Cookson wants on bike cameras

[hrotha]

Bikes on cameras would be a nice but ultimately pointless gimmick, just as they were in 1998.

 

[Richeypen]

After the shocking coverage today maybe the focus should be on getting the basics right.

nice sprint for 11th though

So many races dont have proper timing or distance graphics as well. Like you said, get the basics right first.

 

[RedheadDane]

To all of you going it'll only ever be a gimmick.

Yeah. So? Gimmicks are fun.

I don't think anybody intens for bike cameras to be the main source of information, but sometimes having a smaller screen in the corner showing showing such footage. Why not?

As for where to put them. I think it would be somewhat hard to make riders agree with helmet cams:

Not very aero...


But like this:

Or this:

And it doesn't even have to be put on the main riders' bikes, with the added weigh that's still bound to cause.
For the footage such cameras would give I actually think it would be even cooler to have them on domestiques' bikes; making viewers experience "first hand" the fight of getting back up through the peloton.

 

[VO2 Max]

After the shocking coverage today maybe the focus should be on getting the basics right.

This. Remember also Catalunya stage 1 where we missed the finish line because the camera was looking too high Then add in the poor rider recognition from the commentators. If viewers need to be experts in recognising the styles of different riders before they can tell what's going on then it's an almost impossible sell to new viewers.

GPS trackers on all riders seems a no-brainer: both the aerials and their radio's are tiny now, tuck a set in the back of everyone's helmet and then we'll know exactly where everyone is all the time to within a reasonable degree of accuracy. Easy then to ID who's made the front selection instantly, or who's coming back up or whatever.

Personally I'd have squad numbers as well: a prominent number on the shoulder and shorts that's always the same through the season, different to the individual race dossard. Make it really easy for new viewers to ID riders - let's say Cancellara is Trek no 10, a casual fan can switch on any race and see that Trek 10 and know who it is. More merchandising opportunities as well

 

[RedheadDane]

Why do you people keep focusing on a few bad examples? For most of the time the footage is if not perfect, then as good as it can be. Most of the time footage shows the action, most of the time - at least in my experience - riders are recongised properly.
Besides; some of you still seem to think it would be only bike cams, I don't think that was ever what Cookson intended. But occasionally showing the footage of a bike came - with info on the rider whose bike it is - for the added experience.

As for rider identification on kits? Why not simply use their names, as several teams already are?

 

[VO2 Max]

As for rider identification on kits? Why not simply use their names, as several teams already are?

Because it can't be read except really close up?

 

[RedheadDane]

Because it can't be read except really close up?

And numbers can?
Problem with year-long riders numbers is that it can only ever be year-long.

As for the camera-question: I think that with the right testing and in time bike-cameras can be really good.

 

[HSNHSN]

It's an interesting idea. I don't see many situations where I'd want to see what cyclists see, though. (only situations like Guerini's Alpe d'Huez sprint to mind) It's also clear that having cameras on bikes would add some weight and all possible 'marginal gains' would immediately be undone.

What I do agree on, is the idea of riders having chips or even GPS positioning, so that we as public at all times during a race know where they are. Just think of the occasional race where it's so misty we can only see the last 50m before the finishline. (some AGR a few years back, a Giro mountain top finish last year or two years ago,...) At least we'd still be able to 'see' what's going on.

 

[VO2 Max]

And numbers can?

Of course. Max of two digits compared to >10 letters for a lot of these guys' names is much more legible for a given amount of jersey space. About the size of the letter R here which is perfectly legible; to get a name that legible would give up a lot of sponsor logo space.

Problem with year-long riders numbers is that it can only ever be year-long.

I think that's fine. It's only for a casual fan to see a rider at one race and quickly ID him at the next one, I think that builds a connection, makes it easier to quickly have favourite riders without knowing a lot about the sport. Maybe even some commentators would be able to learn to recognise numbers like happens in other sports so we can get more insightful commentary than "attack from... Katusha rider, could be Rodriguez... [3 minutes later]... sorry, no it's Moreno." Riders would still have official dossards as now which change at different races. Anyway, like I said, just an idea I had that seems pretty simple, I've never heard anyone suggest it as something that would actually happen.

 

[RedheadDane]

What I do agree on, is the idea of riders having chips or even GPS positioning, so that we as public at all times during a race know where they are. Just think of the occasional race where it's so misty we can only see the last 50m before the finishline. (some AGR a few years back, a Giro mountain top finish last year or two years ago,...) At least we'd still be able to 'see' what's going on.

Oh yeah! GPS positioning would be great! Just remember that Vuelta stage from last year.

Maybe even some commentators would be able to learn to recognise numbers like happens in other sports so we can get more insightful commentary than "attack from... Katusha rider, could be Rodriguez... [3 minutes later]... sorry, no it's Moreno." Riders would still have official dossards as now which change at different races. Anyway, like I said, just an idea I had that seems pretty simple, I've never heard anyone suggest it as something that would actually happen.

Might just be me, but I think it's a rare thing when commentators misidentify (important) riders.

 

[Netserk]

I'd much prefer more visible race numbers than personal numbers.

 

[postmanhat]

Saw him talking about this on Eurosport. If the riders and teams are happy with it, then it can only be a good thing. The coverage of many stage races, especially the Iberian ones, is like a pastiche of the 1970s!

He was also talking about spreading the calendar , so you don't have four races in one week, then none in other weeks. Can't see too much wrong with that either?

On the same program, Leferve gave me a cold chill. Talking about how the GTs should be cut to two weeks. Basically because young people haven't got the attention span for a three-week race!

 

[Arnout]

Saw him talking about this on Eurosport. If the riders and teams are happy with it, then it can only be a good thing. The coverage of many stage races, especially the Iberian ones, is like a pastiche of the 1970s!

He was also talking about spreading the calendar , so you don't have four races in one week, then none in other weeks. Can't see too much wrong with that either?

On the same program, Leferve gave me a cold chill. Talking about how the GTs should be cut to two weeks. Basically because young people haven't got the attention span for a three-week race!

To be honest I would like to have a few 2-week races. We had Portugal and ofcourse there still is Colombia, but in Europe a race like that is lacking. Either it's the tried and trusted one week race (with 25km TT and one uphill finish) or a GT. I think two-week races could be very interesting, though of course Giro and Tour should stay at 3 weeks.

Well, we can scrap the first week of the Tour, see if Lefevre would like that.

 

[Walkman]

Finally!!

Now put some heart rate monitors on display so we can see how hard they are riding! In XC-skiing they already have that from time to time. Would be awesome in TT:s!

 

[Walkman]

Cippolini had a camera on his bike during one the sprints in the Giro but I can't remember what year. It was an interesting perspective. I think it was when was riding for Saeco/Cannondale.

I can't see making heartrate data openly available though. It seems that it would be an advantage to an opponent to know that their rival's heartrate is spiking. Their ds would be yelling in their earpiece to attack!

Just another reason to remove radios. Would make for more exciting racing and it would be more rewarding for less strong teams. Also, kind of hard to attack when you are riding a TT unless you are Wiggins or Martin. In fact, I think TT:s would be much more interesting if we could see heart rate monitors while they are riding.

 

[DirtyWorks]

On the same program, Leferve gave me a cold chill. Talking about how the GTs should be cut to two weeks. Basically because young people haven't got the attention span for a three-week race!

Something like that is coming. No way around it. Stages are shorter every year. Smaller elite calender, smaller teams are on their way. The sport is trying desperately to package itself for viewers and they think this is the way to do it.

As for the almost random calendar, it's fine. In fact, I prefer it. But, the UCI has some crazy ideas about the calendar that too many sports with much bigger audiences have abandoned because they simply don't work.

 

[DirtyWorks]

GPS trackers on all riders seems a no-brainer: both the aerials and their radio's are tiny now, tuck a set in the back of everyone's helmet and then we'll know exactly where everyone is all the time to within a reasonable degree of accuracy. Easy then to ID who's made the front selection instantly, or who's coming back up or whatever.

The technology is available, but I don't know if it would work the way we want it. Remember, you have to get ASO to connect it to their video production platform. They will probably say no.