#GPDenain pic.twitter.com/2DsagK73lS, Wanty-Gobert Cycling Team (@TeamWantyGobert) March 24, 2019. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. All the news from the site and beyond as we start a new week, Thomas De Gendt bosses Volta a Catalunya opener and solos into 3-minute overall lead. He was hinting today that he would be commentating on Paris-Roubaix (just after he said that Froome was 'over-raced' this year), so I'd be grateful if as many people as possible could comment/vote before it is too late: Mmmmm, unfortunately, the suggested replacement is just as clueless, just quieter. Continuing our discussion of 2020's cancelled/postponed races continues, Eurosport bon viveur Carlton Kirby discusses why riding up Swiss mountains is easier than riding up French mountains; villages accessible only by ladder; the world's highest lighthouse; 70s balladeer Gilbert O'Sullivan; human . He said from the rider's perspective, motorbikes get far too close to the race. The Vuelta a Espana used to be the worst of the Grand Tours because theyd have transitions day of 250km across a desert. CK:Its pretty bleak. VN:What difference will people notice in this years Tour broadcast from a normal year, when you and your team are on-site? I had almost no idea what was going on or who was where. https://t.co/rFjZ7dTFUE. Whilst im not Carltons biggest fan (prefer Backstead w Harmon) I very much doubt I could talk for between 1 and 5 hours without descending into complete nonsense from time to time. Ive been up the Galibier. Seriously. Yates was obviously cooked - why else would anyone work for dozens of kilometres and then give up in the final 2km? After my tweet he at least toned that down. 2023 Eurosport, a Warner Bros. Please enter your email so we can keep you updated with news, features and the latest offers. Cycling is a sport where there are no time limits and there are no constant action-packed sequences to speak about. It is irretrievable. Carlton Kirby is a sports commentator who is most known for his work commentating on the Tour de France. Carlton Kirby: 'Joo Almeida, who won't worry anyone in the General Classification'. Carlton Kirby pete54 Posts: 488 March 2014 edited October 2019 in Pro race For all those who can't stand Kirby's 'commentary' (must be everyone on Bikeradar? Coverage includes enhanced production with access to helicopter, on-board and superslomo cameras. #cycling @carltonkirby whatsonreading.com Carlton Kirby True Tales of the Tour de France | What's On Reading The current situation has made things difficult, where previously they would head over to the channel to cover Tour De France, now they sit in their studios and practice social distancing and looking at monitors. The breaks going to go up the road, theyre going to be allowed anything up to 15 minutes of an advantage and everyone else is just having a chat including us., All the other commentators from all the other nations and all their information are in the same room, so you often get people saying: Have you heard this?, with loads of things to share. It easy to forget that before this tour Mark Cavendish, the greatest of all great sprinters, had never beaten Marcel Kittel in a head-to-head. For example, I know that Jakob Fuglsangs last name means bird song, which is a nice little thing. I am having this problem too. All crescendo sports deserve to be treated as such. I could get 20 minutes of commentary out of dinner last night. Such things impact ones reputation a lot, and there is no way around it. You can't work commentating on it for as long as he has next to informative ex-pros without some of it getting in through osmosis at the least. Those are definitely the days when you earn your corn. Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. This afternoon, I yet again, tolerated his insulting drivel on the Dauphine. Get rid. The man, the myth, the chosen son. I make notes of the corners, pinch points, danger points, acceleration points, attack points all of those things.. In the mountains, when you have say four significant peaks to climb, the day tells itself and often all you have to do is call it as it happens. Kittel is not a broken man, but his supremacy has tumbled because Mark Cavendish has only gone and won four stages here. He inspires such devotion that he has his own fan club, yet also is on the receiving end of a petition to get him sacked. Eurosport's commentator Carlton Kirby has called hundreds of races throughout his career, both on-site and from the studio. (Clarke is a very good rider, but there is nothing to suggest he SHOULD have won the 2016 M-SR. Watch the race.). Unlike other sports, the practicalities of cycling dont change, and doing this remotely is not at all a good idea, but the situation makes all helpless. It's garnering quite a few sarcastic responses on Twitter Yep, I regularly cycle to MacDonalds, get a load of food, then cycle to the off license, get some beer, and then cycle to a lay by or car park and spread it around the place. Thanks to all who have signed. i like the stuff the two GCN guys do, is it dan Loyd and Matt Stephens? Bridport cycles. What is his cycling background ? Went for a bike ride earlier today. I think there seems to be a bad feeling against cyclists and its really strange because theyre only people, he continued. But saves my life" German governments helmet advert sparks sexism row, - Sir Gary Verity steps down from Welcome to Yorkshire for health reasons after "errors of judgement" with his expenses, -Bristol taxi driver who cut up cyclist and braked in front of him has licence revoked (+ video), -Porn Pedallers to carry on riding despite being stripped of British Cycling affiliation. The most interesting people are the race commissars, and talking with them you get a lot of insight into who they are keeping an eye on. CK:Ive been doing bike races live and on-site since 1996. Kittel did win stage four, but then Cavendish beat him again on stage six. It is all clearly not set in stone at the moment, and I hope that I'm not going to have some sharp intake of breath moments on commentary just because bikes are needlessly endangering the lives of cyclists. I've also been known to drag washing machines behind the bike and throw them down embankments, along with piles of grass clippings, black bags of household rubbish and several hubcaps. In the second episode of Story Time with Carlton Kirby, the Eurosport commentator reads an excerpt from his book (Magic Spanner) about how British cycling caused a seismic change in the. Let us know what you think in the comments. The prodigious British riderTao Geoghegan Hart laid into Kirby's"outrageous claims", and Owain Doull also chipped in to describe Kirby as a "proper muppet". So, you have to ask yourself: What is different, and why is it worth it to actually go on-site? COME ON WRITE TO EUROSPORT AND LETS GET HIM OFF ! This year alone, we had a Sky rider getting his elbow clipped by a security vehicle when he went for a gap when none existed. We have to get him off eurosport. I heard him doing weightlifting once. Some pros think so, plus more tech news from Shimano, Zwift, Le Col, Dahon, Fairlight + more, Pick-up truck driver crashes into group of cyclists, leaving two dead and 11 injured. They basically work on the principle that people watching cycling in english are only interested in english speaking riders. He came off the corner leading, it was a right hand to the finish in Villars-les-Dombes. Also, I would say many of his criticisms are unfair and/or cruel. And somebody asked me, why dont you pronounce his name Foo-gel-sang instead ofFoolsong. A football match lasts for hardly ninety minutes, a rugby match is over in eighty minutes, whilst a basketball game takes only thirty-eight minutes to finish. Whether they be dusty in the summer or wet in the winter, motorcycles are far too dangerous and get far too close to the bikes. It is really sad when you see the consequences of that. Kittel was completely shocked, and has been getting more and more upset as this Tour has gone on. The road curved, but it was nothing to concern one's self with. There's also his lack of knowledge. Uhhh, Ill say Bettiol. When actually its just hand-written sheet of notes to recall from.. During a sprint stage, every turn is important, and sometimes Ill walk the final approach with [commentator] Sean Kelly, and there will be no need to even take notes, because hell just say, Oh, this will be shit. You can read an off-camber turn when youre standing on it, and see the attack points when youre going up and down a mountain. Doesn't look that pretty, cable tied, very practical. He's ruining the sport I love - I avoid many races purely because he's the commentator. In the early 1990s he became a freelance commentator. March 2, 2022 . Driver escapes punishment for alleged hit-and-run on cyclist, as victim blasts police inaction and barriers to justice. To my mind, the motorcycles are the most dangerous because they have the least ability to stop. Its quite nice at the Tour de France that we have a roadbook and a history book of everything were going through. I usually increase the pace especially on a sprint day to match the peloton, Kirby admits. All of this stuff adds to the vrit of the broadcast, and its stuff you cannot get in a studio in London. OK. And then, we wait. I think this is what is powering Marks mind at the moment. You have got to be kidding! pic.twitter.com/fFcEf0AgHK, Volta a Catalunya (@VoltaCatalunya) March 25, 2019. It's their commentators or silence. Eurosport's lead cycling commentator Carlton Kirby presents a weekly guide to everything that's NOT happening in the sport this year, with stories and reflections from his 25 years in the gantry. After moving to 30 Tour de France stage wins with four rousing victories that has shattered Marcel Kittel on this year's Tour, Eurosport's voice of cycling Carlton Kirby tells Desmond Kane why he . For all those who can't stand Kirby's 'commentary' (must be everyone on Bikeradar? You can also sometimes find your hotel is one or two hours away. And he has outthought Marcel Kittel here. Please tell your friends: Ive read so many negative comments about Kirby that unlike most online petitions this one could work. That is the way it appears. Theres so much stuff going on because in front of us for starters, we have live timing, results sheets, stage profiles, live pictures, alternative live pictures and a sub-monitor with the schedule. As a small example, he started talking to Magnus Backstedt about tyre widths the other day ("weren't you the 27 mm guy?") Like this site? I can't understand why Eurosport need to use him when they gave at least four other knowledgeable commentators, even without Harmon. We usually have to drive to the finish line, which is where the commentary positions normally are theyre like double-decker coaches all lined up there, Kirby sayd. She got hit by a car and thats someones mum, not just a cyclist. By using this website, you agree to our use of cookies. Kirby is not uncomfortable with the spurt of social media and the exponential increase of criticism that has gone alongside with it. Its windowless. It just stays online forever. How much longer do the cycling public have to suffer the idiotic commentary from Carlton Kirby ?? You must log in or register to reply here. Essentially, there needs to be some sort of schooling or protocol coming from the International Cycling Union that has a proficiency test for these guys. Eurosport is a group of pay television networks in Europe and parts of Asia. This is why he often cracks jokes and laughs heartily. You can do that by clicking one of these links - TAKES 30 SECONDS: https://help.eurosport.com/hc/en-gb/requests/new, https://help.globalcyclingnetwork.com/hc/en-gb/requests. There must be so many ex-pro riders out there who would give valuable commentary and insight into the races. theres nowhere like ENOUGH cycling on tv. You have your usual office equipment, coffee machine, and sandwich machine. Well then I propose a CN forum audio livestream for the tour de france. Brian Smith is very good and I feel for him having to listen to Kirby's dumbfounding comments. Eurosport have a lot of these, so theres a lot of conversation going on in your ear [between producers] and its quite a task trying to keep the flow of what you are saying, Kirby says. I can get caught out, particularly if theres a crash in the last three kilometres, because that can animate the tempo even more and I have to keep something in reserve for the sprint finish. That should have been alarm bells for everyone. Controversial! But I do allow people to believe Im always on-site. Next time you watch, ask yourself how many of his critiques are aimed against non-Anglophone riders. Maybe it's because he doesn't ride a bike himself? Of all the criticisms that can be leveled at him (not recognising riders, not admitting he doesn't recognise a rider), being only interested in angolophone riders isn't one of them. If its one of those days where its going to end in a sprint and you need to cover 240km, then its gonna be a bit of a drag. VN:Whats it like calling a race from back home at the studio? Colnago is using social media to tease the arrival of its new E64 Performance, which well go out on a limb and guess is the companys attempt to tap into the rapidly growing e-bike market. You have a sound wall battle, where theyre shoving one way and were shoving the other while trying to sound calm and interesting on the commentary when actually what you want to do is knock someone out! e-bikes are very much the SUVs of the car world with every manufacturer seemingly keen to add at least one to their range to not miss out. You have entered an incorrect email address! Carlton Kirby discusses the art of commentary, says thank you to those who enjoy listening to him. Kirby remarks, Its not like a written press where you can write something out and finesse it and shave it. At Eurosport, because the producer maynot necessarily be listening to the Englishcommentary, theyll be occasions when I goto Sean and say, so what do you think of Sagan? and hell start mulling it over and responding and then all of a sudden well get a producing lining up a cue pointin his ear, and hell have to switch from his usual, slow voice to speaking very quickly and wrapping up his point in five seconds for no apparent reason to the viewer. But, being in the studio means there is a considerable loss of interaction. And alongside everything going on in his ear and on the screens in front of him, Kirby says the booths themselves can be a sourceof distraction from the job of commentating. That is exactly what has happened now. Nonetheless, one other thing that Kirby believes, sets the very best apart is commitment. His Grand National, Murray Walker shouting in the last 2 kilometres really is unbelievable. See the recording of the last Carlton Kirby Zoomcast hereEnjoy our vintage/summer Parisian Spotify playlist (plus Little Italy by Stephen Bishop, not French, don't write in) hereSee Carlton's Every stage of the Tour de France LIVE on British Eurosport HD. Discovery company. According to the Telegraph, cyclists and joggers could be targeted as part ofa new Government initiative to work out who is leaving waste behind in countryside. Im a bit annoyed at myself because I lost my temper at the time. Especially on unstable surfaces. On rest days we circulate to meet with everybody. It is exciting being in a vast peloton, and the less experienced ones almost engage with it. At least he can string a sentence together and he seems to bring good comments out of Backstedt. Riders having to get close to a motorbike just to take a corner. Win! Brentford today angry guy in grey car can't see why he should wait till it's safe to overtake hoots horn, shouts abuse and 100 yards later I'm in front again anyway. We've asked Colnago for more details but they just shrugged their shoulders in reply. The problem is that social media has allowed anyone and everyone to voice their opinion, regardless of their credibility. In the early 1990's he became a freelance commentator. Terms and conditions of use. He's fine when it's all action but flounders when it's a longer stage. The actual bones of the job are quite similar. Thats when it down to you and not the riders.. pic.twitter.com/bcRWeK1p3o, just merder. Being a commentator is all about improvisation and Kirby knows this quite well considering his huge range of experience. There is no editing process, except between the brain and the larynx. If you are not interested you can unsubscribe at any time. Eurosport is transmitting the same amount of races as any standard european tv channel - go to Italy where it is their number 2 sport next to football - they dont struggle for professional sports commentators. We have seen far too much of it - near collisions as much as actual collisions over the past few years. There has to be some kind of distance applied and minimal standards of what is needed. You also get a guy filming on the one side of a cyclist, who is then blocking the rider from turning at the right angle into a corner because a motorbike is blocking him. Matt Stephens will be Eurosport's dedicated reporter on all Grand Tour coverage, bringing breaking news, updates, and interviews from inside the peloton. As you say, he doesn't shout unnecessarily either. Ive gotten drunk on the Galibier and been evacuated off the Galibier. He inspires such devotion that he has his own fan club, yet also is on the receiving end of a petition to get him sacked. De Gendt, Volta 2019 Stage 1 winner. if many people would do this via twitter it could at least give a sign. To show no fear is the best skill of all. Kittel threw his arms up in the air, and lost not only first place, but second, third and fourth..winding up in fifth because of his complaints. Ive done so much and been so many places that I mostly have all of them embedded in my head. And it is at that point, Cav comes out of the shadows to mug him at the line. They will tell you, Yes, so-and-so is looking really mentally fatigued, or, they are saying, Hes getting very aggressive in the peloton and weve had a word with the team, that is all great information. You take yourself to the studio, call up your procyclingstats.com, do your research online. Utterly self-absorbed: he had already decided who'd won. wow, all the power to you man! It doesnt take much accomplishment to understand what Kirby is referring to. My Ultimate Commuter, rebuilding her at the moment, everything external. A piece of the petition has gained over 542 signatures demanding the removal of Carlton Kirby from Eurosports, citing Unnecessary Screaming, Terrible Jokes as one of the biggest downsides. When youre part of the race caravan, all you talk about is the race. (@StasaZlatanovic) March 24, 2019. Can you imagine Paris-Roubaix with Kirby commentating? Commentating during the 2022 Ronde with 222km to go, Kirby says: Aranburu could have finished as high as 5th in Milan-Sanremo, but didnt think it was worth his while so he eased off at the end and came in 13th. Theres no doubt about it, the most difficult thing to do is cover nothing, he says. Its the press guys we see more, because of the mechanics of the day. Also, Kirby criticises riders in almost every race. At dinner, you gather around the table and argue the hell out of it, and thats a big thing. It is not just the motocycles remember. AndKirby wouldnt have it any other way, even if there are those who dont always appreciate what goes into calling a Tour de France stage. For god's sake grow up the man's just doing his job some of it good, some of it bad Is it my imagination or has there been more talk about commentators than cycling on here recently? You always get letters or emails from people who really enjoyed your commentary, but youll always get those who hate every fibre of your being.. It is just crazy the amount of automotive stuff on the go, whether that is cars or motorcycles, that are getting too close to the riders, too often. Baseless. Punching the handlebars is the almost universal sign of frustration at losing. They race ahead, dismount to get the tracking shots they need of the riders. These local mountain bikers tried Athletic Brewing Company's craft beer for the first time, and you'd be surprised by their reactions. Your Tour de France telecastwill look the same this year, but it may feel somewhat different. So, our information can be slightly second-hand. It is guys sitting on a motorbike who pull up alongside a cyclist and say 'how are you doing?'. Even my partner, who doesn't watch cycling, could tell who had won. He threw the toys out of the pram because his head is scrambled by these defeats. -"Looks like shit. The One Subscription to Fuel All Your Adventures. There used to be a 35 metre rule which seems to be flouted these days. I like him. The major problem with this is that you cannot follow a race he is commentating on unless you are watching it - i.e. We caught up with Kirby to learn what is gained for the telecast and what is lost from these two very different broadcasting scenarios. He is rubbish Eurosport have many other far better options we need a decent commentator not Carltons partridge esque musings. Kirby has however found his own distinctive and unique style which has brilliantly worked for him all these years. ), peppered with the repeated clichs (just see how many times he says 'puppy paws', joining the party or a dozen or so others). Various types of distractions are always ready for a commentator. The demands of media and multimedia these days make it more of a serious problem. The unrelenting, inane chatter (did any of us want to know that his wife had their third child by caesarean section? Pure invention; based on nothing. I speak no language other than English. They have produced some merchandise like cycling caps and badges, they get together at Carltons events. but the bike was nowhere to be found!" The races are only on GCN/Eurosport. He's obsessed with what he thinks is going to happen, preferring baseless speculation to commentating on what is actually happening. Thus concentrating becomes a difficult job for a commentator. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. How can someone who watches so much cycling know so little? I do love the sport because its a crescendo sport. The atmosphere fills up with buzz from moment to moment that enthusiasm pushes the words out of the heart. Yeah he does. Well over a 1000 signatories on that petition now. View our media pack. Always the hardest and most challenging role in such types of games is of a cycling commentator. Well, Kirby says, when its all out action on the road its very easy the problem comes on longtransition stages. Kirby laughs. Conversely, a Carlton Kirby Fan Club exists for those who love the cycling commentator. Among an awful lot of distractions, as Carlton Kirby explains, commentating on cycling is an arduous process. London live show preview! As for the Sky Team Fans member - you wouldnt actually be Mr Kirby would you ???? But, Kirby has to do that, without fail. You are calling the race as you see it on the screen. As is seen in most cases, the primary action of any game takes place during the outset and ending parts. "Commentating on cycling is not like snooker or tennis," Carlton Kirby tells Betway in a recent interview, one of the principal commentators for Eurosport's cycling coverage, who has served in the sport since 1996. Live blog: "outrageous claims" - Tao Geoghegan Hart lays into Eurosport commentator Carlton Kirby, cyclists blamed for countryside litter - Twitter responds, Colnago e-bike, Jason Kenny, Jeremy Vine on close-passes, TdY teams, Peloton baby + more. And if you ever thought the job of the commentator was easy, think again, with the ability to multi-task a key skill for anyone working in live television. Kirby has the benefit of what he calls the ultimate pass the presence of his legendary co-commentator when it comes to cutting through the crowds and police lines. You can use your lens. For mine, Carlton is the perfect commentator for the 'early shift' on long, flat grand tour stages. Stig Broeckx avoids serious injury after being hit by motorbike. The walls do move when they pile in too. I realise that commentating on a race involving nearly 200 riders is challenging, but since 1986 I have always been able to follow what is going on thanks to the commentary. I remember being impressed during the Giro at his ability to identify riders. I agree listening to the mans over stressed enthusiasm really gets on my nerves. The schedule and time duration work differently for every sport. Ive now just watched the end of Milan-Sanremo again: Aranburu wasnt in the first group behind Morhoric, so he literally couldnt have come higher than 10th. Page 6 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community. Theyre the best stages, and the most exciting ones, but often as a commentator the days you take the most pride in are actually the ones where absolutely sod all has happened! Carlton Kirby: What inspired Chris Froome's golden era Eurosport's voice of cycling Carlton Kirby analyses Chris Froome's performance in winning a fourth Tour de France. Hosted by Duncan Steer Carlton Kirby's Cycling Lock-In Radio Days Events Sports NOV 24, 2021 London live show preview! Riders have lost their ability to race, says LeMond, Nacer Bouhanni handed penalty, fined for shove. I talk about the same stuff, except Im making it up. What blasphemy is this? You can sound like youre a genius, with an incredible memory, Kirby says. You must invest in an alarm upgrade to BT Redcare. So many other cycling commentators on Eurosport.