Eurosport commentary

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Jean Claude Leclerq also isn't that bad as an expert is he? I like him (had to fix with his Suisse first of course)

he is the best they ever had, even better than Rominger. Without him it would be more or less unwatchable, Jansch is gone I think, Schulz not doing any commentary anmore and Leinauer is just terrible. And Miegels, I kind of liked him in the beginning but I can't stand him anymore to be honest. He certainly lacks knowledge about recent proceedings in cycling, can't identify one single rider and is always using the same phrases ("not too bad" instead of good, "not too good" instead of bad, and so on)

 

[argyllflyer]

All depends which Eurosport you're watching. On a number of occasions in past years much of Eurosport has had decent classics coverage while British Eurosport has had motorbike racing on and left some big classics coverage until as late as 20km to go. The O'Grady Roubaix year springs to mind as particularly bad.

With two channels there's not really an excuse for that, I remember last year watching some stuff on Eurosport HD (the International version) that was a lot earlier than when British Eurosport started coverage. Not even got that option this season as it's all British Eurosport HD.

Does anyone know why Eurosport have dropped coverage of the two Swiss WT races? I hope Sky haven't grabbed them. The only other things I don't see listed are the two non-WT German races that were covered last season. Langkawi possibly as well? Or am I imagining it being on?

 

[ren_rm]

World Championships seem to be absent from that list

 

[Mellow Velo]

With two channels there's not really an excuse for that, I remember last year watching some stuff on Eurosport HD (the International version) that was a lot earlier than when British Eurosport started coverage. Not even got that option this season as it's all British Eurosport HD.

There are? I ask because my epg is still showing both, so the option to split is still there.
Presumably the International tv guide is still available on their site, reached by changing location.

Does anyone know why Eurosport have dropped coverage of the two Swiss WT races? I hope Sky haven't grabbed them. The only other things I don't see listed are the two non-WT German races that were covered last season. Langkawi possibly as well? Or am I imagining it being on?

I'm not sure that the programme guide posted includes Brit Eurosport. A list of channels on page 2 does not include them.

Brit Eurosport alone showed the 2 Swiss races, these past 2 years.
So I wouldn't worry just yet.

A good option would be to buy a cheap sat receiver and dish, point it at Hotbird and get Rai Sports 2 for free.
Along with no worries over all the Italian races, (providing they sort it out with the RCS) they cover all the Belgian races live.

 

[spalco]

Jean Claude Leclerq also isn't that bad as an expert is he? I like him (had to fix with his Suisse first of course)

I don't know him. This year will be the first time I watch any race with German commentary.

 

[argyllflyer]

There are? I ask because my epg is still showing both, so the option to split is still there.
Presumably the International tv guide is still available on their site, reached by changing location.

I'm not sure that the programme guide posted includes Brit Eurosport. A list of channels on page 2 does not include them.

Brit Eurosport alone showed the 2 Swiss races, these past 2 years.
So I wouldn't worry just yet.

A good option would be to buy a cheap sat receiver and dish, point it at Hotbird and get Rai Sports 2 for free.
Along with no worries over all the Italian races, (providing they sort it out with the RCS) they cover all the Belgian races live.

Ah ok - on the Swiss races, I didn't know it was only British Eurosport that showed them. Seems a bit odd - is that down to European rights going elsewhere in France etc?

And what I meant about British Eurosport messing up Classics coverage because of motorbikes (and the Giro too iirc) was that last spring, Sky had British Eurosport 1/2 in SD and International Eurosport in HD. Now, the HD channels are both versions of British Eurosport, with no International HD as an alternative to moto GP and tennis or whatever they cover.

Getting an extra dish isn't that straightforward where I live so I'll make do with streams and cycling.tv for now to get the races Eurosport ignore... first challenge is trying to watch the Tour Down Under (as live, when I get in from work) as I cancelled my Sky Sports subscription a few months back.

 

[Cult Classics]

Ah ok - on the Swiss races, I didn't know it was only British Eurosport that showed them. Seems a bit odd - is that down to European rights going elsewhere in France etc?

And what I meant about British Eurosport messing up Classics coverage because of motorbikes (and the Giro too iirc) was that last spring, Sky had British Eurosport 1/2 in SD and International Eurosport in HD. Now, the HD channels are both versions of British Eurosport, with no International HD as an alternative to moto GP and tennis or whatever they cover.

Getting an extra dish isn't that straightforward where I live so I'll make do with streams and cycling.tv for now to get the races Eurosport ignore... first challenge is trying to watch the Tour Down Under (as live, when I get in from work) as I cancelled my Sky Sports subscription a few months back.

Another way of getting round Eurosport coverage differing by country is buying Eurosport player and using a VPN/proxy. It's all IP recognised so log in from a French proxyy and you'll get Eurosport as it is in France even though you're in UK. There's nothing illegal in it, by the way.

 

[argyllflyer]

Another way of getting round Eurosport coverage differing by country is buying Eurosport player and using a VPN/proxy. It's all IP recognised so log in from a French proxyy and you'll get Eurosport as it is in France even though you're in UK. There's nothing illegal in it, by the way.

thanks, will consider it. Had Eurosport Player a few years back.

 

[movingtarget]

Is Sean that awesome or what?

C'mon Sean is alright. He just never sounds that excited but he is knowledgeable. Sometimes also unintentionally funny especially when one of the other commentators asks a question that seems to take two minutes and Sean gives a one word answer, or when one of the others thinks he is saying something interesting and is getting really worked up and is waiting for Sean's response but it never comes. Sean's silence is so eloquent !

 

[argyllflyer]

Just seeing on twitter that Eurosport have pulled the plug on Tour of Qatar, apparently at the urging of ASO, after a tiff over ASO losing production of the TV broadcast.

 

[Djave Bikinus]

C'mon Sean is alright. !

Sean is awesome! I once heard someone say that listening to Sean Kelly commentate is like listening to a disinterested man describing the contents of his trouser pocket.

" So...derrs a coupla coins...... A pound coin...... anna ten pence....... An elastic band...... Some fluff. .... A used handkerchief."

Underneath that he communicates about 100 times more interesting information than the idiot Lance fanboy duo Liegget and Sherwen.

Love 'im

 

[woodenswan]

a disinterested man describing the contents of his trouser pocket.

" So...derrs a coupla coins...... A pound coin...... anna ten pence....... An elastic band...... Some fluff. .... A used handkerchief."

that's exactly what he's doing
lovely analog

huge fan of Sean

the hungarian commentators are so dreadful i actually prefer choppy streams to having to listen to them. with them it's either silence or completely unrelated stories. during Contador's Etna attack, one of those donks was talkin about the kind of small sausage he had there a few years back. that bad..

 

[argyllflyer]

that's exactly what he's doing
lovely analog

huge fan of Sean

the hungarian commentators are so dredful i actually prefer choppy streams to having to listen to them. with them it's either silence or completely unrelated stories. during Contador's Etna attack, one of those donks was talkin about the kind of small sausage he had there a few years back. that bad..

You should hear what Carlton Kirby, Sean and Harmon talk about when Eurosport show the long rambling all day flat stages in the Tour. Especially ones that have a break that gets away early on and the bunch have no intention of catching...

 

[woodenswan]

You should hear what Carlton Kirby, Sean and Harmon talk about when Eurosport show the long rambling all day flat stages in the Tour. Especially ones that have a break that gets away early on and the bunch have no intention of catching...

i do
that Giro i was stuck with Hungarian commentary, otherwise i always listen to Harmon and co. and im tellin ya, they are so much better at what they do.. it is not even comparable.. after one year of watching cycling, i recognized more riders than this hungarian dude who has been commentating for a bloody decade it's a disgrace, really..

 

[RedheadDane]

Another way of getting round Eurosport coverage differing by country is buying Eurosport player and using a VPN/proxy. It's all IP recognised so log in from a French proxyy and you'll get Eurosport as it is in France even though you're in UK. There's nothing illegal in it, by the way.

Dunno how that proxyy business would work, but this sorta reminds me of something funny that happened while I was watching the Tour-Route-Presentation.
For some reason I got it in Flemish...

 

[movingtarget]

You should hear what Carlton Kirby, Sean and Harmon talk about when Eurosport show the long rambling all day flat stages in the Tour. Especially ones that have a break that gets away early on and the bunch have no intention of catching...

Kirby is the best at the end of the stage though. No one else gets that excited and his enthusiasm is infectious.

 

[movingtarget]

Sean is awesome! I once heard someone say that listening to Sean Kelly commentate is like listening to a disinterested man describing the contents of his trouser pocket.

" So...derrs a coupla coins...... A pound coin...... anna ten pence....... An elastic band...... Some fluff. .... A used handkerchief."

Underneath that he communicates about 100 times more interesting information than the idiot Lance fanboy duo Liegget and Sherwen.

Love 'im

Good one and it's true. Sean knows the sport inside out and has been there, done that.

 

[Alphabet]

I really like Kelly. He's knowledgeable and his accent is delightful. Harmon is okay, but for entertainment value I would prefer Phil to Harmon. As the 'anchor', Harmon's voice is annoying and he talks too much about the race. Phil can always provide brief entertainment by saying his cliches or making observations like "sitting cows is a sign of rain".

 

[manafana]

Just seeing on twitter that Eurosport have pulled the plug on Tour of Qatar, apparently at the urging of ASO, after a tiff over ASO losing production of the TV broadcast.

thats a pity really would be nice have some early season coverage.

On Sean i think the great thing is because he almost did it all, green jersey winner but also a grand tour winner he understands cycling from both viewpoints and not long out of the game that things have changed too much, Pity hes not more open about the past of cycling

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Al Jazeera will be broadcasting it live here

 

[argyllflyer]

Al Jazeera will be broadcasting it live here

Which is good news, would have preferred being able to record it off Eurosport and watch 'live' when I get in from work but I see there are repeats scheduled at '21.30' each night. Just need to work out the time difference now!

 

[Cult Classics]

Dunno how that proxyy business would work, but this sorta reminds me of something funny that happened while I was watching the Tour-Route-Presentation.
For some reason I got it in Flemish...

Basically just tricks the internet into thinking you're in a different country. I know from being on vacation in Italy that if you log into Eurosport player from there you'll get Eurosport Italy rather than UK (you can flip between Italian and English commentary if you wish). A proxy will do the same job, but unfortunately won't transport you on vacation.

 

[movingtarget]

I really like Kelly. He's knowledgeable and his accent is delightful. Harmon is okay, but for entertainment value I would prefer Phil to Harmon. As the 'anchor', Harmon's voice is annoying and he talks too much about the race. Phil can always provide brief entertainment by saying his cliches or making observations like "sitting cows is a sign of rain".

Yeah it seems many people absolutely loathe Liggett but I have listening to him since the Eighties and I don't mind him or Sherwen. Kelly and Harmon make a good combination like Kirby and Backstedt. Harmon on his own would be too much for me.

 

[gruppeto993]

If Eurosport isnt covering tour of qatar, where can we watch it then??

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

... if you log into Eurosport player from there you'll get Eurosport Italy rather than UK.... A proxy will do the same job, but unfortunately won't transport you on vacation.

LOL!

I'm wondering when the Tour of Tahiti will happen.