Eurosport commentary

[Christian]

You can watch it on the Eurosport Player. With commentary too.

Ah OK, do I need a subscription for that? Might not be so interesting for me since I do not have the chance to watch often. Just found it odd that it wasn't on TV, in years past it always was! I think French Eurosport showed it. Another sign of German media pulling out of cycling?

 

[kingjr]

Ah OK, do I need a subscription for that?

Yes you do. I don't know if it's worth it though if you don't have a chance to watch often.
You get ESP, and ESP 2, in german and english plus extra channels for big events that aren't covered by either ESP or ESP 2 (like the Giro), you can go back up to 3 hours if you missed something, and most events will also be uploaded as VOD's. So if you watch a lot of sports it's definitely worth it.

 

[argyllflyer]

The updated British Eurosport commentary pairings so far in 2014:

Commentators used for .1, .HC & .WT: Declan Quigley, Carlton Kirby, Rob Hatch, Jonathan Harris-Bass, Matt Stephens, Marty MacDonald
Summarisers used for.1, .HC & .WT: Brian Smith, Matt Stephens, Sean Kelly, Magnus Backstedt, Dan Lloyd, Tony Gibb

Dubai: Quigley & Smith
Oman: Kirby (solo)
Andalucia: Hatch & Stephens
K-B-K: Hatch & Stephens
Le Samyn: Kirby & Smith
Langkawi: Hatch (first week) / Quigley (last few stages) (both solo)
Strade Bianche: Hatch & Smith
Roma Maxima: Quigley & Smith
Paris-Nice: Hatch & Kelly
Tirreno-Adriatico: Quigley & Stephens
Milan-Sanremo: Quigley & Kelly
Catalunia: Kirby & Backstedt
E3 Harelbeke: Quigley & Stephens
Criterium International: Quigley & Stephens
Three Days of De Panne: Kirby & Smith
Tour of Flanders: Kirby & Kelly
Vuelta al Pais Vasco: Kirby & Stephens
Paris-Roubaix: Kirby & Stephens
GP de Denain: Kirby & Lloyd
Tour of the Reservoir: McCrossan & Stephens
Amstel Gold Race: Kirby & Kelly
Fleche Wallonne: Kirby & Lloyd
Tour of Turkey: Kirby & Smith
Liege-Bastogne-Liege: Hatch & Kelly
4 Days of Dunkirk: Quigley & Backstedt
Tour of Azerbaijan: Hatch (solo, stage 1) / Quigley (solo, stage 2) / Harris-Bass (solo, stages 3-4) / Harris-Bass & Gibb (stage 5)
Women's Tour of Britain: Porter & Smith (syndicated - also on ITV4)
Giro d'Italia: Hatch & Kelly (with intro from Harris-Bass stage 1 and Andy Smith stages 2&3)
Wiltshire Grand Prix: McCrossan & Stephens
Tour of California: Stephens & Smith
Tour Series R1 (Stoke): Porter & Smith (syndicated - also on ITV4)
Tour Series R2 (Barrow-in-Furness): Porter & Smith (syndicated - also on ITV4)
Tour of Norway: Quigley & Backstedt
Lincoln GP: McCrossan & Stephens
Tour Series R3 (Peterborough): Porter & Smith (syndicated - also on ITV4)
World Ports Classic: MacDonald & Smith

Coming Up (from @carltonkirby, @RealStephens, @robhatchtv, @BriSmithy):

Tour des Fjords: Stephens & ???
Criterium du Dauphine: Kirby & Stephens
Tour de France: Kirby & Kelly
Vuelta a Espana: Kirby & Kelly

 

[staubsauger]

Ah OK, do I need a subscription for that? Might not be so interesting for me since I do not have the chance to watch often. Just found it odd that it wasn't on TV, in years past it always was! I think French Eurosport showed it. Another sign of German media pulling out of cycling?

The Giro is exclusive on Eurosport HD this year here in Germany.

Sucks big time!

 

[Rossco8]

I found a link to the full broadcast in Italian on Cyclingfans.com. Not that I speak Italian.

 

[argyllflyer]

God, what a racket - Kirby on stage 14 was demented. At least Rob Hatch keeps some kind of perspective!

 

[scholar]

So the tennis fans have switched off, we're waiting in anticipation for the racing to start, and yet ES (UK at least) shows tennis-related adverts. Bizarre.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Credit to Rob Hatch for the shout-out for Marina Romoli Onlus.

 

[Captain Serious]

I cannot farkin stand English-speaking people putting on Euro accents for some names. It's simply pretentious flogness. The Eurosport guy sometimes does it (not Backstedt, the other guy), and Matt Keenan and Dave MacKenzie do it a bit on the Aus coverage.
GRRRRR, fark I hate it. It's farkin stoopit

I feel like punching something right now

Mackenzie has been driving me nuts saying "sheeror" for the last 2 weeks.

It makes my skin crawl and I have to turn the sound off.

One thing that's annoying about it is that they're not consistent; they pick and choose the names on which they twang the accent. They typically "fancy it up" on Italian and French names, but rarely on Eastern European names, and never on Asian names. Is a German accent not trendy enough?

No Irish accent for the Irish guy

The Italian and French on-course announcers don't put on Aussie accents for Evans or Matthews, etc

??

I just watched most of the F1. Brundle and the other guy don't do it, so why do the other flogs?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

OK, Hatch did just describe the Valle d'Aosta as being in Piemonte. That's a novel one.

 

[Cycle Chic]

Rob Hatch

How nice to listen to Sean enjoying himself on Eurosport. Commenting on the Giro with Rob hatch is like listening to a different person. So happy for Sean to finally have someone to talk to who knows one end of a bike from another - unlike Harmon and Kirby.

 

[UlleGigo]

I cannot farkin stand English-speaking people putting on Euro accents for some names. It's simply pretentious flogness. The Eurosport guy sometimes does it (not Backstedt, the other guy), and Matt Keenan and Dave MacKenzie do it a bit on the Aus coverage.
GRRRRR, fark I hate it. It's farkin stoopit

I feel like punching something right now

Mackenzie has been driving me nuts saying "sheeror" for the last 2 weeks.

It makes my skin crawl and I have to turn the sound off.

One thing that's annoying about it is that they're not consistent; they pick and choose the names on which they twang the accent. They typically "fancy it up" on Italian and French names, but rarely on Eastern European names, and never on Asian names. Is a German accent not trendy enough?

No Irish accent for the Irish guy

The Italian and French on-course announcers don't put on Aussie accents for Evans or Matthews, etc

??

I just watched most of the FI. Brundle and the other guy don't do it, so why do the other flogs?

Yaaaarrrrrr m' 'earty calm down Cap'n Grumpy pants!

 

[argyllflyer]

The updated British Eurosport commentary pairings so far in 2014:

Commentators used for .1, .HC & .WT: Declan Quigley, Carlton Kirby, Rob Hatch, Jonathan Harris-Bass, Matt Stephens, Marty MacDonald
Summarisers used for.1, .HC & .WT: Brian Smith, Matt Stephens, Sean Kelly, Magnus Backstedt, Dan Lloyd, Tony Gibb

Dubai: Quigley & Smith
Oman: Kirby (solo)
Andalucia: Hatch & Stephens
K-B-K: Hatch & Stephens
Le Samyn: Kirby & Smith
Langkawi: Hatch (first week) / Quigley (last few stages) (both solo)
Strade Bianche: Hatch & Smith
Roma Maxima: Quigley & Smith
Paris-Nice: Hatch & Kelly
Tirreno-Adriatico: Quigley & Stephens
Milan-Sanremo: Quigley & Kelly
Catalunia: Kirby & Backstedt
E3 Harelbeke: Quigley & Stephens
Criterium International: Quigley & Stephens
Three Days of De Panne: Kirby & Smith
Tour of Flanders: Kirby & Kelly
Vuelta al Pais Vasco: Kirby & Stephens
Paris-Roubaix: Kirby & Stephens
GP de Denain: Kirby & Lloyd
Tour of the Reservoir: McCrossan & Stephens
Amstel Gold Race: Kirby & Kelly
Fleche Wallonne: Kirby & Lloyd
Tour of Turkey: Kirby & Smith
Liege-Bastogne-Liege: Hatch & Kelly
4 Days of Dunkirk: Quigley & Backstedt
Tour of Azerbaijan: Hatch (solo, stage 1) / Quigley (solo, stage 2) / Harris-Bass (solo, stages 3-4) / Harris-Bass & Gibb (stage 5)
Women's Tour of Britain: Porter & Smith (syndicated - also on ITV4)
Giro d'Italia: Hatch & Kelly (with intro from Harris-Bass stage 1 and Andy Smith stages 2&3)
Wiltshire Grand Prix: McCrossan & Stephens
Tour of California: Stephens & Smith
Tour Series R1 (Stoke): Porter & Smith (syndicated - also on ITV4)
Tour Series R2 (Barrow-in-Furness): Porter & Smith (syndicated - also on ITV4)
Tour of Norway: Quigley & Backstedt
Lincoln GP: McCrossan & Stephens
Tour Series R3 (Peterborough): Porter & Smith (syndicated - also on ITV4)
World Ports Classic: MacDonald & Smith
Tour Series R4 (Aberystwyth): Porter & Smith (syndicated - also on ITV4)
Tour des Fjords: Stephens & Smith
Tour Series R5 (Durham): Porter & Smith (syndicated - also on ITV4)
Tour Series R6 (Edinburgh): Porter & Smith (syndicated - also on ITV4)

Coming Up (from @carltonkirby, @RealStephens, @robhatchtv, @BriSmithy):

Criterium du Dauphine: Kirby & Stephens
Tour de Suisse:tbc
Tour de France: Kirby & Kelly
Vuelta a Espana: Kirby & Kelly

 

[gooner]

Does anybody know if Sky Sports are showing Suisse live this year?

Last year they only showed an hour recap of the entire race after it finished. I hope that changes.

 

[argyllflyer]

Does anybody know if Sky Sports are showing Suisse live this year?

Last year they only showed an hour recap of the entire race after it finished. I hope that changes.

I've a feeling it'll be the same treatment. Nothing was mentioned during the Romandie coverage looking ahead, and their website just lists 'highlights' rather than daily highlights.

 

[Armchair cyclist]

They haven't said anything about two separate races yet today. Are they unwell?

 

[CycloAndy]

How nice to listen to Sean enjoying himself on Eurosport. Commenting on the Giro with Rob hatch is like listening to a different person. So happy for Sean to finally have someone to talk to who knows one end of a bike from another - unlike Harmon and Kirby.

I was thinking exactly the same. Hatch isn't perfect but I noticed I rarely get annoyed by his commentary unlike Kirby and Quigley.

 

[argyllflyer]

I was thinking exactly the same. Hatch isn't perfect but I noticed I rarely get annoyed by his commentary unlike Kirby and Quigley.

I muted the entirety of the Tour of Norway bar the last few kms of each stage, and despite that restraint, I still was able to hear one of the above refer to the race as the 'Tour of Denmark'.

 

[willbick]

I was thinking exactly the same. Hatch isn't perfect but I noticed I rarely get annoyed by his commentary unlike Kirby and Quigley.

I get annoyed when Hatch seems to think that if the break is going a different speed momentarily to the peleton (because they are on a hill) then that will affect the time gap!!

 

[ILovecycling]

I get annoyed when Hatch seems to think that if the break is going a different speed momentarily to the peleton (because they are on a hill) then that will affect the time gap!!

LOL

 

[mariposa]

I cannot farkin stand English-speaking people putting on Euro accents for some names. It's simply pretentious flogness. The Eurosport guy sometimes does it (not Backstedt, the other guy), and Matt Keenan and Dave MacKenzie do it a bit on the Aus coverage.
GRRRRR, fark I hate it. It's farkin stoopit

I feel like punching something right now

Mackenzie has been driving me nuts saying "sheeror" for the last 2 weeks.

It makes my skin crawl and I have to turn the sound off.

One thing that's annoying about it is that they're not consistent; they pick and choose the names on which they twang the accent. They typically "fancy it up" on Italian and French names, but rarely on Eastern European names, and never on Asian names. Is a German accent not trendy enough?

No Irish accent for the Irish guy

The Italian and French on-course announcers don't put on Aussie accents for Evans or Matthews, etc

??

I just watched most of the F1. Brundle and the other guy don't do it, so why do the other flogs?

+1 and my other half agrees with you as well. The Aussies and the Brits agreeing on something.

 

[deValtos]

I get annoyed when Hatch seems to think that if the break is going a different speed momentarily to the peleton (because they are on a hill) then that will affect the time gap!!

Actually the technique the Giro uses to calculate time gaps via gps takes into account the current speed of the riders, so it does affect the time gap shown on screen - which is what Hatch might be referring to. I don't have the math for you but you can witness it in action on the Val Martello climb. The gap was swinging 20 seconds back and forwards every time they hit a change of gradient (and speed.)

He might not be as daft as you think

 

[argyllflyer]

In a sport like cycling, a useful stat beyond time gap (because of rider speeds differing on drastically varied terrain as mentioned) would be actual distance on the road, i.e. on the flat, a 1km gap for two sets of riders riding at a steady 30km/h would be 2 minutes.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

The only relevant stats, though, are distance covered/distance remaining, and time gap.

The race is scored on time, and all riders cover the same distance if they want to be classified finishers, so the distance between them is not a relevant stat to the results, so if it's any additional effort to calculate they probably just won't bother.

 

[Beech Mtn]

I appreciated the stat today showing leading group with gradient they're riding on, and then maglia rosa group with time gap and their current gradient. That's interesting to have on a climb like today.