Waiting for Lizzie

[mjr]

Does anyone know why there is no live coverage of the womens tour this year, just highlights on ITV4?

Money, reportedly. I guess sponsors are paying less per day for the women than men. Thanks to them and the organisers letting it happen, the race will almost certainly get booted off the World Tour next year. If the Giro can get booted over this like it did, the Tour of Britain will not be saved by its popularity.

And yes, Sweetspot's coverage of both Tour of Britains is not as good as itv4's grand tours.

 

[figbat]

I watched the ITV4 highlights of day 1 - they went straight from kilometre 0 to the first sprint, bypassing around 40km of the stage, including the place I was stood. I then watched the Eurosport replay the day after, hoping for better coverage but it was identical.

One reason I saw given for keeping costs down was that live coverage needs a helicopter to cover. I didn't see one over the stage on day 1 but it is clear from footage on day 2 that they had a chopper up.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Money, reportedly. I guess sponsors are paying less per day for the women than men. Thanks to them and the organisers letting it happen, the race will almost certainly get booted off the World Tour next year. If the Giro can get booted over this like it did, the Tour of Britain will not be saved by its popularity.

GCN say: All six stages of the 2021 Women's Tour will be available as highlights only; this is as a result of budget challenges faced by the race's organisers

 

[Cathryn]

I've only watched Stage 1 (admittedly, this was mainly to watch my face go past in a nanosecond, and a few friends that were on screen for a little longer!). Big disappointment.
I blame the coverage - poor poor commentary, and the whole feel is of some small-time country show.

It's bonkers; I find myself watching the winners of numerous recent races that have entranced me, up against a battery of national/euro champions, and yet I feel I'm watching some 3rd rate juniors race. Just can't get excited about it. :-(

Hard to blame the riders - they're still the best in the world!

I feel the same way. 'A small-time country show'. Exactly.

I wonder if it IS the coverage - I'm going to see it on Saturday so 'in the flesh' it might be different. And I don't blame the riders either - I know how much energy and fire I have at the end of term, I can imagine it's similar for the riders, if that makes sense.

 

[bitsandbobs]

Weather looked horrible on today’s stage!

I feel like this year’s Women’s tour is a bit of a damp squib coming so late in the year and immediately after P-R! Everyone is tired or broken! I wonder if the riders’ hearts are in it!l
(I may be wrong, it’s just a feeling I get)

Vollering looked up for it today. A nice victory for her after the unfair finger pointing in the wake of the dutch worlds debacle.

Mind you having to ride around Atherstone would kill anyone's spirit.

 

[bitsandbobs]

Lol

 

[Jenkins]

Finish line set up on Felixstowe seafront with children's activity going on

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Very green bmx by looks of things

 

[Cathryn]

Found our Lizzie

 

[matticus]

Any news from the crash in the final run-in? It looked spectacular, but nothing mentioned in the highlights prog.

 

[Cathryn]

Any news from the crash in the final run-in? It looked spectacular, but nothing mentioned in the highlights prog.

There was NO mention of it. It got a v brief mention in the Cycling Podcast but i can't remember the details. No news of injuries.

 

[13 rider]

It was good to see April Tacey (drops le col) have a dig on the last stage . She local to me and I often see her out training . I have rode a few miles with her and her dad who I went school with . I did manage to drop her on a climb but she was on her phone texting at the time . I then made the mistake of trying to follow her wheel when she did an interval ,it didn't end well

 

[GuyBoden]

I enjoyed watching the highlights, but the TT ruined the whole race, hopefully no TT next year.

 

[alex_cycles]

One reason I saw given for keeping costs down was that live coverage needs a helicopter to cover. I didn't see one over the stage on day 1 but it is clear from footage on day 2 that they had a chopper up.

I was at the start in Bicester. There was a chopper. Also rode out to Sibford Ferris (via Edge Hill - to kill some time while they rode round Abingdon) to watch them go through there too. Chopper there too. I thought the ITV4 coverage was pretty poor and the pre-scripted commentary alternating commentators with ZERO silence was very annoying - way too intense. I turned the volume right down.

I was slightly sneaky and rode slowly through the 'pits' area with all the buses near the start. It was lovely to be able to do that. Nobody stopped me (was in full Jumbo Visma kit - even though they didn't have a team )