My third piece for cyclingnews.com is now online.
I wanted to take a look at the first hour of racing because sometimes – not every day – the racing can be exciting and dynamic but all too often the TV cameras are not there and viewers miss the action. It’s too easy to switch on the TV for the last hour and watch the breakaway either get reeled in or to see the escape fragment under attacks and think this is the big action of the day when sometimes the riding needed to escape is heroic.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/blogs/inner-ring/three-week-tour-thats-no-vacation
http://www.cyclingnews.com/blogs/inner-ring/inner-ring-on-the-tour-de-france
http://www.cyclingnews.com/blogs/inner-ring/dont-miss-the-early-action-each-tour-de-france-stage
http://www.cyclingnews.com/blogs/inner-ring/fines-a-cost-of-operating-in-tour-de-france
I read your piece on the cyclingnews website: you said that several networks are covering the stage action start to finish. Are any of those networks available online, non-restricted? I’m willing to get up at 3:10 a.m. PDT, if there’s a good reason like that!
I know France Télévisions is filming some of the mountain stages in full and Eurosport is covering this too in Europe… so there might be pirate feeds on the likes of http://www.cyclingfans.com
I’ve been lucky enough to watch a few stages from the start this week, being on holiday in France and I’ve found the first half hour really interesting because, as you point out, this part of the racing is never shown at home in the UK, either live or in the highlights. The coverage has started on France3 and then at about 15:00 switches to France2.
A nice read, I like the focus on things we don’t always see.
I love the first hour of tougher transition stages in the 2nd and 3rd weeks. It’s like everyone knows a break will stick and as long as they are not high on GC, it’s up for grabs. I remember Andreu talking of 52kph avg’s for the first hour until a break would finally snap the elastic with 5-15 riders from 30-120′ down on GC. Then it’s like a mini-race the last 20k as those guys attack each other like their life is on the line. That’s fun racing.
It is a shame that we don’t get to see this action, even if were shown in bits and pieces as a playback part of the broadcast. Versus would rather do “ask Bobke’ or some other lame piece than show what is a crucial part to the race every day. Keep bringing us the good stuff…your site rocks.
Inrng, I have been following the TDF from 2005 in India. Coz this is the only Cycling event I ever get to see on TV in India, that too courtesy satelite TV. But, this year, have been able to watch the Eurorport live feed on some websites. But, of course, not the starting of the stage. Was really wondering for all these years, how could the start of the stage be. thanks for your article on Cyclingnews and the details covered. Felt like watching the start of a stage.
Good article as ever – thanks.
In another way I’m surprised the start isn’t shown more, at least in highlights. These towns pay good money to host the tour. The start towns are missing out on some key TV coverage.