ITV commentators covering the Vuelta

[masking_agent]

I've really been enjoying the commentary of the ITV commentators. They bring excitement to the race. Who are these guys ? I hope they do more races in the future and become the replacement for P and P.

On a side note, I'm quite surprised at how boring the Eurosport coverage has been with Harmon and Kelly.

 

[The Hitch]

The itv coverage, especially for the first stage when they went through all the contenders, has imo mean very good and very enjoyable in the short 1 hr package form.

The only way that scum ligget isnt commentating tdf next year is if the lance thing brings him down somehow.

 

[JRanton]

I thought Liggett was finally retiring at the end of this year (about 10 years too late)?

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I thought Liggett was finally retiring at the end of this year (about 10 years too late)?

I had not heard that, but I can only hope it's so. Do you have a link? Anyone have a link? After his asinine comments about USADA hiring the Illuminati to pay witnesses (or whatever the hell he was thinking), he needs to be put to pasture.

In the US on NBC/Universal we have Schlanger and Gugolski, who are pretty decent, especially Gogo who is terrific.

 

[The Cobra]

I've really been enjoying the commentary of the ITV commentators. They bring excitement to the race. Who are these guys ? I hope they do more races in the future and become the replacement for P and P.

On a side note, I'm quite surprised at how boring the Eurosport coverage has been with Harmon and Kelly.

Anthony McCrossan is the announcer. He's been joined by a few different people over the race, Endura manager Brian Smith most of the time. I think Dan Lloyd and Roger Hammond have done a bit too.

Usually I'm not a fan of McCrossan but I have actually prefered him over Harmon on this race. Infinitely better than Ligget as well, retirement long over due.

 

[robert_c]

In the US on NBC/Universal we have Schlanger and Gugolski, who are pretty decent, especially Gogo who is terrific.

They are great. Very enthusiastic.

 

[Bobby G]

Brian Smith is OK and I like Imlach, but Hammond is a yes man and Dan Lloyd is a Wiggo wannabe. The main commentator is a touch annoying but then anythings better than Liggett. On the whole, it's OK. Prefer Harmon and Kelly. Harmon has come on so much. He still gets excited in the wrong places and sounds a touch special at times, but really knows his stuff now. Picks riders in milliseconds.

 

[masking_agent]

They are great. Very enthusiastic.

I agree. Love the enthusiasm.

 

[masking_agent]

They are great. Very enthusiastic.

Anthony McCrossan is the announcer. He's been joined by a few different people over the race, Endura manager Brian Smith most of the time. I think Dan Lloyd and Roger Hammond have done a bit too.

Usually I'm not a fan of McCrossan but I have actually prefered him over Harmon on this race. Infinitely better than Ligget as well, retirement long over due.

Thank you. I hope there are a lot more race to hear McCrossan.

 

[Carlo Algatrensig]

I've just seen on twitter that ITV4 will be covering the Tour of Britain live this year. Hopefully they'll be using McCrossan rather than Hugh Porter for the commentary this year.

 

[nickel999]

In the good "old" days, I used to subscribe to Cyclng TV and McCrossan did some of the annoucing for their site which I thought was decent at the time.

 

[Fergoose]

A little surprised to hear the praise, (mainly because the internet is filled with hate rather than because I think the commentary is bad). But remember we are only hearing highlights so they don't have the same opportunity to get on your nerves as during a live feed. McCrossan was a bit high pitched in the first stage (possible opening night nerves?) but has improved a bit. But generally, I'm not seeing much in the way of insight during the race (Hammond is alright in the studio). I greatly preferred Keenan last year. Plus, there has been so much action it can't be hard for them to muster some genuine enthusiasm.

I always love Imlach; how someone who refuses to be a corporate poodle still gets gigs is beyond me. Highlight so far was after showing footage of an on-board motorbike camera on the racing circuit finish: "No, that wasn't Armstrong on a time-trial" or similar. Would love to hear conversations between him and Ligget in the ITV canteen come next TdF. Awkward!

 

[argyllflyer]

Fans of McCrossan can hear him pretty regularly here and there. He tends to pop up on Eurosport when Harmon is engaged in a big event and Carlton Kirby is also unavailable to cover minor races that clash. He was the commentator for the Halfords Tour Series on ITV4 and also did the Premier Calendar stuff for British Cycling on Youtube. cycling.tv also use him now and then. He could also be heard in the background in some of the grand tours as he did the English announcer's job for the time trials in the Giro iirc. I remember DH commenting on it.

 

[SpannerBender]

I've just seen on twitter that ITV4 will be covering the Tour of Britain live this year. Hopefully they'll be using McCrossan rather than Hugh Porter for the commentary this year.

I just asked Ant and unfortunately he's not doing the commentary for ToB; it'll be Hugh Porter

 

[pelodee]

McCrossan sounds like a schoolchild recording themselves commentating in their bedroom.

 

[JRanton]

i just asked ant and unfortunately he's not doing the commentary for tob; it'll be hugh porter

ffs

...

 

[pelodee]

ffs

...

Daily live TV coverage for Tour of Britain

 

[ggusta]

I had not heard that, but I can only hope it's so. Do you have a link? Anyone have a link? After his asinine comments about USADA hiring the Illuminati to pay witnesses (or whatever the hell he was thinking), he needs to be put to pasture.

In the US on NBC/Universal we have Schlanger and Gugolski, who are pretty decent, especially Gogo who is terrific.

+100 for gogo. I think we already praised him thoroughly in 2011 tdf (or was it 2010) but we couldn't possibly get lucky enough to get him.

The new guy that NBC had at the TDF this year was not bad either. Certainly a vast improvement over P,P and tRoll.

 

[Chemainiac]

Commentators

You are lucky to not have to listen to the Universal duo, Schlanger and Gogolski. They add no value other than background noise. Can two guys be wrong more times than them in each nd every broadcast. And they miss attacks that we are seeing while they are blabbing. They do not know the riders or the country. Give me Paul Sherwen please or some other Euro guys who add value.

 

[summerhill]

McCrossan is just one constant, aggravating whine. He makes my ears tired. Brian Smith is a good co-commentator, though not a patch on Sean Kelly. Sean Kelly's sometimes stoic silences and considered comments are the antithesis of McCrossan's tedious over excitement. Imlach is very good, but his "jokes" are often over engineered. Hugh Porter needs the door shown to him.

The ASO give the TdF to ITV for peanuts, so lets hope next year they've the gumption not to take the Phil/Paul NBC feed for commentary. For me I'd love Jens and Frankie. Though Jens is riding next year.

 

[levione]

I cannot believe that anyone would employ Hugh Porter after his performance at the Olympics. I am strugling to think of a worse commentator in any sport. The man is over 70, surely he should have found a nice quiet hobby.

You cannot beat Harmon and Kelly. Harmon might talk a bit of twaddle every now and again but he has hours to fill, often with very littel. kelly could teach a lot of co-commentators about economy of language.

 

[Andy99]

I cannot believe that anyone would employ Hugh Porter after his performance at the Olympics. I am strugling to think of a worse commentator in any sport. The man is over 70, surely he should have found a nice quiet hobby.

You cannot beat Harmon and Kelly. Harmon might talk a bit of twaddle every now and again but he has hours to fill, often with very littel. kelly could teach a lot of co-commentators about economy of language.

Employing Hugh Porter is a MASSIVE mistake.

I was really looking forward to the coverage. Now less so.

 

[The Hitch]

Man do they keep moaning about these evil bad apple dopers beating poor clean purito. If he flipping gave flying **** he wouldn't have piepoli as his coach. Not 1 mention of wada saying it was probably a contaminated substance either. I mean if you take this amatuer see no evil approach to doping at least listen to what his ****ing sentence said.

 

[Albert Fishwick]

All the more disappointing that David Harmon is commentating for Eurosport (once he's finished at the Vuelta) but we can't get it in the UK as ITV have the rights.

 

[Pricey_sky]

You cannot beat Harmon and Kelly. Harmon might talk a bit of twaddle every now and again but he has hours to fill, often with very littel. kelly could teach a lot of co-commentators about economy of language.

+1 I find Harmon and Kelly the best commentary team, much better than P+P or Carlton Kirby. The two guys who did the Vuelta highlights on ITV were decent but not a patch on Harmon and Kelly.