Commentary on TNT and other WB brands

[Alberto Fishwick]

I am starting to think the same but it still seems likely CK will do the Tour and Vuelta so that's a lot of days without a hiatus, I'll be bound.

 

[argyllflyer]

Re:

Argyll Flyers post - on the future races - TBC looks promising - it could mean Kirby hasnt got a foothold as he used to. I think Eurosport UK have finally got the message that viewers are not willing to suffer incompetents waffling their way through races.

Cycling has now become so popular that they are 'getting their act together'.

tbc = I don't know!

Kirby won't do California as he's in Italy for RCS. Hatch and Stephens are also over there for Eurosport. So unless MS has flown back, California will be Quigley (or less likely Harris-Bass).

 

[HelloDolly]

I think Calafornia will be Dan Llyod and Magnus Backstead

 

[argyllflyer]

Re:

I think Calafornia will be Dan Llyod and Magnus Backstead

Dan Lloyd's in Italy doing the Giro with Kirby and will be there the 3 weeks. Matt Stephens is also in Italy for Eurosport (though could easily be flying back in time for sunday night).

Quigley & Backstedt is a likely combo though as Hatch, Kirby and Stephens are all out of main comms gig at this stage, while other non-Maggy summariser Smith is also in Italy for the Giro.

 

[PeterB]

Towards the end of yesterday's stage when Nibali attacked Eurosport lost sound of Hatch's commentating for a minute or so and someone else stepped into the broadcast with surprisingly good knowledge of riders and race situation. For a while it even seemed like an improvement over Hatch. Do we know who it was?

 

[dusty red roads]

Yes, I noticed that too, nice smooth delivery, I wonder who that was, I liked him a lot too.
I like Hatch a lot - and happy to have him in the hot seat, though this year I think he's been trying to channel a bit of Kirby's extra excitement which - to me - isn't always necessary. Much prefer him to Kirby - night and day! - but if there's a preference I prefer less dramatic commentary (except at certain moments). Otherwise it reminds me of canned laughter on TV shows - getting all wound up as if telling the audience when to react, whereas the action should make that obvious.

 

[kenk09]

Re:

Towards the end of yesterday's stage when Nibali attacked Eurosport lost sound of Hatch's commentating for a minute or so and someone else stepped into the broadcast with surprisingly good knowledge of riders and race situation. For a while it even seemed like an improvement over Hatch. Do we know who it was?

That was Jonathan Harris-Bass. He's in charge of providing "interesting" bits of info from back in the Eurosport studios. He does cycling commentary occasionally, as well as volleyball and I think also tennis.

 

[argyllflyer]

Yeah Eurosport tend to have a back-up in London when they go to location just in case the line fails (as it did again today).

JHB is big into his cricket and rugby too.

 

[hazaran]

Eurosport for a second time in the row losing their commentators at the crucial moment. It's brilliant that in their incompetence they still have the ability to surprise us, because never announced ad breaks have somewhat lost their excitement.

 

[argyllflyer]

Re:

Eurosport for a second time in the row losing their commentators at the crucial moment. It's brilliant that in their incompetence they still have the ability to surprise us, because never announced ad breaks have somewhat lost their excitement.

I really don't think it's their fault - the commentators for this are at the finish and the reliability of the connection will be due to on-site problems.

 

[Cycle Chic]

Jonathan Edwards said Landren yesterday - thats unbelieveable that he doesnt know top names yet.

 

[RedheadDane]

Who's Landren supposed to be?

 

[tobydawq]

A mix of Landa and van Garderen of course. Or Landa and Koren?

 

[Valv.Piti]

Landren to win the Giro.

Sucks that Brian Holm only commented the first few stages in Sardinia, but I think I heard he will be back after Cali.

 

[tobydawq]

Re:

Landren to win the Giro.

Sucks that Brian Holm only commented the first few stages in Sardinia, but I think I heard he will be back after Cali.

Well, now we get some commenting on the actual racing (which has been pretty unworthy of commenting to be honest) instead of just a lot of outrageous stories that are probably only semi-true... It can get a bit silly at times although it is quite entertaining. They just tend to have a hard time finding the balance in my opinion.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Yeah well to be fair, there really haven't been much to comment on during the stages so far..

 

[staubsauger]

Is Eurosport serious with that continuous ad breaks during their AToC coverage!?

Okay. I turned off. Impossible to watch!

 

[argyllflyer]

duplicate

 

[Cycle Chic]

Not a Kirby in sight - yee haaaaa....although a friend said he is on FUBO TV with Dan Lloyd - whatever the hell that is.

 

[argyllflyer]

Re:

Not a Kirby in sight - yee haaaaa....although a friend said he is on FUBO TV with Dan Lloyd - whatever the hell that is.

He's doing the English commentary for RCS and whoever buys it can use it.

 

[Cycle Chic]

whats RCS ?

 

[deValtos]

RCS is the italian equivalent of ASO. They control the Giro, Tirreno, SanRemo, Strade, Lombardia etc

 

[adamski101]

Re:

whats RCS ?

They are the organisers of the Giro amongst other races.

 

[argyllflyer]

Great news for Kirby fans - Eurosport have picked up RCS's highlights package of the first 9 stages and have shown it today. Kirby nearly ended himself on the Izaguirre win stage.

 

[Alberto Fishwick]

No UK coverage of the Tour of Norway as far as I can see.