ITV4 Tour Coverage.

[landsurfer]

I know it's only the 2nd night but ... When did we stop being cyclists and become "bike riders" ?
And another thing ..... 1 hour program, with only 35 minutes of the race.
The rest celebrity drivel or advert breaks.
Don't tell me it's time to watch Eurosport . . .

[Postboxer]

It's on live too, not just the highlights show.

[old_windbag]

I watch the live coverage but fast forward through highlights as they occasionally throw in bits the live show misses plus any latest news.

Now if anyone out there watched the live time trial( not the part of the tour I enjoy ) on saturday did they see what I saw. No comments were made in the studio or on commentary but in the footage the helicopter flew over a canal and the cameraman zoomed down onto a pleasure boat ticking along..... where the lady passenger appeared lying stark naked. I'm pretty sure I wasn't seeing things and perhaps the cameraman knew what he was focusing on. Maybe holland is more liberal than britain as to what you can do on a boat.

[Postboxer]

What time? Think I still have it recorded.

[mjr]

I didn't watch the time trial live (I was out riding my bike to the Rose Fair with KLWNBUG) so I missed that, but I've seen similar things before.

I quite like itv's coverage... Phil and Paul's commentary is the weakest bit but at least it's only one tour a year now and hopefully the Ned+Millar commentary will get more use for the other races itv cover. The rest of their Tour team make it well worth putting up with P+P and the Matt, Ned and Chris podcasts are gems, with the predictions so far horribly wrong and Chris taking a very efficient approach to ending them (I think the preview one ends with him saying "I'm bored now.")

Eurosport... well, it's good for live coverage and I like their German commentary team, but the highlights are usually just repeats of parts of the live coverage and they bounce around the schedule somewhat unpredictably.

[old_windbag]

postboxer I can't remember the time but it would be around half way through or more. It's as the helicopter is flying over one of the city canals in utrecht.... I'm pretty sure I wasn't seeing it, it was real but need confirmation before seeking medical help for too much benny hill in my formative years . It should be easy to find there was just a man standing up steering and the woman lying down.

[CyberKnight]

I didn't watch the time trial live (I was out riding my bike to the Rose Fair with KLWNBUG) so I missed that, but I've seen similar things before.

I quite like itv's coverage... Phil and Paul's commentary is the weakest bit but at least it's only one tour a year now and hopefully the Ned+Millar commentary will get more use for the other races itv cover. The rest of their Tour team make it well worth putting up with P+P and the Matt, Ned and Chris podcasts are gems, with the predictions so far horribly wrong and Chris taking a very efficient approach to ending them (I think the preview one ends with him saying "I'm bored now.")

Eurosport... well, it's good for live coverage and I like their German commentary team, but the highlights are usually just repeats of parts of the live coverage and they bounce around the schedule somewhat unpredictably.

The above sums up eurosport , its great live but if you can only see the highlights theres a good chance you will record another sport even if its listed as cycling at 2 am , itv might have its faults but at least your not going to get tennis/football/motor racing etc.

[mjr]

Just to prove that wrong, ITV's highlights overran their slot yesterday because of technical problems!

[CyberKnight]

Still recorded cycling rather than golf though

[firedfromthecircus]

Phil and Paul's commentary is the weakest bit but at least it's only one tour a year now and hopefully the Ned+Millar commentary will get more use for the other races itv cover. .

Just goes to show that phrase about opinions is true!

I think the Phil and Paul commentary is great and I missed it on the Dauphine. And I can't be doing with Millar. He does give some insight to how pro teams are organised but he isn't fit to stand in Boardmans shadow. Certainly him taking the micturate out of Boardman for losing the TT record was very poor show.

[landsurfer]

Wouldn't describe my self as anyone's fan, (no gods, no hero's ). Respect Paul S, he's been there and done that. Millar had the balls to turn his life around and help others. But he is a pale shadow of Boardman, his comments were misguided. I'm sure ( I hope) he regrets them.

[firedfromthecircus]

Millar had the balls to turn his life around and help others.

Would that have happened if he hadn't been caught?

But he is a pale shadow of Boardman, his comments were misguided. I'm sure ( I hope) he regrets them.

I have noticed he's not been on the last 2 nights. Is he regretting them already?

[Bicycler]

re: Millar - He did the same last year, commenting on a couple of races at the start. Your interpretation of his comment to Boardman is different to mine. I just saw it as light hearted banter and can't believe there was any malice intended or offence taken. I actually really like him when he gets to speak at reasonable length such as when in the commentary box. That said, I think there's not enough airtime for Boardman in those highlights shows, never mind another expert.

I know it's only the 2nd night but ... When did we stop being cyclists and become "bike riders" ?

To be honest, that's the one that grates the least. It does make some sense. We would call Lewis Hamilton a driver, not a motorist. I guess it also helps to vary your language a bit over many hours of commentary. I have more reservations about Phil and Paul talking about "referees", "tunics" and "helpers"... If it does make the sport more accessible I guess it is all good.

[Paulatic]

+1 for Ned & Millar
Millar is a lot more informative regarding tactics

Phil & Paul seem to spout a load of rubbish. Tonight was full of many examples. Quite a laugh listening to them in this house as we pick out the statements they will contradict within the next five minutes. and of course the usual mentioning of riders, with no hope or action at the time, from countries I reckon they must sell the program to.

Levi Leipheimer was always the perfect example of it. I used to count how many times they mentioned his name in every show. Most of the time he would be in the back of the peloton or five minutes back down the road but always got a mention.

[Bicycler]

In 2013 the phrase "23 year old Columbian climber" seemingly prefixed every mention of Nairo Quintana along with the daily repetition of some trivial story about how he used to ride miles uphill to school. I had my leg in plaster at the time and saw pretty much all the televised live coverage of that race. Through no fault of his own poor Nairo had me wishing he'd have to abandon so I didn't have to hear it every day all the way to Paris.

I also really enjoy hearing about which particular dates French châteaux were renovated. I get that it's an opportunity to publicise the area, so don't object to their mention but do we really need the dull details? Does the fact that there was a fire in 1927 and a renovation in 1933 really entice the tourists?