Eurosport commentary

[cen]

ES absolutely torching Soler today

 

[Pozzovivo]

Wow, Pozzovivo, don't sugar coat things. Why don't you tell us how you really feel?
Pozzo, let me introduce you to the hordes of philistines and malcontents on this forum who share your point of view. You have plenty of company, and your remarks are duly noted.
But you're terribly misguided, Pozzovivo. Just like all the others. I don't know where it all went wrong, but I hope that one day you will realize the error of your ways.
Godspeed, Pozzovivo.

Let me tell you how I really feel in terms you understand my friend.

Carlton Kirby spits forth not the magma of insight, but the ash of confusion, obscuring the path for those who seek clarity.

The truth, my dear friend, is not a matter of opinion but of evident flame. There is no need for me to sugarcoat what is already as clear as the midday sun—no smoke without fire, and this blaze of criticism is but a reflection of the volcanic proportions of Kirby’s inadequacy.

So, I wish you all the best, for it is not I who is lost in the fog, but you who have forgotten how to see the stars.

 

[Potomac]

So who is the woman that was doing the Renewi all week, but then doesn't get to do the only good stage today?
I missed her voice and presence. The guy today was dreadful.

 

[Wyndbrook]

So who is the woman that was doing the Renewi all week, but then doesn't get to do the only good stage today?
I missed her voice and presence. The guy today was dreadful.

Jose Been, and Owen Rogers with Brian Smith today.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

English language ES commentary and the Breakaway studio handwringing and apologising that they have no choice but to show the feed they receive, and they would far rather not have shown Van Aert looking faint at the back of the car.

Meanwhile, Spanish EuroSport puts exactly the same footage on its Twitter feed


Said footage, you've probably already seen it. Watch or not at your discretion, included to prove the Eurosport ES posting
View: https://x.com/Eurosport_ES/status/1830979845997674703


I'm guessing there is something of a north/south Europe divide in squeamishness about such images: how do other language variants respond?

 

[awavey]

English language ES commentary and the Breakaway studio handwringing and apologising that they have no choice but to show the feed they receive, and they would far rather not have shown Van Aert looking faint at the back of the car.

Meanwhile, Spanish EuroSport puts exactly the same footage on its Twitter feed


Said footage, you've probably already seen it. Watch or not at your discretion, included to prove the Eurosport ES posting
View: https://x.com/Eurosport_ES/status/1830979845997674703


I'm guessing there is something of a north/south Europe divide in squeamishness about such images: how do other language variants respond?

Well arguably there isn't on both counts, ES aren't forced to show any pictures they don't want to, they just have to employ someone to "direct/produce" the coverage and cut to an ad break or throw to one of their onsite team if they arent interested in whats being shown.

Secondly there maybe a higher likelihood of a single person complaining to the broadcast regulator in the UK at least, and rather than accept 1 complaint out of the many hundreds of thousands watching isn't significant, the regulator largely to justify its existence might take action against ES, which is why they apologise for swearing and being "forced" to show pictures like this.

I don't think we're more squeamish, I could have done without seeing that pic of Wouts knee before breakfast this morning, but it's part of you could say a dumbing down rather than treating viewers as mostly adult enough to cope with these things

 

[Potomac]

Any idea of who we are going to get for the Canadian races?

 

[argyllflyer]

Eurosport /Discovery+ commentary pairings season 2024 (men's elite):

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

WT: Tour Down Under (live from 16/1): Cox & Blythe
ET: Challenge Mallorca: Trofeo Calvia (live on 24/1): Hatch & Smith
ET: Challenge Mallorca: Trofeo Ses Salines (live on 25/1): Hatch & Smith
ET: Challenge Mallorca: Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana (live on 26/1): Hatch & Smith
ET: Challenge Mallorca: Trofeo Polenca (live on 27/1): Hatch & Smith
WT: Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race (live on 28/1): (host broadcaster package feat. Phil Liggett)
ET: Challenge Mallorca: Trofeo Palma (live on 28/1): Hatch & Smith
ET: Grand Prix Cycliste La Marseillaise (live on 28/1): Been & Walker
AT: AlUla Tour (live from 30/1): Cox & McEwen
PS: Volta a La Comunitat Valenciana (live from 31/1): Hatch & Stephens
ET: Tour de la Provence (live from 8/2): Been & Smith
ET: Vuelta Ciclista de Murcia (live on 10/2): Walker & York
ET: Figuera Champions Classic (live on 10/2): Cox & McEwen
PS: Clasica de Almeria (live on 11/2): Hatch & Walker
PS: Tour of Oman (highlights from 11/2): Kirby (solo)
ET: Clasica Jaen Paraiso Interior (live on 12/2): Hatch & Blythe
PS: Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol (live from 16/2): Kirby & Smith (stages 1, 2, 4 and 5 cancelled)
PS: Volta ao Algarve (live from 14/2): Hatch & McEwen (stages 1-4), Smith (stage 5)
ET: Classic VAR (live on 16/2): Been & Stephens
ET: Tour des Alpes-Maritimes et du Var (live from 17/2): Been & Stephens
WT: UAE Tour (live from 19/2): Kirby & Smith
ET: O Gran Camino (live from 22/2): Cox & Field
PS: Faun-Ardeche Classic (live on 24/2): Been & York
WT: Omloop Het Nieuwsblad (live on 24/2): Stephens & Smith
PS: Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne (live on 25/2): Stephens & McEwen
ET: Faun Drome Classic (live on 25/2): Been & York
ET: Le Samyn (live on 27/2): Been & Stephens
PS: Trofeo Laigueglia (live on 28/2): Kirby & Smith
WT: Strade Bianche (live on 2/3): Hatch, Lloyd, Blythe & Nathan Van Hooydonck
ET: Grote Prijs Jean-Pierre Monsere (live on 3/3): Cox & McEwen
WT: Paris-Nice (live from 3/3): Hatch & Kelly
WT: Tirreno-Adriatico (live from 4/3): Kirby & McEwen
PS: Milan-Torino (live on 13/3): Hatch & McEwen
PS: Danilith Nokere Koerse (live on 13/3): Been & Smith
PS: Grand Prix de Denain - Porte du Hainaut (live on 14/3): Been & Smith
ET: Bredene Koksijde Classic (live on 15/3): Been & Smith
WT: Milan-Sanremo (live on 16/3): Kirby, Hatch, McEwen, Blythe & Daniel Oss
ET: Cholet Pays de la Loire (live on 17/3): Been & Smith
WT: Volta Ciclista a Catalunya (live from 18/3): Kirby & Smith
WT: Classic Brugge - De Panne (live on 20/3): Cox & McEwen
WT: E3 Saxo Classic (live on 22/3): Hatch & Blythe
WT: Gent-Wevelgem (live 24/3): Cox & Blythe
ET: La Roue Tourangelle (live 24/3): Been & Stephens
WT: Dwars Door Vlaanderen (live 27/3): Kirby & Stephens
ET: Route Adelie de Vitre (live 29/3): Cox & Stephens
ET: Volta NXT Classic (live 30/3): Been & Stephens
PS: Gran Premio Miguel Indurain (live 30/3): Cox & Smith
WT: Ronde van Vlaanderen (live 31/3): Kirby, Lloyd and McEwen
WT: Itzulia Basque Country (live from 1/4): Kirby & Smith
PS: Scheldeprijs (live on 3/4): Cox & Field
WT: Paris-Roubaix (live on 7/4): Hatch, Lloyd, Blythe & Kelly
ET: Il Giro d'Abruzzo (live from 9/4): Been & Smith
PS: Brabantse Pijl (live on 10/4): Kirby & Field
ET: Classic Grand Bescancon Doubs (live on 12/4): Cox & Field
ET: Tour of Jura (live on 13/4): Cox & Field
WT: Amstel Gold Race (live on 14/4): Kirby & Smith
ET: Tour of Doubs (live on 14/4): tbc
PS: Tour of the Alps (live from 15/4): Hatch & Blythe
WT: La Fleche Wallone (live on 17/4): Stephens & Lloyd
PS: Tour of Turkey (live from 21/4): Cox (stage 1), Been (stages 2-8) & Smith (stages 1-5), York (stages 6-8)
WT: Liege-Bastogne-Liege (live on 21/4): Hatch, Blythe & Luke Rowe
WT: Tour de Romandie (live from 23/4): Cox & Stephens
Famenne Ardennes Classic (live on 28/4): Ian Findlay (?) (solo)
Echborn-Frankfurt (live on 1/5): Cox & Smith
PS: Grand Prix du Morbihan (live on 4/5): Cox (solo)
WT: Giro d'Italia (live from 4/5): Hatch, Lloyd, Kelly, McEwen & Blythe (with Vaughters & Rowe)
ET: Elfstedenronde Brugge (live on 5/5): Kirby & Smith
Tro Bro Leon (live on 5/5): Cox & York
PS: Tour de Hongrie (live from 8/5): Cox & Smith
ET: Circuit de Wallonie (live on 9/5): Been & Field
Tour of Finistere (live on 11/5): Been & York
4 Jours de Dunkerque (live from 14/5): Kirby (solo)
Veenendaal-Veenendaal Classic (live 18/5): Been & Field
Antwerp Port Epic (live 19/5): Been (solo)
Ronde van Limburg (live 20/5): Been & Field
Tour of Norway (live from 23/5): Been & Smith
Boucles de la Mayenne (live from 24/5): Cox (solo)
Mercan'Tour Classic (live 29/5): Been (solo)
Circuit Franco-Belge (live 29/5): Kirby (solo)
Brussels Cycling Classic (live 2/6): Cox (solo)
Criterium du Dauphine (live from 2/6): Hatch & Stephens (stages 1-7), Blythe (stage 8)
ZLM Tour (live from 5/6): Been & Smith (stages 1-4)
Dwars Door Het Hageland (live on 8/6): Kirby (solo)
Tour de Suisse (live from 9/6): Kirby & Smith
Tour of Slovenia (live from 12/6): Cox & Walker
Tour of Belgium (live from 12/6): Been & McEwen
French National ITT Championships (live on 20/6): MacDonald & Hutchinson
Spanish National Road Championships (live on 23/6): Hatch (solo)
French National Road Championships (live on 23/6): Kirby & Field
British National Road Championships (live on 23/6): MacDonald & Walker
Italian National Road Championships (live on 23/6): Cox (solo)
Tour de France (live from 29/6): Kirby, Hatch, Kelly, McEwen, Blyth & Rowe with guests Warbasse & Vaughters (with Harris-Bass).
Tour de l'Ain (live from 13/7): Cox & Smith
Clasica Terres de l'Ebre (live on 15/7): MacDonald (solo) (1.2)
Tour of Wallonia (stages 2-5 live from 23/7): Cox & Smith (stage 2), York (stages 3-5)
Czech Tour (live from 25/7): Smith (solo)
Elite Men Olympic Time Trial (live on 27/7): Kirby, McEwen & Walker
Elite Men Olympic Road Race (live on 3/8): Hatch, Stephens & McEwen
Arctic Race of Norway (live from 4/8): Been & Smith
Clasica San Sebastian (live on 10/8): Been (solo)
La Polynormande (live on 11/8): Owen Rogers (solo)
Tour de Limousin (live from 13/8): Cox & Smith
Tour of Denmark (live from 14/8): Been (stages 1-4) (solo), Cox (stage 5) (solo)
Tour of Leuven (live on 15/8): No commentary
La Vuelta a Espana (live from 17/8): Kirby, Stephens, McEwen, Kelly, King & Van Hooydonck
Deutchland Tour (live from 21/8): Cox (solo)
Bretagne Classic (live on 25/8): Jo Rowsell & Field
Renewi Tour (live from 28/8): Been (stages 1-4), (Rogers) (stage 5) & Smith
Bemer Cyclassics (live on 8/9): Quigley (solo)
Grand Prix de Fourmies (live on 8/9): Stephens (solo)
Elite Men European ITT Championships (live on 11/9): Been & Hutchinson
Coppa Sabatini (live on 12/9): Hatch & Smith
Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec (live on 13/9): Cox, Kirby, Smith & Hutchinson
Elite Men European Championships (live on 15/: Been & Stephens
Grand Prix de Montreal (live on 15/9): Cox, Kirby, Smith & Hutchinson
Tour of Luxembourg (live from 18/9): Hatch & Smith
Grand Prix de Wallonie (live on 18/9): Been & Walker
Kampioenchap van Vlaanderen (live on 20/9): Cox & Field
Super 8 Classic (live 21/9): Cox & Field
World Time Trial Championships (live on 22/9): MacDonald & Hutchinson
World Road Race Championships (live on 29/9): Hatch, Stephens, McEwen, Blyth & Walker
Tour of Langkawi (live from 29/9): tbc (host broadcast)
CRO Race (live from 1/10): tbc

 

[argyllflyer]

Any idea of who we are going to get for the Canadian races?

They often get the same races year in year out. It was Hatch, Smith and York last season for both.

 

[CleanCiclismo]

Eurosport /Discovery+ commentary pairings season 2024 (men's elite):

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

WT: Tour Down Under (live from 16/1): Cox & Blythe
ET: Challenge Mallorca: Trofeo Calvia (live on 24/1): Hatch & Smith
ET: Challenge Mallorca: Trofeo Ses Salines (live on 25/1): Hatch & Smith
ET: Challenge Mallorca: Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana (live on 26/1): Hatch & Smith
ET: Challenge Mallorca: Trofeo Polenca (live on 27/1): Hatch & Smith
WT: Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race (live on 28/1): (host broadcaster package feat. Phil Liggett)
ET: Challenge Mallorca: Trofeo Palma (live on 28/1): Hatch & Smith
ET: Grand Prix Cycliste La Marseillaise (live on 28/1): Been & Walker
AT: AlUla Tour (live from 30/1): Cox & McEwen
PS: Volta a La Comunitat Valenciana (live from 31/1): Hatch & Stephens
ET: Tour de la Provence (live from 8/2): Been & Smith
ET: Vuelta Ciclista de Murcia (live on 10/2): Walker & York
ET: Figuera Champions Classic (live on 10/2): Cox & McEwen
PS: Clasica de Almeria (live on 11/2): Hatch & Walker
PS: Tour of Oman (highlights from 11/2): Kirby (solo)
ET: Clasica Jaen Paraiso Interior (live on 12/2): Hatch & Blythe
PS: Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol (live from 16/2): Kirby & Smith (stages 1, 2, 4 and 5 cancelled)
PS: Volta ao Algarve (live from 14/2): Hatch & McEwen (stages 1-4), Smith (stage 5)
ET: Classic VAR (live on 16/2): Been & Stephens
ET: Tour des Alpes-Maritimes et du Var (live from 17/2): Been & Stephens
WT: UAE Tour (live from 19/2): Kirby & Smith
ET: O Gran Camino (live from 22/2): Cox & Field
PS: Faun-Ardeche Classic (live on 24/2): Been & York
WT: Omloop Het Nieuwsblad (live on 24/2): Stephens & Smith
PS: Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne (live on 25/2): Stephens & McEwen
ET: Faun Drome Classic (live on 25/2): Been & York
ET: Le Samyn (live on 27/2): Been & Stephens
PS: Trofeo Laigueglia (live on 28/2): Kirby & Smith
WT: Strade Bianche (live on 2/3): Hatch, Lloyd, Blythe & Nathan Van Hooydonck
ET: Grote Prijs Jean-Pierre Monsere (live on 3/3): Cox & McEwen
WT: Paris-Nice (live from 3/3): Hatch & Kelly
WT: Tirreno-Adriatico (live from 4/3): Kirby & McEwen
PS: Milan-Torino (live on 13/3): Hatch & McEwen
PS: Danilith Nokere Koerse (live on 13/3): Been & Smith
PS: Grand Prix de Denain - Porte du Hainaut (live on 14/3): Been & Smith
ET: Bredene Koksijde Classic (live on 15/3): Been & Smith
WT: Milan-Sanremo (live on 16/3): Kirby, Hatch, McEwen, Blythe & Daniel Oss
ET: Cholet Pays de la Loire (live on 17/3): Been & Smith
WT: Volta Ciclista a Catalunya (live from 18/3): Kirby & Smith
WT: Classic Brugge - De Panne (live on 20/3): Cox & McEwen
WT: E3 Saxo Classic (live on 22/3): Hatch & Blythe
WT: Gent-Wevelgem (live 24/3): Cox & Blythe
ET: La Roue Tourangelle (live 24/3): Been & Stephens
WT: Dwars Door Vlaanderen (live 27/3): Kirby & Stephens
ET: Route Adelie de Vitre (live 29/3): Cox & Stephens
ET: Volta NXT Classic (live 30/3): Been & Stephens
PS: Gran Premio Miguel Indurain (live 30/3): Cox & Smith
WT: Ronde van Vlaanderen (live 31/3): Kirby, Lloyd and McEwen
WT: Itzulia Basque Country (live from 1/4): Kirby & Smith
PS: Scheldeprijs (live on 3/4): Cox & Field
WT: Paris-Roubaix (live on 7/4): Hatch, Lloyd, Blythe & Kelly
ET: Il Giro d'Abruzzo (live from 9/4): Been & Smith
PS: Brabantse Pijl (live on 10/4): Kirby & Field
ET: Classic Grand Bescancon Doubs (live on 12/4): Cox & Field
ET: Tour of Jura (live on 13/4): Cox & Field
WT: Amstel Gold Race (live on 14/4): Kirby & Smith
ET: Tour of Doubs (live on 14/4): tbc
PS: Tour of the Alps (live from 15/4): Hatch & Blythe
WT: La Fleche Wallone (live on 17/4): Stephens & Lloyd
PS: Tour of Turkey (live from 21/4): Cox (stage 1), Been (stages 2-8) & Smith (stages 1-5), York (stages 6-8)
WT: Liege-Bastogne-Liege (live on 21/4): Hatch, Blythe & Luke Rowe
WT: Tour de Romandie (live from 23/4): Cox & Stephens
Famenne Ardennes Classic (live on 28/4): Ian Findlay (?) (solo)
Echborn-Frankfurt (live on 1/5): Cox & Smith
PS: Grand Prix du Morbihan (live on 4/5): Cox (solo)
WT: Giro d'Italia (live from 4/5): Hatch, Lloyd, Kelly, McEwen & Blythe (with Vaughters & Rowe)
ET: Elfstedenronde Brugge (live on 5/5): Kirby & Smith
Tro Bro Leon (live on 5/5): Cox & York
PS: Tour de Hongrie (live from 8/5): Cox & Smith
ET: Circuit de Wallonie (live on 9/5): Been & Field
Tour of Finistere (live on 11/5): Been & York
4 Jours de Dunkerque (live from 14/5): Kirby (solo)
Veenendaal-Veenendaal Classic (live 18/5): Been & Field
Antwerp Port Epic (live 19/5): Been (solo)
Ronde van Limburg (live 20/5): Been & Field
Tour of Norway (live from 23/5): Been & Smith
Boucles de la Mayenne (live from 24/5): Cox (solo)
Mercan'Tour Classic (live 29/5): Been (solo)
Circuit Franco-Belge (live 29/5): Kirby (solo)
Brussels Cycling Classic (live 2/6): Cox (solo)
Criterium du Dauphine (live from 2/6): Hatch & Stephens (stages 1-7), Blythe (stage 8)
ZLM Tour (live from 5/6): Been & Smith (stages 1-4)
Dwars Door Het Hageland (live on 8/6): Kirby (solo)
Tour de Suisse (live from 9/6): Kirby & Smith
Tour of Slovenia (live from 12/6): Cox & Walker
Tour of Belgium (live from 12/6): Been & McEwen
French National ITT Championships (live on 20/6): MacDonald & Hutchinson
Spanish National Road Championships (live on 23/6): Hatch (solo)
French National Road Championships (live on 23/6): Kirby & Field
British National Road Championships (live on 23/6): MacDonald & Walker
Italian National Road Championships (live on 23/6): Cox (solo)
Tour de France (live from 29/6): Kirby, Hatch, Kelly, McEwen, Blyth & Rowe with guests Warbasse & Vaughters (with Harris-Bass).
Tour de l'Ain (live from 13/7): Cox & Smith
Clasica Terres de l'Ebre (live on 15/7): MacDonald (solo) (1.2)
Tour of Wallonia (stages 2-5 live from 23/7): Cox & Smith (stage 2), York (stages 3-5)
Czech Tour (live from 25/7): Smith (solo)
Elite Men Olympic Time Trial (live on 27/7): Kirby, McEwen & Walker
Elite Men Olympic Road Race (live on 3/8): Hatch, Stephens & McEwen
Arctic Race of Norway (live from 4/8): Been & Smith
Clasica San Sebastian (live on 10/8): Been (solo)
La Polynormande (live on 11/8): Owen Rogers (solo)
Tour de Limousin (live from 13/8): Cox & Smith
Tour of Denmark (live from 14/8): Been (stages 1-4) (solo), Cox (stage 5) (solo)
Tour of Leuven (live on 15/8): No commentary
La Vuelta a Espana (live from 17/8): Kirby, Stephens, McEwen, Kelly, King & Van Hooydonck
Deutchland Tour (live from 21/8): Cox (solo)
Bretagne Classic (live on 25/8): Jo Rowsell & Field
Renewi Tour (live from 28/8): Been (stages 1-4), (Rogers) (stage 5) & Smith
Bemer Cyclassics (live on 8/9): Quigley (solo)
Grand Prix de Fourmies (live on 8/9): Stephens (solo)
Elite Men European ITT Championships (live on 11/9): Been & Hutchinson
Coppa Sabatini (live on 12/9): Hatch & Smith
Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec (live on 13/9): tbc
Elite Men Road Championships (live on 15/: tbc
Grand Prix Isbergues (live on 15/9): tbc
Grand Prix de Montreal (live on 15/9): tbc

Judging from this somebody doesn't like Smith and has relegated him to do "unimportant" races. In the past I remember he was a regular during the grand tour season.

 

[Pozzovivo]

Judging from this somebody doesn't like Smith and has relegated him to do "unimportant" races. In the past I remember he was a regular during the grand tour season.

While I respect the work of many commentators, I believe the lineup could benefit from some changes. Smith lacks enthusiasm and depth compared to Hatch, and it's surprising how little competition there is in this field, with the same people covering events regardless of their performance. A refresh, keeping Hatch, McEwan, and Van Hooijdonck, might be necessary.

I respect Kelly, but I’m not sure he’s keeping up with modern cycling. Been and Smith are uninspiring and offer no insight. Matt Stephens seems to force his style, and Kirby’s relentless wordplays combined with little understanding of modern racing leave much to be desired.

We need fresh voices who can elevate the viewer experience, especially those who understand today’s racing. It’s clear that being a great rider, as seen with Contador and Gilbert, doesn’t always make for a good pundit. More Van Hooijdonck-like figures could really improve the coverage.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

I thought McEwan did remarkably well when he was the lead guy in quiet patches during the Vuelta, but when he was on second mike he too easily got drawn into the silliness. As lead, he asked the right questions to get sensible comment, even out of Blythe.

I'd be sorry to see Kelly gone, but he adds very little analysis, just punctures the balloons of the sillier expectations of Kirby. If he was on with a lead commentator who didn't spout nonsense, he would have little to say. He would be good in the studio for a more considered analysis, but I suspect he would a) have no truck with their nonsense over the predictions, and b) far rather stay in his very nice Connemara home and talk from there than travel to West London.

(Full disclosure: I was editing this while @Pozzovivo was giving a thumbs up: that only applies, as far as I know, to the first paragraph and he might vehemently disagree with the second)

 

[RedheadDane]

I didn't pay 100% attention, but I think I just heard Holm and Bay discuss whether Shmidt is a stagiare with Ineos.
They... are aware of the rules that stagiares/devo-team riders can't ride WT races, right?

 

[Pozzovivo]

I'd be sorry to see Kelly gone, but he adds very little analysis, just punctures the balloons of the sillier expectations of Kirby. If he was on with a lead commentator who didn't spout nonsense, he would have little to say. He would be good in the studio for a more considered analysis, but I suspect he would a) have no truck with their nonsense over the predictions, and b) far rather stay in his very nice Connemara home and talk from there than travel to West London.

I wholeheartedly agree with the whole comment. Also, who cares about the prediction game among the pundits? It seems like it is fun for those involved (Orla etc) but not for anyone else. Strange broadcasting content imo.

 

[RedheadDane]

I wholeheartedly agree with the whole comment. Also, who cares about the prediction game among the pundits? It seems like it is fun for those involved (Orla etc) but not for anyone else. Strange broadcasting content imo.

Can't they just have the prediction game without needing to show the faces of the people making the predictions?
Just... mention each pundit's prediction during commentary.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Hutchinson might be a decent new find as a second voice: I just wish the main commentator (is it Cox?) would stop using silly nicknames all the time. It is OK (if your friends are so disposed) to call him "Poggy" chatting informally: it is thoroughly unprofessional to do so six times in a row in commentary.

 

[awavey]

Hutchinson might be a decent new find as a second voice: I just wish the main commentator (is it Cox?) would stop using silly nicknames all the time. It is OK (if your friends are so disposed) to call him "Poggy" chatting informally: it is thoroughly unprofessional to do so six times in a row in commentary.

Dr Hutch ? Yes he's great, but they only use him for TTs afaik

 

[awavey]

Can't they just have the prediction game without needing to show the faces of the people making the predictions?
Just... mention each pundit's prediction during commentary.

But this is the rub, the point of the predictions isn't the predictions, its content filler to distract you from the fact it's a chat show with some cycling attached and so it becomes this thing about personalities,faces and jokes, stories, the journey.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Dr Hutch ? Yes he's great, but they only use him for TTs afaik

Was that not him in the Quebec coverage yesterday?

 

[awavey]

Was that not him in the Quebec coverage yesterday?

As I didn't watch any of that coverage I've no idea 😂

 

[the delgados]

I just spent ten minutes listening to two people go on and on and say sweet nothings during the European road race championship, and something occurred to me.
Watching a bike race is boring. We all love riding our bikes, but watching a race is mind numbingly boring. All we see are cuts between the breakaway and the peloton, combined with a commentator talking about the local wine region.
This is why my man Carlton Kirby is so awesome. He manages to cut the mundanity and replace it with glorious tales that combine both fact and fiction. He can turn a frown upside down, and that's pretty much all I have to say.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

"Cote de Chameleon OOT"
What a beautiful and original way of butchering the French language. Something only our man C Kirby could do.

 

[argyllflyer]

Was that not him in the Quebec coverage yesterday?

yeah he did both Canadian races - part of a 4 man team for the endurance of live coverage from km 0!

 

[Potomac]

Today during Lexembourg, Smith said the 10km take back 1 minute is rubbish.
He said it pretty much after the peloton did exactly that.

 

[ashhutch1997]

Really enjoying the absence of Adam Blythe on Eurosports World Championships coverage. Nice to have Bryan Smith back as well, no silly giggling or annoying 'banter', just race talk.
No doubt Blythe will be wheeled out for the road race on Sunday.