48 (5 Jul 2014)

Very excited myself about the tour. Except for that joke of a start having to ride then stop and meet and greet, then go through the ribbon and it still hadn't officially started.
Wtf have the royal family got to do with the TDF?
All is good now though, they have started.


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## LimeBurn (5 Jul 2014)

Carlton is a legend. Not the same when he's not commentating.


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## Dayvo (5 Jul 2014)

LimeBurn said:


> Carlton is a legend. Not the same when he's not commentating.



He's actually a LOT better when he's NOT commentating.


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## NorvernRob (5 Jul 2014)

And then Eurosport go straight into Lemond again after the race, one disaster after another. I'll be watching ITV4 this tour.


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## Flick of the Elbow (5 Jul 2014)

I started off with ITV, had to switch over as soon as Ligget and Sherwin came on, but had to switch back as soon as Lemond and Bernabino came on. Nice to see Jill Douglas getting a role.


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## eck (5 Jul 2014)

Lemond and Bernabino are indeed pretty dire. But they are only doing a few minutes. And they're nowhere near as dire as Liggett and Sherwen. _Nobody_ is as dire as that pair of clowns.


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## jowwy (5 Jul 2014)

Each to their own, but me and swmbo agree that liggett and sherwen are pretty good


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## JasonHolder (5 Jul 2014)

I Absolutely adore Phil and Paul. Ever since I watched them commentate Armstrong giving Ulrich the look 

Umfortunately bosses mum kicked mr out house after 20km because i came in reaking of tobacco. Damn. Heard i missed a crash too!


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## Jenkins (5 Jul 2014)

line71 said:


> Looks like the excellent Rob Hatchs informed intelligent commentary has been overlooked in favour of Carlton Kirbys mindless stupidity
> Yes,thats 3 weeks of Carlton Kirbys raving luncay



Rob was one of the commentators on 5live Sports Extra this afternoon - I don't know if this is going to be a regular slot, but it may be worh tuning in just in case.

Also thanks for the Kirby warning - ITV4 it is then.


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## Flick of the Elbow (6 Jul 2014)

And I'm not impressed with this John I think his name was that they seem to have employed to read out all the history lesson stuff. If I wanted to know that this church dates to the 17th century and was restored in 1865 I'd be listening to Paul Sherwin.


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## thom (6 Jul 2014)

Flick of the Elbow said:


> And I'm not impressed with this John I think his name was that they seem to have employed to read out all the history lesson stuff. If I wanted to know that this church dates to the 17th century and was restored in 1865 I'd be listening to Paul Sherwin.


Each broadcaster has a contractual obligation with ASO to do that (I think - we've done this before haven't we?) - I suspect it is pretty important to getting regional tourism sponsorship.


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## SomethingLikeThat (6 Jul 2014)

I think whoever is on they will annoy somebody.


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## eck (6 Jul 2014)

Just noticed that Lemond is wearing a yellow wristband. WTF? Does he do post-modern irony?


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## ColinJ (6 Jul 2014)

eck said:


> Just noticed that Lemond is wearing a yellow wristband. WTF? Does he do post-modern irony?


Maybe he has a strip of paper bearing the words "_Who's laughing now, Armstrong!_" glued to the inside?


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## Flick of the Elbow (12 Jul 2014)

I'm warming to John in Paris, the recent days that I've heard him he seems to have swapped some of the history lessons for reciting poetry instead. Yesterday he read something rather lovely about plums.
And they've also recruited Juan Antonio Flecha who seems like a born natural interviewing his recent colleagues in the peloton. 
Lemond is getting better but still has a long way to go.


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## HF2300 (12 Jul 2014)

Flick of the Elbow said:


> ... Yesterday he read something rather lovely about plums...



Whose plums?


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## Hont (12 Jul 2014)

Rob Hatch, David Harmon. Eurosport could have employed either of these two. Instead they go for Carlton Kirby who has actually made me nostalgic for the days of David Duffield. All he ever did was fail to commentate on the actual race.


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## Louch (13 Jul 2014)

I dont mind Kirby. love to see anyone on here try and talk 4 hours of cycling a day without getting repeditive/ clutching at straws for topics


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## Hont (14 Jul 2014)

Louch said:


> I dont mind Kirby. love to see anyone on here try and talk 4 hours of cycling a day without getting repeditive/ clutching at straws for topics


I know I couldn't do the job as well as he does, that's not really the point. It's the fact that there are many other commentators available who do it much much better.


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## ColinJ (14 Jul 2014)

I watched the first 3 stages on ITV and that was enough!

I'd rather be told for the nth time that Sagan likes to burn out his team and does not need a lead-out train, than hear another "Well, Phil ..." or "Well, Paul ..."


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## Beebo (14 Jul 2014)

Hont said:


> Rob Hatch, David Harmon. Eurosport could have employed either of these two. Instead they go for Carlton Kirby who has actually made me nostalgic for the days of David Duffield. All he ever did was fail to commentate on the actual race.


 Rob Hatch is doing the BBC 5Live commentary, with Rob Hayles.


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## robotgreg (15 Jul 2014)

I've been watching tdf since early 80s so do generally enjoy the commentary of Liggett and Sherwin but they do really annoy when they keep on about certain riders. It used to be Lance and then Cadel Evans and now you hear Tejay Van Garderen and to a lesser extent Andrew Talansky more than all other riders put together riders and much more than those who are performing significantly better or more favoured for overall victory. Niabali gets mentioned much less than Van Garderen.

Why do they love the Americans so much? Can understand for English riders as they are transmitting to an English audience but not US. Almost as if they hate any Europeans except Contador. Will never forget the fuss they made over armstrong cutting the corner of the field but that's another whole can of worms already opened thankfully and at last!

Apologies my first post is critical but they do really wind me up with their favouritism and focus in the commentary.

Cheers
Greg


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## ColinJ (15 Jul 2014)

robotgreg said:


> Why do they love the Americans so much? Can understand for English riders as they are transmitting to an English audience but not US. Almost as if they hate any Europeans except Contador. Will never forget the fuss they made over armstrong cutting the corner of the field but that's another whole can of worms already opened thankfully and at last!
> 
> Apologies my first post is critical but they do really wind me up with their favouritism and focus in the commentary.
> 
> ...


Because the programmes do go out to the US so American fans get their commentary!


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## mustang1 (15 Jul 2014)

deptfordmarmoset said:


> I heard Millar commentating for a race last year and he did an excellent job with lots of insider info.


Millar got a few minutes in for the first couple.of stages of this years tour too. He done a pretty decent job. Maybe he can do that more often. We need some fresh commentators.


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## robotgreg (15 Jul 2014)

ColinJ said:


> Because the programmes do go out to the US so American fans get their commentary!



Ahh, OK thanks Colin. That makes some sort of sense athough I'd be surprised if it was the other way round, the Americans being so sycophantic towards the Brits. So can see some reasoning but still don't think they should big them up so much.


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## Buddfox (16 Jul 2014)

robotgreg said:


> I've been watching tdf since early 80s so do generally enjoy the commentary of Liggett and Sherwin but they do really annoy when they keep on about certain riders. It used to be Lance and then Cadel Evans and now you hear Tejay Van Garderen and to a lesser extent Andrew Talansky more than all other riders put together riders and much more than those who are performing significantly better or more favoured for overall victory. Niabali gets mentioned much less than Van Garderen.
> 
> Why do they love the Americans so much? Can understand for English riders as they are transmitting to an English audience but not US. Almost as if they hate any Europeans except Contador. Will never forget the fuss they made over armstrong cutting the corner of the field but that's another whole can of worms already opened thankfully and at last!
> 
> ...



More specifically they are generally contracted by NBC to do all cycling commentary in the US. So they also do the Tour of California, I think the Giro, but their commentary is only used in the UK by ITV for the Tour. So they are actually commentating for a US audience, with the UK being the exception to this for the TdF.


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## HF2300 (17 Jul 2014)

Sherwen: "There's a Roman castle here, dating back to Roman times when the Romans invaded..."


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## laurence (18 Jul 2014)

mustang1 said:


> Millar got a few minutes in for the first couple.of stages of this years tour too. He done a pretty decent job. Maybe he can do that more often. We need some fresh commentators.



he is also a very good writer, his story in the first Cycling Anthology book was beautiful - i suspect (hope) he will be in much demand when he hangs up his wheels at the end of the year.


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## eck (18 Jul 2014)

What does the little pic of an old-fashioned mike, that occasionally appears of the top left of the screen signify?


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## HF2300 (18 Jul 2014)

Isn't it a talkback from one of the France TV press motorcycles (that we don't get here) or something like that?


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## eck (18 Jul 2014)

HF2300 said:


> Isn't it a talkback from one of the France TV press motorcycles (that we don't get here) or something like that?


Aha, good thinking, I'd thought it maybe indicated race radio was braodcasting,,, thanks!


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## Pro Tour Punditry (18 Jul 2014)

Buddfox said:


> More specifically they are generally contracted by NBC to do all cycling commentary in the US. So they also do the Tour of California, I think the Giro, but their commentary is only used in the UK by ITV for the Tour. So they are actually commentating for a US audience, with the UK being the exception to this for the TdF.



Indeed, their jabbering shíte commentary is also taken by other countries, you can sometimes work out which ones due to the riders mentioned - you'll also hear them repeat themselves sometimes, saying the same things in succession, and this is due to them using different feeds and forgetting which feed they are on or what they have already said.

Why ITV still use them I have no idea, as ITV have some of the best commentators on their books. It's a mythtery as Toyah once sand.


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## laurence (18 Jul 2014)

i try to watch eurosport for the race commentary and ITV for the apres race - Boulting and Boardman do a great double act and the analysis is very good.

as @Marmion said, no idea why they stick with Statler and Waldorf for the race.


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## HF2300 (18 Jul 2014)

Liggett on Porte today: " and just look at Porte, and that's not a good face to be in..."

He may have cracked but that's no reason to call the guy ugly.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (18 Jul 2014)

Liggett managed to mis-identify Teejay today, having already called him over the line he then claimed he was leading the next group. What a nobber.

But they edit most of the gaffs from the highlights, and also re-do some of their commentary to make them seem less clueless in the highlights.


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## themosquitoking (18 Jul 2014)

laurence said:


> i try to watch eurosport for the race commentary and ITV for the apres race - Boulting and Boardman do a great double act and the analysis is very good.
> 
> as @Marmion said, no idea why they stick with Statler and Waldorf for the race.


The bits they did on the rest day about what life is like for a pro rider was well worth a watch. I chortled a few times.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (18 Jul 2014)

themosquitoking said:


> The bits they did on the rest day about what life is like for a pro rider was well worth a watch. I chortled a few times.



I missed the rest day programme


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## laurence (18 Jul 2014)

Marmion said:


> I missed the rest day programme



worth watching on the itv website for the Boulting Boardman double act.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (18 Jul 2014)

laurence said:


> worth watching on the itv website for the Boulting Boardman double act.


Never thought of that, I'll give it a look


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## Pro Tour Punditry (19 Jul 2014)

laurence said:


> worth watching on the itv website for the Boulting Boardman double act.



That was an excellent programme; I'd love it if there was a regular pro cycling "magazine" programme like that all the time throughout the cycling season; behind the scenes stuff, interviews, history - Boulting, Boardman and Imlach are a great team. The David Millar interview was excellent.


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## laurence (19 Jul 2014)

Marmion said:


> That was an excellent programme; I'd love it if there was a regular pro cycling "magazine" programme like that all the time throughout the cycling season; behind the scenes stuff, interviews, history - Boulting, Boardman and Imlach are a great team. The David Millar interview was excellent.



the cycle show on ITV4 on tuesdays is quite good. a lot better than it was last year.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (19 Jul 2014)

laurence said:


> the cycle show on ITV4 on tuesdays is quite good. a lot better than it was last year.



I've not watched it this year, I'm not really into "other stuff" as far as cycling goes - commuting, MTB and all that other nonsense isn't really my thang. I'm an intolerant nobber.


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## Flick of the Elbow (19 Jul 2014)

Marmion said:


> I've not watched it this year, I'm not really into "other stuff" as far as cycling goes - commuting, MTB and all that other nonsense isn't really my thang. I'm an intolerant nobber.


Same here, all that trendy London stuff is a complete turn off in my book. In last week's edition they had what could have been an interesting piece on the recent Derbyshire Eroica but it was ruined by an on trend presenter and millisecond frequency camera cutting. You could hardly see the bikes at all.


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## HF2300 (19 Jul 2014)

Liggett (again): "...and it must still be cold up in the high alps because there's no sign of those glaciers melting yet..."

(later) "...and those glaciers stay there virtually all year round..."


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## cyberknight (19 Jul 2014)

ColinJ said:


> I watched the first 3 stages on ITV and that was enough!
> 
> I'd rather be told for the nth time that Sagan likes to burn out his team and does not need a lead-out train, than hear another "Well, Phil ..." or "Well, Paul ..."


The only reason i like the itv coverage is because i have to record the highlights and watch later on, with eurosport your liable to get tennis , cricket, golf, motorsport etc etc even when you have the recorder set right .............


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## cyberknight (19 Jul 2014)

laurence said:


> i try to watch eurosport for the race commentary and ITV for the apres race - Boulting and Boardman do a great double act and the analysis is very good.
> 
> as @Marmion said, no idea why they stick with Statler and Waldorf for the race.


They do make a good comic duo 
Richie Froome was pure genius


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## LarryDuff (19 Jul 2014)

Just heard on Talksport that Britons Geraint Thomas and Simon Clancy are in today's breakaway.


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## laurence (19 Jul 2014)

cyberknight said:


> They do make a good comic duo
> Richie Froome was pure genius



i liked the fact they had to stop cycling as they were giggling too much over that.


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## suzeworld (19 Jul 2014)

laurence said:


> i liked the fact they had to stop cycling as they were giggling too much over that.



Or they were just tired! 

Ned has been in training, I'd say .... he can do it without the electric-bike aid now!


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## Leaway2 (19 Jul 2014)

I do quite enjoy the double act. Dead pan Boulting on a turbo trainer with Boardman soaking him with a hose.


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## suzeworld (19 Jul 2014)

I love the double act, Chris used to be so starchy on the TV but now he has relaxed into he and Ned makes a great sttoge for him.


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## SomethingLikeThat (26 Jul 2014)

Marmion said:


> I missed the rest day programme



In addition to ITV player you can get torrents of all the coverage without the ads.


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