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Eurosport commentary

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The thing that I cannot do with of Kirby are his 'jokes'

When he was commentating with Gerrens and there was no response from Gerrens and then he did that weird little forced laugh to himself.


I can just watch now and just phase him out when I need to tbh. Far more worse things in life to get annoyed at.
 
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I agree with this, although he doesn’t do himself any favours with his opinions and biases at times. If he kept those under control then he has talent as you’ve said.

There are times when he stereotypes other nationalities, generalises and insults.

Yeah, just a few days after my post in Vuelta a Andalucia Stage 1, he repeated several times that 1) Andalucia has benefited due to the demise of Middle Eastern races; and that 2) this year most of the big names are in Algarve instead of Andalucia. Strange comments since IMHO there isn't much difference in quality between the 2 start lists but both are weaker than the UAE Tour.
Also claimed that Mikel Landa is a better time trialist than Jakab Fuglsang.

Basically, he's at his best when he's not talking about cycling.
 
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The quality of the announcers is curicial for me no matter which sport. Sometimes I'm actually watching some sporting event that I'm actually not very interested in just for the commentary lol. Sport broadcasts are for me what for other ppl might be listening to music, I enjoy having it on just as a smth like background noise.

That being said I do really like the german eurosport commentators. Just ex pro rider Jorg Ludewig isn't quite on the same level. If its an option I often switch to english commentary for various sports, not so with cycling on Eurosport.
 
The quality of the announcers is curicial for me no matter which sport. Sometimes I'm actually watching some sporting event that I'm actually not very interested in just for the commentary lol. Sport broadcasts are for me what for other ppl might be listening to music, I enjoy having it on just as a smth like background noise.

That being said I do really like the german eurosport commentators. Just ex pro rider Jorg Ludewig isn't quite on the same level. If its an option I often switch to english commentary for various sports, not so with cycling on Eurosport.

I do not speak Flemish, but I love listening to Michel Wuyts . It's like listening to someone like the late great Pavarotti lol!
 
Quick note to those who think a broadcaster favours a specific team or rider. I've watched a lot of cyclocross this year and can't help but notice that the GCN broadcaster keeps mentioning a rider that is well down and about to be lapped. Given that no other lapped riders are ever mentioned, I can't help but the commentators palms are being greased by the team sponsor. Personally, I don't care one bit that the rider's name is mentioned once or twice during a race. But I'm wondering if there may be some sort of equivalent in road racing. You know--highlight the guy from the country you're broadcasting to.
 
I'm often really annoyed by sports commentators in general. Among my favourites are those that are simply okay and at least do not make me angry. I can cope with some mistakes, some unfinished sentences, some metaphor misfits, but not with people being disrespectful to competitors or being sexist. Also I find it annoying when commentators tell stuff that is not at all relevant to the situation when the action is really going. Then there are those guys that just love to listen to their own voice and talk and talk not for the benefit of the spectator but for their own.

Okay, that being said, it's obviously quite tough to be a good commentator. The German speaking Eurosport cycling team is quite okay. Regarding cycling though I really like Paul Voss, who comments on the boring parts of the Tour, but who is always very respectful, empathic, willing to acknowledge his own mistakes, not only looking at German / German speaking riders... that really makes it nice to listen to him, even if he does not give the most spectacular insights.
I don't listen to the English Eurosport commentators a lot, but when I do, I prefer not to follow too closely because they seem to talk a lot of nonsense and are rather biased. I'm sometimes surprised by that as English sports writing is often great and superior to what I know from Germany.
 
Anyone in the UK know when the 3 races are actually going to be on today on Eurosport channel? Yesterday announcement after the days races was proclaiming 'turn on to your home of cycling at 12, 2 and 4 for live coverage of all 3 races'. Just skiing on at moment and tv schedule showing Algarve at 3-4.30, UAE 4.30-5.30, Andalucia 8-9. The tv schedule has been incorrect all week! Grateful if anyone sees it on can post on here so I can watch it.
 
Hmm, we have a free channel to show the last 12 kms now that biathlon is over. Should we?

Nah, let's just show Watts Zap.
Yeah, it's infuriating. I prefer to watch it live, otherwise I always seem to click on something here that inadvertently tells me what's happened. On previous days have put it on record for all afternoon to make sure but recording until 9 isn't possible today
 
Anyone in the UK know when the 3 races are actually going to be on today on Eurosport channel? Yesterday announcement after the days races was proclaiming 'turn on to your home of cycling at 12, 2 and 4 for live coverage of all 3 races'. Just skiing on at moment and tv schedule showing Algarve at 3-4.30, UAE 4.30-5.30, Andalucia 8-9. The tv schedule has been incorrect all week! Grateful if anyone sees it on can post on here so I can watch it.

Schedule below... not sure how accurate it is as I usually watch on catch up via ES Player

 
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Today was Dan Lloyd's first lead commentary on Eurosport (as far as I can remember).
And he did a great job. So refreshing to have two ex-pros who actually know what they are talking about as opposed to Kirby's inane ramblings. Admittedly they missed a couple of things (like Vanmarcke and Van Aert being caught by the peloton) but would rather that than Kirby laughing to himself at his disgraceful 'jokes'.
 
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Declan Quigley was part of the UAE lockdown as he covers the RCS races on site, and Rob Hatch covers the Belgian races for the international market, but wonder where Carlton was yesterday? But as noted above, refreshing! I like listening to DL and good to hear him in the pilot's seat for once! I think he has done some GCN stuff as lead (rather than co comms) yeah? And they have palled up with Eurosport now.
 
Declan Quigley was part of the UAE lockdown as he covers the RCS races on site, and Rob Hatch covers the Belgian races for the international market, but wonder where Carlton was yesterday? But as noted above, refreshing! I like listening to DL and good to hear him in the pilot's seat for once! I think he has done some GCN stuff as lead (rather than co comms) yeah? And they have palled up with Eurosport now.
World indoors, but probably in SW London rather than Berlin.

Surprised to hear that Quigley was on site: I thought they only did that for the Tour, possibly the Giro.
 
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I agree with this, although he doesn’t do himself any favours with his opinions and biases at times. If he kept those under control then he has talent as you’ve said.

There are times when he stereotypes other nationalities, generalises and insults.
Kirby is absolutely sh*te I just can't listen to him he ruins any broadcast he's involved in for me... either the sounds as to be off or ITV4 when available ... cant understand how anyone thinks he has a clue about cycling.
I've enjoyed the commentary for Nieuwsblad and Kuurne this weekend, never overstated knowledgeable and professional...nice change! British Eurosport please bin Kirby
 
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World indoors, but probably in SW London rather than Berlin.

Surprised to hear that Quigley was on site: I thought they only did that for the Tour, possibly the Giro.

Thanks - not been following the track so missed that.

RCS always have their own commentators on site . It used to be a gig Kirby & Lloyd had together, and in fact got Quigley the Giro on Eurosport when Dave Harmon got his number torn up as Kirby, the #2 commentator for ES back in 2013, was in italy. So Quigley & Kelly were the hastily assembled team!

So any RCS race - Giro, Tirreno, Strade Bianchi, UAE, the autumn classics... they have their international market English commentators at the race. You can also usually hear Ant McCrossan doing finish line announcements. All a package. Eurosport do not use this audio. It will be used in other markets, USA, Australia etc...

Kirby stopped doing the RCS stuff a few years back and was replaced at first by Ned Boulting and now by Quigley.

But you're right to say that Eurosport only send people to the races in rare circumstances - Paris-Nice, Tour, Roubaix... that's about it really. Tour of Turkey used to pay for comms to go over, maybe still do, and Tour de Suisse does/did too. ES had their commentators back in London for UAE as they don't tend to use the host broadcaster's audio feed, silly o' clock Aussie races excepted.

Quigley posted some pics of his hotel room etc during the quarantine...
 
Kirby is absolutely sh*te I just can't listen to him he ruins any broadcast he's involved in for me... either the sounds as to be off or ITV4 when available ... cant understand how anyone thinks he has a clue about cycling.
I've enjoyed the commentary for Nieuwsblad and Kuurne this weekend, never overstated knowledgeable and professional...nice change! British Eurosport please bin Kirby

Kirby will be booked up for the season. He's more popular than he is not.
 
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