TdF stages guide - suggestions

[sydhancock]

The intro to each stage is good - maps, profiles as before, brief description and Vaughters' comments. This is good.

Navigation: not so good. Also some errors in the main page.

1. Race Home tab: good, shows date, distance stage towns. But some of the stage profile thumbnails are incorrect - e.g. stage 8, mountain stage, profile thumbnail shows flat stage (the last 5k in fact not the entire stage). Not good.

2. Stages tab.
This really needs improving and could be done easily and quickly to great effect.

- hovering over the tab show stages but no dates given - basic and useful info.

- stage descriptions. These really need some extra info adding quickly. No title headings! Distance and stage towns are on the page, tucked away lower down, but to get the date you have to go back to the Race Home tab each time. The page really should have a title showing basic stage details - date, distance, stage towns.

- Also no 'next stage' link, again requiring users to click back and forwards.

The cynic would say this is intentional and increases the number of page impressions that you can quote to your advertisers. I really hope this is not the case and that some simple changes can be made.

What I have suggested are quite basic things really. I hope this is helpful and constructive feedback.

Syd Hancock
UK
Daily cyclingnews.com reader for about eight years, maybe longer.

 

[agaler]

The cynic would be wrong. next/previous links are on the list of stuff do to I believe someone has said and unless you've got a very poor browser your next/back buttons don't actually produce page impressions, meaning that next/previous links would - in fact - increase page impressions and generate more ad revenue.

 

[sydhancock]

@agaler: yes, you're right, good point about the back buttons.

So it's simply usability - looking through the stages is much simpler if you can read through them one after the other and it is reasonable to assume that someone looking at the stage guide wants to read them through so as to get a view of the entire race.

But that's only a detail really, not too important.

The two most urgent points in my list above are: stage profile thumbnails do not match the stages (e.g. a flat profile for a mountain stage) and missing description header on stage details pages. These are essentials for clear communication.

BTW I noticed that if you click on the link to 'map' on the stage listing on the TdF 'home' tab then there is a descriptive title on that page - they just need to be incorporated on the main page for each stage as well.

Syd

 

[agaler]

No doubt now if/when the next/previous stage buttons are put on it'll be seen as a click generating advertising conspiracy.

I don't know one stage profile from the next but if they are still wrong email the boys and girls of CyclingNews at cyclingnews@cyclingnews.com because they will want to sort that asap.

 

[sydhancock]

No doubt now if/when the next/previous stage buttons are put on it'll be seen as a click generating advertising conspiracy.

Oops, yeah sorry if I've encouraged the wingnuts

I don't know one stage profile from the next

Check it for yourself, it's easy - from the cyclingnews front page click on the 'Tour de France' link, scroll down to - for example - stage 8. Thumbnail shows a flat stage. Click on the stage details and you see that it is very mountainous. Thumbnail is for the last few K not the whole stage.

I have emailed as you suggest. Also commented on the live report from yesterday now going backwards. It's a report not a results link, you don't read a book from the last page first, ir spoils the story.

Syd

 

[agaler]

Oops, yeah sorry if I've encouraged the wingnuts



Check it for yourself, it's easy - from the cyclingnews front page click on the 'Tour de France' link, scroll down to - for example - stage 8. Thumbnail shows a flat stage. Click on the stage details and you see that it is very mountainous. Thumbnail is for the last few K not the whole stage.

I have emailed as you suggest. Also commented on the live report from yesterday now going backwards. It's a report not a results link, you don't read a book from the last page first, ir spoils the story.

Syd

Thumbnails, I see what you mean now yes.

The live report issue you mentioned is just a bug, it should obviously be ordered the other way round, that will be fixed and on the site sooner rather than later.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the constructive criticism, Syd. As Andy says, those points are all being worked on and you will see changes in the next few days.

Thanks for bearing with us.

 

[benpounder]

T2. Stages tab.
This really needs improving and could be done easily and quickly to great effect.

- hovering over the tab show stages but no dates given - basic and useful info.

- stage descriptions. These really need some extra info adding quickly. No title headings! Distance and stage towns are on the page, tucked away lower down, but to get the date you have to go back to the Race Home tab each time. The page really should have a title showing basic stage details - date, distance, stage towns.

- Also no 'next stage' link, again requiring users to click back and forwards.

I strongly second these recommendations.

 

[gruppo]

How innacurate can your reporting be?

On the "All Stages" page at site address http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/96th-tour-de-france-gt/stages, it indicates the finish of Stage 3 as:

Stage 3Monday, July 6 2009
Location:
Marseille - La Grande-Motte

1.Jurgen Van De Walle 2.Mark Cavendish 5:01:243.Thor Hushovd 5:01:24

My regards to Jurgen for the win.

 

[manolo]

Can we have something like this?

http://roadcycling.co.nz/TourdeFrance/tour-de-france-programme-stage-by-stage.html

I find it simple, clean and organized.