Watching while following the Tour. ITV4?
bahzob
Posts: 2,195
I spent a few very enjoyable if slightly wet days watching last years tour de france in Alsace. This was just a happy coincidence of their route converging with mine.
The only problem I found was that you necessarily have to spend a few hours kicking your heels before the publicity caravan/tour proper arrives, and this means you often don't know what's happening in the race.
This year I am planning a tour so that I can watch as much of the event as possible, especially once it hits the mountains. I'll stay in some nearby B&B/hotel, ride as much of the days stage as practical then find a vantage point once the gendarmes finally close the road to bikes.
What bike-portable options are there to watch the race on the roadside? My French is passable so I could get by with the local coverage but perfect would be to have the option of ITV4 and the evening highlights show.
The only problem I found was that you necessarily have to spend a few hours kicking your heels before the publicity caravan/tour proper arrives, and this means you often don't know what's happening in the race.
This year I am planning a tour so that I can watch as much of the event as possible, especially once it hits the mountains. I'll stay in some nearby B&B/hotel, ride as much of the days stage as practical then find a vantage point once the gendarmes finally close the road to bikes.
What bike-portable options are there to watch the race on the roadside? My French is passable so I could get by with the local coverage but perfect would be to have the option of ITV4 and the evening highlights show.
Martin S. Newbury RC
0
Comments
-
Find places with decent free wifi/broadband and watch online?
ITV may only have the rights to broadcast the tour in the UK so you may have to arse around with vpn and proxies. But eurosport might be an option - might even be available in English in hotels.0 -
I'm pretty sure most of each stage will have live commentary on some french radio station. Don't know which one, but I do remember tuning into it in the car, on the way back from watching a stage a couple of years back.0
-
Find a campervan watching it on their TV and jump in ;-)http://www.snookcycling.wordpress.com - Reports on Cingles du Mont Ventoux, Alpe D'Huez, Galibier, Izoard, Tourmalet, Paris-Roubaix Sportive & Tour of Flanders Sportive, Amstel Gold Xperience, Vosges, C2C, WOTR routes....0
-
Pretty disappointing responses tbh.
The simplest option would be this http://www.amazon.co.uk/August-DTV705-Resolution-Freeview-Recorder-black/dp/B00C5IF8BQ/ref=cm_cd_ql_qh_dp_t which should work in France now they are on digitial TV.
Just a question of signal in the mountains. Anybody already tried using one?Martin S. Newbury RC0 -
I use a Garmin 1490TV for similar purposes, I got decent reception in the mountains in Italy to watch the Giro on RAI. Depends on proximity to a relay station though, some remotes spots it will only get a couple of channels. I think you'll need one of the ariel upgrades listed for the one you are looking at.0
-
bahzob wrote:What bike-portable options are there to watch the race on the roadside? My French is passable so I could get by with the local coverage but perfect would be to have the option of ITV4 and the evening highlights show.
I don't exactly get what you mean from your post? Are you looking to pull over on your bike and watch it (therefore my campervan option, or using mobile phone data might be the only options). Or are you wanting to carry something around with you and watch the ITV4 tour highlights on a night?http://www.snookcycling.wordpress.com - Reports on Cingles du Mont Ventoux, Alpe D'Huez, Galibier, Izoard, Tourmalet, Paris-Roubaix Sportive & Tour of Flanders Sportive, Amstel Gold Xperience, Vosges, C2C, WOTR routes....0 -
bahzob wrote:Pretty disappointing responses tbh.
The simplest option would be this http://www.amazon.co.uk/August-DTV705-Resolution-Freeview-Recorder-black/dp/B00C5IF8BQ/ref=cm_cd_ql_qh_dp_t which should work in France now they are on digitial TV.
Just a question of signal in the mountains. Anybody already tried using one?
Hopefully no one else will waste their time replying to you.
One more for the ignore list.0
