Eurosport vs ITV Coverage

Dingbat

So, based on the Prologue and Stage 1, which of them is providing the better coverage?

Watching Stage 1 today, and flicking between Eurosport and ITV4, I would say that Eurosport have edged slightly ahead, based on the fact that they had fewer commercial breaks (ITV missed both the Lancaster crash AND the McEwen crash :roll: ).

Commentaries were just about on a par, but the downside with Eurosport is that I really need subtitles when Sean Kelly speaks!

Noodley

I don't get Eurosport so cannot comment - but I do have a craving for a Magnum ice-cream after watching the ITV coverage for the past couple of days!

afx237vi

Eurosport for me by a long way. Far too many adverts on ITV and I prefer Harmon to Liggett. Sean Kelly gets a bad rap because of his accent but his reading of the race and his little insights are absolutely spot on.

For production values and studio coverage, ITV wins, but who watches cycling for that? Gary Imlach is a betteranchor than James Richardon, but ITV often take it too far and have Imlach and Boardman talking away while the race is on. Just show the cycling!

sing_for_absolution

I noticed the picture quality was better on Eurosport was better, but their audio wasn't. The opposite was true for ITV. The adverts were far too frequent on ITV and I've never really been a fan of Liggett and Sherwin since 1999.

Slimtim

This debate comes up every year - never a definitive answer.

I don't think you can beat Phil and Paul.

Already we've had:

- P&P warming up their well worn observation that lots of 'riders tapping out the rhythm'
- Paul's varying estimates of when Robbie McEwan would pop up in the sprint - 150M out, 250-300M out, somewhere within the final 500M
- Phil's love of old steam trains. Apparently the driver of the one on today's stage 'must have got up a fine head of steam to keep playing with his whistle like that' (now you can't beat that for humour)
- Phil still certain that there is a team called Leakygas

and it's only the end of stage one.

I particuarly liked today's interview with Jens Voigt (what a guy) and Gary Imlach has brought the same set of shirts that he had last year. At least Ned Boulding has lost a bit of weight.

One area that grates is the lack of respect that the riders show for Graham/Martin/Whoever Bell - they've got no idea why they're being interviewed by a mediocre ex-skier and it shows! Fabien Cancellara clearly wasn't that keen on the whole 'gosh the Swiss are good at sport aren't they?' line of questioning!

Finally, will Boardman ever say anything positive about David Millar? My guess is no. Which is a shame bacause although David is a cocky ex-doper you've got to like the guy as he has some personality - which is probably exactly the reason that Chris doesn't.

Given the above, I recommend that you adjust your dial to ITV - there's a cast of characters to keep you entertained for the next three weeks.

Spawn of Cabbie

It's a shame you don't get to see the opening k's normally. I don't think I'd ever seen a break-away actually form before - normally it's already happened by the time the coverage starts.

I prefer the commentary on ITV, turning over to Eurosport during the adverts for a while to hear from Sean Kelly.

Eurosport is real no-frills covergae - sometimes they go to an ad break mid-sentence.

I notice Sherwin got his "the sport of professional cycling" signature cliche in nice and early this morning!

Eurostar

Kelly's the only one who explains the detail of the tactics, and if you can't follow them much of the racing is quite dull and samey. Sean's good at telling us why a team or a rider is NOT doing this or that or the other. All the teams have an agenda and a set of constraints or limitations which change minute by minute. Liggett and Sherwen don't even try to explain this 'chess on wheels' dimension most of the time. Sherwen is boring and Liggett seems plain bored these days. If you understand the chess on wheels even an apparently uneventful stage is fascinating. It really is a privilege to listen to Sean. The accent becomes much easier to understand after a while, and he has some wonderful turns of phrase.

But Imlach and Boardman's segments are sometimes fascinating. Imlach's a class act. So I watch Eurosport live and then skim the ITV highlights with the wonderful Sky+ fast forward.

psychiatricblues

I can't avoid the fact that I "grew up" as a cycling fan watch Channel 4's coverage of the Tour with Phil Ligget and Paul Sherwin, but after watching so much Eurosport coverage of cycling, there is a clear plus and minus for both. ITV (which is essentially the same as used to be Channel 4) has much better production. It is a professional programme, with effective replays, and insightful features. Eurosport, however, is hands-down winner when it comes to analysing tactics during the race. Absolutely zero production, just start the coverage, continue till the time is up at the end of the race, but the analysis of the race is usually spot on.

Eurosport analysis has been spot on since they've demoted Duffield. As a cycling fan, I'd much prefer proper analysis to good production.

Also, I don't believe Phil Ligget's pronounciation. Every rider with a strange name, he get's wrong. Leeky Gas, FFS.

But ITV don't abandon their coverage to bring you the Indonesian Tiddlywinck Championship, as Eurosport does.

bikerbill

Another vote for Eurosport here.

Harmon and Kelly are way better than Liggett and Sherwen in my opinion. I guess I just like Kelly's sense of humour.

Bill

arranandy

Eurosport edges it for me. Sean Kelly's insights and comments are spot on. ITV had too many ad breaks for my liking. Also on Friday night's team presentation ITV didn't show half the teams whereas Eurosport showed them all.

Moose11

Both are good but I think I prefer ITV's coverage just becaues listening to Phil Liggett you know it's the Tour de France, he's been at it so long and is so good at doing it. I like their coverage a lot but Eurosport does tend to go into more detail. When both are live I tend to stick with ITV however.

ashbyalien

another vote for eurosport, david harmon is excellent. knowledgeable, entertaining, to the point. miles ahead of the boring liggett and sherwin imo.

i know people used to slag duffers off but he's no worse than sherwin is now...

also, hopefully eurosport arent gonna have christie anderson on the race this year, if they do, it might have to be itv for me.

jimmythecuckoo

Phil is a tour legend now, but Paul Sherwen is getting very annoying as he has the same little sayings and catchphrases that he had back in 1988.

I like Harmon I have to say.

ricadus

Re: the edited highlights on both channels – ITV4 showed the mid-section through Goudhurst, whereas Eurosport jumped straight from Millar's initial breakaway at the start to just as they were about to be caught, so this time I'd say ITV's was a better overview of the whole stage.

Generally though I prefer Eurosport's coverage, partly because the long ad breaks on ITV4 get tedious.

hevipedal

Noodley wrote:

I don't get Eurosport so cannot comment - but I do have a craving for a Magnum ice-cream after watching the ITV coverage for the past couple of days!

In that advert why are they shouting Barlowworld?

Aidocp

Can't comment on Eurosport, Ive only got ITV4 but folk are right its got too many/ too long adverts

Eurostar

Why are the ingoramuses complaining about Liggett saying Leakygas? It's an Italian team - he's spot on.

If only Sherwen could stop saying Salvodelli. And it would be nice if just one person on ITV or Eurosport could get Caisse d'Epargne right. Anyone would think they'd never been to France.

alan14

Overall I think each channel's coverage is very good.

Eurosport has the live coverage and the unrivalled expertise of Sean Kelly. I also like the stats and facts.

ITV4 has this odd policy of interrupting the adverts with an event called the Tour de France, although when they do there's a good mix of cycling, Chris Boardman answering questions, Geraint Thomas's video diary, interviews and other bits. And it's amusing to listen out for Paul Sherwen's stock phrases like "the sport of professional cycling", "race radio crackling through on my earpiece...", and the way he repeats the last word or phrase that Phil's just used.

weyayeman

Sean Kelly has a really dry sense of humour so eurosport for me although I don't like that Emma lass(as a commentator)

RichN95.

Live: Eurosport
Highlights: ITV

It's that simple really.

campagchris

Im just pleased that we have a choice,nice to see Eurosport have competition,lets hope it makes them put all the classics on.

afx237vi

Except Eurosport don't have any competition for the classics. They're hardly going to be worried about ITV showing L-B-L in July are they?

schlepcycling

Stupid question, but isn't the actual racing coverage provided for all the tv stations by the same people in the same way that it is by the host broadcaster for F1 or everyone gets the same SKY coverage of the premiership, otherwise you'd have loads of tv stations with their own motorbikes. Do doesn't it come down to which commentary team you prefer?, for me Phil Liggett is god, although I could do without Paul Sherwin.

ricadus

Eurosport & ITV (or rather the independent production company that ITV are buying their coverage from) edit their highlights programs differently though.

EmergBiker

Who is the female commentator on Eurosport? Emma who???

I think I recognise the voice but am not sure.

E

andyp

EmergBiker wrote:

Who is the female commentator on Eurosport? Emma who???

I think I recognise the voice but am not sure.

E

Emma Davies. Although she's married now and maybe Jones? She was one of our top track riders (always top 10 in the individual pursuit at the Worlds) but was injured in a crash with a car a couple of years back. I'm not sure if she's riding again.

campagchris

afx237vi wrote:

Except Eurosport don't have any competition for the classics. They're hardly going to be worried about ITV showing L-B-L in July are they?

You know what I meant :evil:

Squaggles

Eurosport by a mile . Now Sean Kelly and David Harmon have worked together for a while they are by far the best cycling commentators I've heard .

psychiatricblues

ricadus wrote:

Eurosport & ITV (or rather the independent production company that ITV are buying their coverage from) edit their highlights programs differently though.

As I pointed out before, Eurosport do not "edit" their highlights, they just show the last hour of the live coverage. ITV have better production, but comparing the nuts and bolts (the descriptions, analysis and explanations) and Eurosport p all over ITV.

EmergBiker

Aha, I was right, it was Emma Davies Jones. I have been priviliged enough to meet her in the past and she is fantastic. If you remember she came back to win a bronze medal in the Commenwealth games just 6 months after a serious spinal injury.

http://www.fusion-media.co.uk/emmadavies/index.htm

I know she commentated on the Giro, but I think she is showing up some of the chaps with her insight into how the riders are working on the stages.

Good to hear her again.

E

Squaggles

Emma Davies is an improvement on Christie but I wouldn't go so far as to say she shows up the guys when talking about tactics . Sean Kelly has incredible knowledge about racing .