David Duffield RIP

poppit
poppit Posts: 926
edited February 2016 in Pro race
Used to enjoy listening to him on the tour coverage.
Eddy Merckx EMX-3
Dolan L'Etape
Cougar Zero Uno
Genesis Core 50
Planet X TOR

Comments

  • jimmythecuckoo
    jimmythecuckoo Posts: 4,718
    So very sad.

    The real voice of the sport for me. He called the classics in such a unique style. Some loved him some hated him, but no-one can fail to be moved by his loss.

    RIP Duffers
    http://fendrieneu.home.blog
    My blog and pod...
    Beers of Belgium Cycling Club UK
  • The_Boy
    The_Boy Posts: 3,099
    Sad news indeed. I grew up watching the Tour either in France or on channel 4, so not as big a part of my cycling upbringing as for many. This is still classic viewing though:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnKhhfX ... e=youtu.be
    Team My Man 2018: David gaudu, Pierre Latour, Romain Bardet, Thibaut pinot, Alexandre Geniez, Florian Senechal, Warren Barguil, Benoit Cosnefroy
  • Richmond Racer 2
    Richmond Racer 2 Posts: 4,698
    The definitive collective of Duffers anecdotes and sayings

    http://bikesy.co.uk/features/david-duffield/
  • redvision
    redvision Posts: 2,958
    Awful news. He was a great commentator and really nice bloke. I loved listening to his commentary when i first started watching cycling and still to this day i think he was one of the best. IMO he was the Murray Walker of cycling.

    RIP
  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    :(

    Sad news indeed
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    A couple of hours off line and your return to find the world has changed.
    Shocked and saddened.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • mm1
    mm1 Posts: 1,063
    Used to enjoy listening to him reminiscing about his national service, when he spent some time in Italy. Another link to the past has gone, as we must be running out of people who saw Coppi racing in his pomp.
  • type:epyt
    type:epyt Posts: 766
    He always added unapologetic excitement to the races ... A thinking man's Kirby ... Thank you Duffers, RIP ...
    Life is unfair, kill yourself or get over it.
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 9,104
    Sad news
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,548
    mm1 wrote:
    Used to enjoy listening to him reminiscing about his national service, when he spent some time in Italy. Another link to the past has gone, as we must be running out of people who saw Coppi racing in his pomp.

    He used to remind us every time he was covering a race in Italy. Repeatedly. :lol:

    Saddened to hear of his death, he was part of the fabric of cycling for many, many years. The line "it's curtains for Karpets" remains one of the finest cycling commentary moments of all time.
  • TonyJams
    TonyJams Posts: 214
    Very sad news, he was a real gent and such a character if you ever got to meet him in the flesh. We've got a load of stories about him up on the Bikesy site mentioned above, feel free to email your own stories in if you want them included on there.

    We always felt the Tour lost a little bit of magic when he stopped broadcasting. He was one of the UK's most splendid most splendid colourful characters.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462
    Although I grew up with Phil and Paul for the Tour, Duffers was the voice that introduced me to the Classics when I first got involved in cycling properly (which coincided with the growth in satellite TV). As someone else said, he reminded of Murray Walker - lots of errors and off topic waffling but always entertaining and passionate about the sport and its associated culture.
  • fat_cat
    fat_cat Posts: 566
    Really sad. David's commentary filled many happy hours watching cycling when I should have been doing something else!
  • shipley
    shipley Posts: 549
    redvision wrote:
    Awful news. He was a great commentator and really nice bloke. I loved listening to his commentary when i first started watching cycling and still to this day i think he was one of the best. IMO he was the Murray Walker of cycling.

    RIP

    I agree wholeheartedly with this. I also,loved his updates on his meals and wine choices when commentating on long uneventful tour stages. Poor Duffers, apparently died after a heavy fall..... The poor man, I did enjoy his work.
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    I'm turning my granny to the wall in sympathy. RIP
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • sherer
    sherer Posts: 2,460
    Very sad news. Only just seen this. He did what all great commentators did and that was put his passion for the sport across.
    He mad a 4 hour or longer stage fly by. Loads of great stories and knew the sport inside out.
    Would be nice if Eurosport put a programme out of his best clips
  • disquieting_museeuws
    disquieting_museeuws Posts: 601
    The Man with the Hammer finally caught up with Duffers.

    Finest moment for me was when Guerini collided with a French nerd on Alpe D'Huez:

    'You STUPID STUPID man!'

    Also 1994 Paris-Roubaix when he lost his voice in the excitement!
  • deejay
    deejay Posts: 3,138
    After years of Phil going on about "Right on the Line" on terrestrial TV that I finally got a dish hanging outside and the introduction of some entertaining commentary which started with the 1992 MSR.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL3jQmkj3uI
    The Refreshing enthusiastic commentary and he would tell you about a boo boo with his size 14 boots needing to be used..
    He should have retired earlier because his former style had changed to a less commanding commentary without his former confidence that the younger generation found irritating.
    A Duffers in full form has never been equaled to date as he was the Best cycle race commentator and a very nice man to represent the sport.

    Remember his story of riding in the bunch on the Coventry By-Pass and at a roundabout being pushed onto the cycle path with a mile on his own to the next roundabout.

    David Duffield RIP is forever a Legend.
    Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 1972
  • Le Commentateur
    Le Commentateur Posts: 4,099
    Duffield1_zpskl2qfgdq.jpg~original
    Un uomo solo al commando
  • bikes`n`guns
    bikes`n`guns Posts: 959
    Jeez I only took my Grannie for a push round the block in her wheelchair, and I come back to this.


    Will be missed. He was always the voice of cycling for me.
    Trek,,,, too cool for school ,, apparently
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,821
    I've got a poster on the wall that's he signed for me in 2004, and he wrote next to it "Vive le sport"

    He clearly loved cycling, and it's what got me into the sport in the first place, watching Eurosport in the late 90s.

    I was so saddened to hear of his death, but the memory of him will live long for me
  • chieflordy
    chieflordy Posts: 48
    RIP David

    I agree Eurosport should mark his passing with a feature piece.

    Quite a nice interview with David here.

    https://youtube.com/watch?v=0AjP5YTn2sU
  • bm5
    bm5 Posts: 584
    I tried to explain how much I enjoyed his commentary. He told me well it's probably something to watch whilst I was ironing. It made me laugh and appreciate him more - anyone else I would have been furious.
    Thank you David for all those memories

Categories