Eurosport commentary

[the delgados]

The main take from yesterday's commentary is that CK acknowledged that Gaudu is not pronounced like Godot, so the Samuel Beckett jokes are out the window. I could have seen that one running for a few seasons.

Haha! I was thinking the exact same thing. You couldn't help but get the feeling he was having a hard time restraining himself from repeating the joke he made months ago.
CK: Who's waiting for Godot, Sean?!
SK: (After a brief pause) Uh, no one's waiting for Godot.
Ok, then! That clears everything up.

 

[Armchair cyclist]

Was there not a theory that Beckett (a cycling fan apparently, and living in Paris) got the name of the title (non-) character from talking to some roadside fans who stayed around waiting for Guido (De Santi) long after everyone else had gone home. De Santi and two of his Italy teammates finished 25 minutes after anyone else on the final stage of the 1949 Tour de France.

Let's hope the theory never reaches CK.

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

Was there not a theory that Beckett (a cycling fan apparently, and living in Paris) got the name of the title (non-) character from talking to some roadside fans who stayed around waiting for Guido (De Santi) long after everyone else had gone home. De Santi and two of his Italy teammates finished 25 minutes after anyone else on the final stage of the 1949 Tour de France.

Let's hope the theory never reaches CK.

Wow. Seems that Beckett really was fascinated by cycling.
Just did a bit of reading and some other sources say the rider was a Roger Godeau who finished a Paris-Roubaix so late one year that all the spectators had gone home.
Kirby needs to get a bit more highbrow; I'm tempted to write and ask him to solve this story.

 

[Ranagazoo]

Have we checked that Kirby isn't actually related to Omar Fraile? He seems to have a weird affection for him.

 

[argyllflyer]

British Eurosport commentary pairings season 2021 (men's elite):

Grand Prix La Marseillaise (live on 31/1): Kirby & Smith (ES Player/GCN only)
Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana (live from 3/2): tbc
Tour of Provence (live from 11/2): Lloyd & Stephens (ES Player/GCN only)
Clasica De Almeria: Hatch & Backstedt
Tour of Alpes-Maritimes (live from 20/2): Been & Stephens (ES Player/GCN only)
UAE Tour (live from 21/2): Kirby & Smith
Omloop Het Niewsblad (live on 27/2): Lloyd & Blythe
Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne (live on 28/2): Hatch & Blythe
GP Le Samyn (live on 2/3): Been & Backstedt
Strade Bianche (live 6/3): Hatch & Lloyd
Grand Prix Jean Monsere: (live 7/3): Been & Backstedt
Paris-Nice (live from 7/3): Hatch & Blythe
Tirreno-Adriatico (live from 10/3): Kirby & Lloyd
Nokere Koerse (live on 17/3): Been & Backstedt
Bredene Koksijde Classic (live on 19/3): Been & Backstedt
Milano-Sanremo (live on 20/3): Hatch & Smith
Volta Ciclista a Catalunya (live from 22/3): Kirby & Smith
Brugge - De Panne (live on 24/3): Hatch & Blythe
E3 SaxoBank Classic (live on 26/3): Hatch & Blythe (ES Player/GCN only)
Gent - Wevelgem (live on 28/3): Stephens & Blythe
Cholet Pays De La Loire (live on 28/3): Been & Backstedt (ES Player/GCN only)
Dwars door Vlaanderen (live on 31/3): Kirby & Blythe
GP Miguel Indurain: (live on 3/4): Jez Cox & Blythe
Ronde van Vlaanderen (live on 4/4): Kirby, Lloyd, Backstedt & Blythe
Itzulia Basque Country: (live from 5/4): Kirby & Smith
Scheldeprijs (live on 7/4): Stephens & Blythe
Presidential Tour of Turkey (live from 11/4): Kirby & Smith
Brabantse Pijl (live on 14/4): Stephens & Lloyd (ES Player/GCN only)
Tour of Valencia (live from 14/4): Been & Backstedt
Amstel Gold Race (live on 18/4): Stephens & Blythe
Tour of the Alps (live from 19/4): Stephens & Lloyd
Fleche Wallonne (live on 21/4): Kirby & Blythe
Liege-Bastogne-Liege (live on 25/4): Hatch & Smith
Tour de Romandie (live from 27/4): Hatch & Smith
Volta ao Algarve: Kirby & Backstedt
Giro d'Italia (live from 8/5): Hatch & Lloyd with Kelly, Smith, Backstedt (+ Dan Bigham stage 1)
Tour of Hungary (live from 12/5): tbc
Tro Bro Leon (on 16/5): tbc

 

[Publiuszam]

I don't like Brian Smith commentary. In my opinion he talks way too much for a colour commentator.

 

[Wyndbrook]

The big plus is less time for Kirby to pontificate.

 

[kenjude]

I don't like Brian Smith commentary. In my opinion he talks way too much for a colour commentator.

I think that’s because CK says “Brian” every time he needs to breathe in. I think he wants all airspace filled with voices.

 

[MTV]

I just really like Magnus.

 

[Armchair cyclist]

The gross ignorance spreads: Yesterday (I have only watched it this morning) Jose Been "informed" the listening public that if two riders are equal on time in GC, they are divided first by the number of stage wins, then by the fractions of seconds on a time trial.


When they utter such arrant nonsense, do they believe it themselves , or are they guessing and presenting it as fact?

 

[kenjude]

I just really like Magnus.

I like any of them that aren’t performing at us, that sound like they’re having a conversation with each other, and are prepared to leave breathing space without voices so we have the space to consider what we’re seeing and hearing.

Stephens, Lloyd, Blythe, Magnus in any combination are good to my ears. There’s light and shade in the voices which makes it much less wearing to listen to than when Kirby is in full flow and demanding his co-commentator fill the gaps.

Most of all though I want them to listen to each other. There was a situation on the Valencia tour the other day when Jose Been interrupted Magnus and actually referred to the interruption. Then FFS she went to do it again a minute or so later leaving Magnus sounding like he wasn’t sure whether he should bother trying to talk at all.

I don’t mind her commentary at all, but she needs to listen to the other guy and, unless it’s urgent due to action on screen, just STFU and let him finish. Having a thought is not a reason to interrupt.

 

[perico]

I like any of them that aren’t performing at us, that sound like they’re having a conversation with each other, and are prepared to leave breathing space without voices so we have the space to consider what we’re seeing and hearing.

Stephens, Lloyd, Blythe, Magnus in any combination are good to my ears. There’s light and shade in the voices which makes it much less wearing to listen to than when Kirby is in full flow and demanding his co-commentator fill the gaps.

Most of all though I want them to listen to each other. There was a situation on the Valencia tour the other day when Jose Been interrupted Magnus and actually referred to the interruption. Then FFS she went to do it again a minute or so later leaving Magnus sounding like he wasn’t sure whether he should bother trying to talk at all.

I don’t mind her commentary at all, but she needs to listen to the other guy and, unless it’s urgent due to action on screen, just STFU and let him finish. Having a thought is not a reason to interrupt.

I’m not as familiar with the different ES commentators other than Carlton and Kelly. Is Been the one who did the analysis on the world feed of the Vuelta last year? I don’t mind crossover in the commentary but I’m not able to tell them apart by their voices yet (to be fair, I usually get them men announcers on ES confused as well other than Kirby and Kelly). Whoever did the color on the Vuelta and the Worlds was bloody awful.

 

[RedheadDane]

Anyone knows who was commentating the women's Valencia today? Didn't sound like the normal "Womens' Races Guy".

 

[yaco]

As long as the co-commentators continue to call races from remote locations there is always the possibility the commentators will be out of sync with each other.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Anyone knows who was commentating the women's Valencia today? Didn't sound like the normal "Womens' Races Guy".

Jez Cox I think. Raced fairly successfully at a high level in French amateur races during his racing days and does alot of the on the ground commentary at British races like the Tours of Britain, Tour Series Crits and Tour De Yorkshire. He also did a couple of the smaller Belgian one day races with Backstedt last year.

 

[ooo]

Is Been the one who did the analysis on the world feed of the Vuelta last year?

Hannah Walker was co-host to Anthony McCrossan for Vuelta 2020 world feed

 

[perico]

Hannah Walker was co-host to Anthony McCrossan for Vuelta 2020 world feed

Thanks. She was bemoaning the fact that Ineos weren’t waiting for Froome on stage 1 when he got dropped, practically scolding their management for not waiting for their leader, and not once mentioning that they were focused on Carapaz. It was ridiculously stupid.

 

[RedheadDane]

Thanks. She was bemoaning the fact that Ineos weren’t waiting for Froome on stage 1 when he got dropped, practically scolding their management for not waiting for their leader, and not once mentioning that they were focused on Carapaz. It was ridiculously stupid.

And for a brief moment I thought you were talking about a recent race...

 

[perico]

And for a brief moment I thought you were talking about a recent race...

I was not sure if it was the same commentator. I’m not as familiar with a lot of the voices on Eurosport other than the obvious Kirby and Kelly and the late David Duffeld. This is the first year I’ve used GCN+ so there are a lot of different commentators and I wasn’t sure if she was the same one who was the analyst at the Vuelta last year because she was bad.

 

[the delgados]

I just really like Magnus.

Magnus is a dreamboat. Top notch commentator who knows how to navigate the terrain.
His voice reminds me of the Swedish musician Jens Lekman -- all smooth and silky-like.
What is it about Swedes without accents? I don't get it.

 

[MTV]

Magnus is a dreamboat. Top notch commentator who knows how to navigate the terrain.
His voice reminds me of the Swedish musician Jens Lekman -- all smooth and silky-like.
What is it about Swedes without accents? I don't get it.

Maggi's voice is really great for radio/TV,... I could listen to him all day - but I like him because he cares (about cycling, riders,...) and he is is fair to all. He was a good rider, but he is not full of himself. And when something bad happens it's like he is still there, riding, feeling,.. not just talking.
About Swedes - I don't know - I'm just happy we have them.

 

[Swiss Tony]

Stephens & Lloyd ... Eurosport please just make sure they commentate on every Race possible... or at least Grand Tours and Classics. They are by far the best, ex pro's with knowledge, a love for the sport, fans and bike reviewers...They just know what they are talking about

 

[Wyndbrook]

I wish, Kirby again today FW.
Usual performance , made the race less enjoyable.

 

[pmcg76]

I wish, Kirby again today FW.
Usual performance , made the race less enjoyable.

Yep, watched it on playback. As soon as I heard Kirby, straight to mute and watched the last 15 minutes....it is Fleche Wallone after all.

Agree re Dan Lloyd/Matt Stephens combo, but either with Magnus Backstedt would be great as well. Funny when Lloyd and Stephens are on, it's hard to know which is supposed to be the actual commentator/analyst but it works well.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

I think Matt Stephens is the lead commentator as he starts off the commentary at the beginning and rounds things up come the finish. Similar to how he was lead with Adam Blythe at Amstel. But Dan Lloyd was the lead commentator at Omloop and maybe another race, plus normally leads the discussion on the sofa on GCN Plus which does add to the small amount of confusion I guess.