Why Grand Tours Suck

[El Pistolero]

Does anyone actually watch flat stages at the Tour? I only watch the last 5-10km of those boring stages. Only exception was stage 2 and 3.

 

[**Uru**]

Speaking of the Versus coverage in the US, it is horrible. I can certainly see why you would not want to watch 3 hours a day because it is chalk full of "athlete profiles" on riders we all know, interviews at the start of the race with the guys in the athlete profiles, sweepstakes, on-air plugs for upcoming events 3 weeks off, and more TV commercials than you will see in any other sporting event per hour. Speaking of commercials, I hope to never see another Lance and Alphonse commercial...ever. There is not much coverage of spinning as the OP complained about. This is only commenting on the live show. The evening show is unwatchable. The above is what sucks about Versus non-coverage.

Should someone of authority at VS be viewing this thread, I argue that if you should just show the race and have intellegent commentary. This is all that is needed or wanted by the vast majority of cycling fans and casual viewers alike. Not to mention, it would be a hell of a lot cheaper than the junk that is put out now. For hints, see Eurosport and Universal Sports coverage of similar events (Tour de France, Giro, Vuelta).

If you only want to watch the end, then tune in at the end.

 

[outrage9]

Speaking of the Versus coverage in the US, it is horrible. I can certainly see why you would not want to watch 3 hours a day because it is chalk full of "athlete profiles" on riders we all know, interviews at the start of the race with the guys in the athlete profiles, sweepstakes, on-air plugs for upcoming events 3 weeks off, and more TV commercials than you will see in any other sporting event per hour. Speaking of commercials, I hope to never see another Lance and Alphonse commercial...ever. There is not much coverage of spinning as the OP complained about. This is only commenting on the live show. The evening show is unwatchable. The above is what sucks about Versus non-coverage.

Should someone of authority at VS be viewing this thread, I argue that if you should just show the race and have intellegent commentary. This is all that is needed or wanted by the vast majority of cycling fans and casual viewers alike. Not to mention, it would be a hell of a lot cheaper than the junk that is put out now. For hints, see Eurosport and Universal Sports coverage of similar events (Tour de France, Giro, Vuelta).

If you only want to watch the end, then tune in at the end.

Yet the foreign, English speaking at least, coverages are boring as hell with loooong periods of silence and commentators with monotone voices that will put you to sleep. The spots are there because there are people new to cycling in America that don't know who people are or their history. If I had to watch flat stages listening to Eurosport commentators every day all the way through I would probably stop watching and just read about it later.

 

[DrC0721]

I treat grand tour racing the same way my my old man watches NASCAR. Either watch the first 15 minutes fall asleep and wake up and catch the last 10 miles. The commentators will catch you up. Or record it (either dvr or old school vcr tapes...that I did with the 2006 tour) and watch it later. Cut the commercials, the boring peloton rides, maybe catch some of the interviews.

 

[Carols]

IMO there is no such thing as to much coverage . I record the entire show, FF through the commercials and boring stretches, watch the interviews when I want, manage to follow the various moves within the race without difficulty and throughly enjoy every minute! Bravo for entire stage coverage.

 

[outrage9]

IMO there is no such thing as to much coverage . I record the entire show, FF through the commercials and boring stretches, watch the interviews when I want, manage to follow the various moves within the race without difficulty and throughly enjoy every minute! Bravo for entire stage coverage.

Ditto, Tivo will change how you watch tv in every way. We rarely watch anything live when it airs. The only time I watch commercials is during the Super Bowl now.

 

[md2020]

I kinda agree with the OP, at least with respect to the TdF. I don't know if it's the TV coverage or the racing strategies employed nowadays but the most recent editions of the Tour have turned out to be pretty boring. Stage 3 was good but most of the mountain finishes were a let down. In fact, I think the Alpe d'Huez stage at the Dauphine was better than any mountain stage in this year's tour.

 

[Boeing]

I watch every minute of it regardless

 

[nicholaaaas]

airing if from the start gives us a good four hours a day of making fun of the riders and not really having to worry about missing the action

 

[cody_57]

This is because you live in some English speaking country. In Spain, for example, we are on vacation, or home early from work, and the best part of each day's ride comes on just after our big lunch, between 3 and 5 in the afternoon. We lie on our sofas and listen to the relatively entertaining commentary of Pedro Delgado (who at least knows what's he's talking about) and Carlos Andres (I think that's his name), and wait soporifically for a big attack.

And I have to listen to a guy called Craig Hummer? Hummer? How on earth can anybody publically admit they're called hummer???

 

[cyclestationgiuseppe]

It is not the GT's but the coverage from Versus that sucks...Bob, Craig, Phil and Paul are all tools!
I can watch soft pedalling on Eurosport all day on my computer but 4 hrs of versus on my 52 inch HD makes me want to blow chunks!

Can't wait for the Vuelta!!

 

[danski]

I was pretty annoyed, coverage started after the exciting portion on sbs in oz, and I was stuck and work for that, then came home to watch the rest.

If you don't like the first hours of coverage...don't watch. For me it's of interest so I do.

Couldnt agree more. Three weeks to enjoy the TdF and other grand tours is fine! I'd watch from the sign on at the start of the day until the very last rider crosses the line and all the podiums have been done if there was an option.

Its all part of the experience, and if you dont enjoy watching the less action packed moments, dont watch. Catch a highlight program or something later on.

All racing is wonderful

 

[SirLes]

I can happily watch an entire's day of cricket so I have no idea what some of you are complaining about!

I would say however that many stages follow the same pattern and there are fewer surprises.

now if radio's were banned..............

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

and there are fewer surprises.

Compared to? 1930?

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

As one who works in broadcasting...

I completely agree with those giving praise to CBS and John Tesh during the 80's. They lacked live coverage, and I'm glad we have that now, but they really knew how to put together highlight reels to make all of the racing seem very exciting. And their packages completely blow away anything Versus tries to do.Just watch this terrific profile on Team 7-11. I know some people think John Tesh is a bit schmaltzy or something, but he loved the sport, has a great voice, and his music had real grit to it back then. And he and the CBS team really knew how to tell the stories of the race. Broadcasters of cycling today in the US owe them a debt of gratitude.

I agree that many stages, especially the flat ones since they almost always finish in a field sprint, could be a half-hour long, or highlights only.

Course design has as much to do with the boredom as the racing. Look at how wise the Giro organizers are at making their event exciting. But yes, racing has become such that long breakaways in the mountains never stay. The GC men stay together until the last few km. The days of riders like Hinault completely blowing apart the peloton two full climbs before the finish are so rare, if not completely over. Getting rid of radios, or at least getting rid of split times or making them against the rules to relay, would help.

Finally, anyone in the US will hopefully agree that 15 years ago Phil and Paul were terrific. If you were lucky enough to see any Eurosport and David Duffield (before he got too old) working with Bert Russel, or John Paul Van Poppel or Stephen Roche, you were treated to great commentary. Plus both Phil, and the Duffers could call a sprint like magic. But Duffield retired, and in recent years P&P are too biased and grating. We are fortunate though that on Universal Sports announcers Steve Schlanger and especially Todd Gugolski have grown to be very good. Gogo is actually terrific. I also think Universal's coverage is superior to Versus in almost every way. Mostly in that they seem to cover true racing.

I will however defend Craig Hummer. He's a good neutral commentator who is a good student of sports, and was an amateur triathlete.

 

[boardhanger]

....Duffield was brillant. Grew up listening to him. Couldn't wait to hear what he had to say about nothing, every broadcast. He wasn't scripted and directed in what to talk about unlike todays Versus's coverage. Why all the control these days? I pay for my cable, yet have to be bombarded with 4 commercial breaks for every one that Eurosport takes. And then the 'in programe commercial segments'. Where do we draw the line???????? Missed several key points of the TDF this year. Crash into Spa. Armstrond first time dropped etc because of commercial breaks. Luckly I streamed Eurosport to keep up.

 

[King Of Molehill]

I know some people think John Tesh is a bit schmaltzy or something, but he loved the sport, has a great voice, and his music had real grit to it back then.

I don't think John Tesh is schmaltzy I *know* he is. Fortunately he did most of his adult contemporary damage after he did his stint for the TDF.

Also regarding Phil and Paul back in the day I agree they were very good. I think their age has caught up to them and perhaps they've seen just one too many races to call it as excitedly as they once did. I have to say though I wasn't as annoyed with Phil this year as I have been in the past. I actually thought he called a good race and stuck to his guns when things got interesting/controversial.

...Also back in the day the live footage that Phil had to commentate to wasn't nearly as precise as it is now. This allowed for more dynamic reactions from Phil when calling the race. He would suddenly see a rider bridge the gap or have already gone on the attack and he'd genuinely get excited because he had to react to it quickly unlike today where everything is under so much televised scrutiny it takes that bit of an edge off.

 

[Derrick]

Laurent Fignon gave us a clue before this year's Tour. "Don't wait for any extravagant breakaways, there won't be any".

 

[HokieJoe]

Tours don't suck, the absence of 100% of live feed in markets where a Versus or USA Network thinks they can make a buck is what sucks!

DVR, look it up.

 

[boardhanger]

unlike today where everything is under so much televised scrutiny it takes that bit of an edge off.

Exactly. Too much air time and too little risk style racing in the modern era is boring. Whatever happen to putting it all on the line. Instead of i'll ride for second or third place and get a nice contract next year again riding......???

 

[Denkoff]

Laurent Fignon is a best! i want he UCI president