Eurosport commentary

[Libertine Seguros]

Didn't Sean Kelly once refer to Chris Juul as "the Irish guy"?
That's an immediate loss of a gazillion points.

Blythe loses a gazillion points every time he opens his mouth if that's the standard of cluelessness that costs you that heavily.

 

[wansteadimp]

Thoughts on GCN being sold?

It's a conundrum!

 

[QueenStagiaire]

And I always thought Ineos already owned them!

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

What I noticed about Kroon is that he seems to mainly try to look good whenever he makes his stage winner prediction for GCN like he wants to put his pictures on Tinder.

You can hear that he's just so vain;

 

[Izzyeviel]

I'll never understand why they don't tell you who is commentating. Obviously you get the 'Robbie has disappeared and Carlton's here now' but if you missed that, how would you know otherwise?

Obviously us forumites know everyone when watching the big races, but for the minor races I never have a clue.

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

Now got curious about the "anglicized stuff", i.e. the criticism of so-called English cycling medias that I have read about after latest week of Vuelta activities, and how there should be grossly misinterpreted and even condescending comments on this, which I found hard to believe.

I've watched Eurosport coverage of pro cycling since David Duffield's highs, but started watching Danish version when Leif Mortensen and Thomas Bay entered in mid 90ies, and left the UK version for good after a couple of year's endurance of Kirby.

But now this morning i got curious and watched GCN's UK version of post race analysis, this panel episodes from post stage 14 to 19 of the Vuelta. That is typical panel with Orla (I think it is? sorry new here), Dan Lloyd, Sean Kelly and Adam Blythe.

I am rather amazed and wide-eyed that Adam Blythe's constant condescending comments on completely wrong analyzes are allowed to go so unchallenged.

After all, time and time again he sends the entire panel off in a space rocket in mistaken assumptions, where all the planets are missed and they end up in the empty space of a pat on the back.

Most seasoned cycling viewers ofcourse can see through that, but unfortunately the GCN panel speaks to a very wide range of sports viewers.

If you didn't know, you wouldn't think Adam Blythe himself had sat on a bike, but was someone from a hot British talk show you'd invited on a single occasion.

This is depressing watching.

UK viewers deserves better.

*edit* Off-topic:

The Move channel overseas have also been good masters of misinterpretaions, the Manscape channel also escaping reality facts and leaves the ground frequently, and amazed that Johan can't hold onto the coffee cup better and see clearly. It's even worse with his significant roles within pro cycling. Also constant condescending remarks, it takes almost all my points from the channel, which used to have interesting content after all.

Chris Horner's channel has really become a butterfly effect, but it is quite expected that he loses his grip when his entire slogan is that there is one leader and only one (naturally with his background), so quite expected from his side that he has not been able to see clearly when suddenly there were three leaders, each of whom could pretty much leave the competition from other teams in the dust.

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

I'll never understand why they don't tell you who is commentating. Obviously you get the 'Robbie has disappeared and Carlton's here now' but if you missed that, how would you know otherwise?

Obviously us forumites know everyone when watching the big races, but for the minor races I never have a clue.

OK, this makes me even more curious!
So let me get that right: the commentators doesn't present themselves nor their co-commentators at Broadcast start?

Now I gotta watch live UK GCN version of broadcasting too
This sounds awkward and it's the first time I've heard of this kind of thing, it's a completely fundamental cotyme to present yourself and your colleagues in the commentaty box for the audience every single time of broadcasting going live.

One would think they are downright embarrassed to have to put their name to their own commentary

OK, hope I've misinterpret something here.

 

[Izzyeviel]

At the start they say 'im Bob' & 'I'm Dave', and the same at the end when they say goodbye, but thats it. Tune in few minutes late or you don't want to watch the podium ceremonies, you're out of luck. You'll never know. Theres no credits, theres no mention on the website, nada.

 

[argyllflyer]

Jose s-bombing last week... a Eurosport commentator first? 😂

 

[argyllflyer]

I'll never understand why they don't tell you who is commentating. Obviously you get the 'Robbie has disappeared and Carlton's here now' but if you missed that, how would you know otherwise?

Obviously us forumites know everyone when watching the big races, but for the minor races I never have a clue.

My posts gone to waste 😂

 

[RedheadDane]

My posts gone to waste 😂

"tbc" is my favourite commentator!

 

[argyllflyer]

Eurosport /GCN commentary pairings season 2023 (men's elite):

(WT=World Tour; PS=Pro Series, ET=Europe Tour, AT=Asia Tour)

WT: Tour Down Under (live from 17/1): Cox & Blythe
PS: Vuelta a San Juan (live from 22/1): Kirby & Smith
ET: Challenge Mallorca: Trofeo Calvia (live on 25/1): Hatch & Blythe
ET: Challenge Mallorca: Trofeo Port D'Alcudia (live on 26/1): Hatch & Blythe
ET: Challenge Mallorca: Trofeo Port D'Andratz (live on 27/1): Hatch & Blythe
ET: Challenge Mallorca: Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana (live on 28/1): Hatch & Smith
WT: Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race (live on 29/1): Keenan, McEwen & Liggett (Host Broadcaster package)
ET: Challenge Mallorca: Trofeo Palma (live on 29/1): Hatch & Smith
ET: Grand Prix Cycliste La Marseillaise (live on 29/1): Been & Stephens
AT: Saudi Tour (live from 30/1): Cox & McEwen
PS: Volta a La Comunitat Valenciana (live from 1/2): Hatch & Smith
ET: Vuelta Ciclista Murcia (live on 11/2): Been & Smith
ET: Figuera Champions Classic (live on 12/2): Cox & Ian Field
PS: Clasica de Almeria (live on 12/2): Been & Smith
ET: Clasica Jaen Paraiso Interior (live on 13/2): Been & Smith
PS: Volta ao Algarve (live from 15/2): Hatch & Stephens (stages 1-3), Blyth (stages 4-5)
PS: Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol (live from 15/2): Cox & Smith
ET: Tour des Alpes-Maritimes et du Var (live from 17/2): Been & Backstedt
WT: UAE Tour (live from 20/2): Kirby & Smith
ET: Gran Camino (live from 23/2): Cox & Stephens (stages 1-2, 4), Field (stage 3)
ET: Faun-Ardeche Classic (live on 25/2): Been & Walker
WT: Omloop Het Nieuwsblad (live on 25/2): Stephens, Lloyd & Blythe
PS: Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne (live on 26/2): Hatch & Blythe
ET: Faun Drome Classic (live on 26/2): Been & Walker
ET: Le Samyn (live on 28/2): Been & Walker
WT: Strade Bianche (live on 4/3): Hatch, Lloyd & Blythe
ET: Grote Prijs Jean-Pierre Monsere (live on 5/3): Cox & Backstedt
WT: Paris-Nice (live from 5/3): Hatch & Kelly
WT: Tirreno-Adriatico (live from 6/3) : Kirby & McEwen
ET: Albert Achterhes Profronde van Drenthe (live from 12/3): Been (solo)
PS: Danilith Nokere Koerse (live on 15/3): Been & Christmas
PS: Milano-Torino (live on 15/3): Hatch & Smith
PS: Grand Prix de Denain - Porte du Hainaut (live on 16/3): Been & Smith
ET: Bredene Koksidje Classic (live on 18/3): Been & Smith
WT: Milano-Sanremo (live on 18/3): Hatch, Kirby, McEwen, Lloyd & Blythe
ET: Cholet Pays De La Loire (live on 19/3): tbc
WT: Volta Ciclista a Catalunya (live from 20/3): Kirby & Smith
WT: Classic Brugge-De Panne (live on 22/3): Cox & McEwen
WT: E3 Saxo Classic (live on 24/3): Hatch & Blythe
WT: Gent-Wevelgem (live on 26/3): Cox & Blythe
ET: La Roue Tourangelle (live on 26/3): Been & Stephens
WT: Dwars Door Vlaanderen (live on 29/3): Stephens & Lloyd
ET: Volta Limburg Classic (live on 1/4): Been & Stephens
PS: Gran Premio Miguel Indurain (live on 1/4): Walker & Field
WT: Ronde Van Vlaanderen (live on 2/4): Kirby, Lloyd, Kelly & Blythe
WT: Itzulia Basque Country (live from 3/4): Kirby & Smith
PS: Scheldeprijs (live on 5/4): Cox & McEwen
WT: Paris-Roubaix (live on 9/4): Hatch, Lloyd, McEwen & Blyth
ET: Giro di Sicilia (live from 11/4): Been & Smith
PS: De Brabantse Pijl (live on 12/4): Kirby & Lloyd
ET: Classic Grand Besancon Doubs (live on 14/4): Cox & Blythe
ET: Tour du Jura Cycliste (live on 15/4): Cox & Blythe
WT: Amstel Gold Race (live on 16/4): Kirby & Smith
PS: Tour of the Alps (live from 17/4): Hatch & Blythe
WT: La Fleche Wallone (live on 19/4): Cox & Stephens
WT: Liege-Bastogne-Liege (live on 23/4): Hatch & Blythe
WT: Tour de Romandie (live from 25/4): Stephens & Roche
WT: Echborn-Frankfurt (live on 1/5): Cox & Smith
WT: Giro d'Italia (live from 6/5): Hatch, Lloyd, Kelly, Blythe & McEwen
PS: GP du Morbihan (live on 6/5): Cox & Field
PS: Tro Bro Leon (live on 7/5): Cox & Field
PS: Tour de Hongrie (live from 10/5): Kirby & Smith
PS: 4 Jours de Dunkerque: Cox & Smith
Veenendaal Classic (live on 20/5): Been & Field
Antwerp Port Epic (live on 21/5): Been & Field
Tour de Norway (live from 26/5): Been & York
Boucle de la Mayenne (live from 26/5): Cox & Field
Van Merksteijn Fences Classic (live on 27/5): Kirby & Jens Dekker
Ronde van Limburg (live on 29/5): Marty MacDonald & Dekker
Mercan Tour Classic Alpes-Maritimes (live on 30/5): Been & Smith
Brussels Cycling Classic (live on 4/6): Cox & McEwen
Criterium du Dauphine (live from 4/6) Kirby & Smith
ZLM Tour (live from 7/6): Cox & McEwen
Dwars Door Het Hageland (live on 10/6): Walker & Field
Tour de Suisse (live from 11/6): Hatch & Jip van den Bos
Elfstedenronde Brugge (live on 11/6): Walker & Field
Tour of Slovenia (live from 14/6): Walker & York
La Route de Occitanie (live from 15/6): Kirby & Smith
Baloise Belgium Tour (live from 15/6 stage 2-5): Been & McEwen
French ITT Championships (live on 22/6): Kirby & Hutchinson
Italian Road Championships (live on 24/6): no English commentary
Spanish Road Championships (live on 25/6): Been & Yorke
French Road Championships (live on 25/6): Kirby & Smith
British Road Championships (live on 25/6): Stephens & Walker
Tour de France (live from 1/7): Kirby, Hatch, Lloyd, Kelly, Blythe & McEwen with Harris-Bass
Tour de Wallonie (live from 22/7): Been & Yorke (stages 1&2), Smith (stage 3-)
Clasica San Sebastian (live on 29/7): Cox & Smith
Circuito De Getxo (live on 30/7): Cox & Smith
Tour de L'ain (live from 31/7): Walker & Field
World Road Race Championship (live on 5/8): Hatch, Lloyd, Smith & Blythe.
World TT Championship (live on 11/8): Hatch & Smith
Tour of Leuven (live on 15/8): Ian Findlay & Field
Tour du Lumousin (live from 15/8): Walker & Yorke
Vuelta a Burgos (live from 15/8): Hatch & Stephens
Tour of Denmark (live from 16/8): Been & Smith
Arctic Race of Norway (live from 17/8): Cox & Field
Bemer Cyclassics (live on 20/8): Hatch & Blythe
Renewi Tour (live on 23/8): Hatch & Smith
Deutchland Tour (live from 23/8): Cox (solo and on site)
Vuelta a Espana (live from 26/8): Kirby, Lloyd, Kelly, McEwen & Blythe
Tour of Britain (live from 3/9): Stephens & Smith
Bretagne Classic (live on 3/9): Cox & York
Maryland Cycling Classic (live on 3/9): Been & van den Bos
GP Quebec (live on 8/9): Hatch, Smith & York
Grand Prix de Fourmies (live on 10/9): Cox & Field
GP Montreal (live on 10/9): Hatch, Smith & York
Giro della Toscana (live on 13/9): Findlay & Smith
GP de Wallonie (live on 13/9): Been & Stephens
Coppa Sabatini (live on 14/9): Findlay & Field
Kampioenchap van Vlaanderen (live on 15/9): Been & Smith
Super 8 Classic (live on 16/9): Been & Smith
European TT Championships (live on 20/9): Kirby & Hutchinson
Tour of Luxembourg (live from 20/9): Hatch & Smith
Tour de Langkawi (live from 23/9): Been & Smith
European Road Championships (live on 24/9): Kirby & York
CRO Race (live from 26/9): Kirby & York
Circuit Franco-Belge (live 28/9): Been & Smith
Coppa Agostini (live 28/9): Hatch & Stephens
Giro Dell'Emilia (live 30/9): Hatch & Stephens
Tour de Vendee (live 1/10): Been & Smith
Coppa Bernocchi (live 2/10): Hatch & Smith
Sparkassen Munsterland Giro (live 3/10): Cox & Smith
Tre Valli Varesine (live 3/10): Hatch & Stephens
Binche-Chimay-Binche (live 3/10): Been & Walker
Elfsteden Race (live 4/10): Been & Smith
Gran Piemonte (live 5/10): Hatch & Smith
Il Lombardia (live 7/10): Hatch, Lloyd & Smith
Tour of Turkey (live from 8/10): Kirby & Smith
Paris-Tours (live 8/10): Cox & Blythe
Giro del Veneto (live 11/10): Hatch & Field
Tour of Guangxi (live from 12/10): Hatch & Stephens
Veneto Classic (live 15/10): Hatch & Stephens

 

[awavey]

So Jo Rowsell got promoted to lead commentator on the Euro women's road race because...?

Tbf Abi Stephens was in India covering MotoGp this weekend, but was Marty doing the UCI/Euro feed instead ?

 

[wirral]

Kirby never sounded so uncomfortable and awkward as he does with Philippa York.

I take it back. Like the true pro he is, Carlton has warmed to his partnership.

 

[awavey]

Kirby never sounded so uncomfortable and awkward as he does with Philippa York.

I take it back. Like the true pro he is, Carlton has warmed to his partnership.

he sounds like he's got a cough/cold tbf, they sound like theyre having more fun than the race deserves, Phillippa is doing a great job describing the race/area too, could be a standout new pairing.

 

[ManicJack]

Philippa York speaks way to softly. It seems like my TV is on two different volumes

 

[yaco]

Marty McDonald is doing the Tour of Langkawi.

 

[Kaptain Kool]

he sounds like he's got a cough/cold tbf, they sound like theyre having more fun than the race deserves, Phillippa is doing a great job describing the race/area too, could be a standout new pairing.

Yeah, Kirby sounded normal outside of slightly less energetic. tbf I only watched the last 30km so missed the boring race parts when Kirby would go usually go off on (welcome) tengents. Also agree that York sometimes speaks too softly to hear but otherwise good.

I liked the Powers-Field combo on the cross side, too. So no GCN complaints from me.

 

[tao bleeding heart]

Cartoon Kirby.. a face for radio, perhaps.
but Pippa York.. a voice for print, definitely.
all i'm hearing is one long mumble.
dreadful communication skills for audio commentary.
CK may communicate bollox, but at least i can hear what he says.

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

Just startet watching On Demand of Danish version of Eurosport coverage of Giro dell'Emilia, men's race.

The main commentator didn't introduce himself.
After intro streamer of the race, he introduced Brian Holm, but still not himself.
And after an hour or so when Discovery users entered Eurosport Premium signal, this time without any presentation of the commentator box.

I've read in this thread it often happens at GCN UK coverage, but this is the first ever time I've experienced on Danish signal since Danish version arose in the 90ies.

It gives the impression of a thoughtless commentator with no education in commenting - even though he was OK with cycling professionally and made room for Brian Holm's stories and his deeper insight - as well as when Holm interrupted himself to make room for what was going on in the meantime (= how all sports commentators should really commentate).

Now I've just fast forwarded a bit before I fast forward to the main menu, but it annoys me that I can't name the main Danish commentator here today. At first I thought Per Bausager with a bit of a cold (until Mr. Holm could inform that he was on hard-hitter pleasure cycling training in Mallorca together with Jørgen Magnussen and a group of serious trained business men), or an even more cold Dan Frost. But at least not René Wenzel.

It just occurs to me that I've heard the voice before - any idea who it was?
He seemed a bit new into the role as commentator, but my impression is he is a person from within the pro cycling community. I might be wrong.

But all of my speculations could have been avoided if only he had dared to introduce himself

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Just startet watching On Demand of Danish version of Eurosport coverage of Giro dell'Emilia, men's race.

The main commentator didn't introduce himself.

It was Peter Piil, whose voice I'm sure you've heard before.

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

It was Peter Piil.

Was just about to go back here when I could recognize Peter Piil's voice and you answer was already here

it's been quite some years since I've heard Peter Piil in his former core role as main commentator.
I think he does OK well in the role as host in the studio prelude and post race analysis as it's been the case for many years now at Eurosport DK.
What tricked me is that his voice has become more worn than when he was the main commentator on more national channels and as an on location national bike events podium presenter and -commentator.
And then I didn't think of Peter Piil at all in the first place not remembering to introduce himself, as he would otherwise be my #1 pick of those I think of, who always remember the good professionalism.

 

[ManicJack]

But at least not René Wenzel.

As someone who was just a national level "pro" in the US for a decade, in the time frame that he was around, I can honestly say he that he is one of the biggest piece of crap humans that I ever met. He should be nowhere around cycling.

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

As someone who was just a national level "pro" in the US for a decade, in the time frame that he was around, I can honestly say he that he is one of the biggest piece of crap humans that I ever met. He should be nowhere around cycling.

OK, acknowledge your info. Haven't met him in person myself, though remember a handful of races in his active career as well as shorter interivews during his coaching career, though not enough to give impression, but must state enjoyed him immensely as a commentator first years at Eurosport DK especially when prime- or often sole commentator of coverage of minor US races. His subtle, dry humor and laid-back style otherwise gave me the impression of a friendly and humble guy, but I respect your observations, which is new to me.

 

[ManicJack]

OK, acknowledge your info

If you wanted a spot on his team, you needed to buy a plasma spinner that he would sell you. Rick Crawford learned everything he knew from him.