Personally I think Harmon and Brian Smith are the best team. You can sound like youre a genius, with an incredible memory, Kirby says. While folk littering with gel wrappers is no doubt annoying, is it really up there with fly-tipping? On the descent, motorbikes often get too close to the cyclist in front of them. Astonishingly though, a single stage of the Tour de France lasts for about more than six hours. There is no editing process, except between the brain and the larynx. Well, Kirby says, when its all out action on the road its very easy the problem comes on longtransition stages. Discovery company. You get the atmosphere and emotion of a place. wow, all the power to you man! This is why he often cracks jokes and laughs heartily. So, our information can be slightly second-hand. pic.twitter.com/fFcEf0AgHK, Volta a Catalunya (@VoltaCatalunya) March 25, 2019. There are several fan forums that constantly try to have him removed from Eurosport and even made a Carlton Kirby petition their demands on the grounds of inane chatter, terrible jokes, and unnecessary screaming. In their eyes, he is one of the worst cycling commentators. The rest is very monotonous and quite naturally the onus of filling that gap falls on the commentator. 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. Tech, reviews: tech [at] road.cc You can get every picture you need from in front of the peloton. De Gendt, Volta 2019 Stage 1 winner. He further says, "In tennis, you never talk through a point because the crowd doesn't. 2023 Eurosport, a Warner Bros. All of this stuff adds to the vrit of the broadcast, and its stuff you cannot get in a studio in London. You get a sense of the weather a bright morning, going up this morning in a hail storm, and the hailstones are this big. I have - again - sent this to Eurosport (23/2/23, with 1,871 signatures - and 1,400 people taking the time to comment!). The Wanty-GroupeGobert rider was air lifted to hospital after the crash yesterday, but thankfully it seems like he's in a stable condition. And he wasn't wrong. As we reported at the time, the six-time Olympic champion tweeted that he had been on a Sunday bike ride with his son when they were almost run over by a van driver who drove at us, then proceeded to angrily inform me it was my fault we nearly died.. Kirby remarks, Its not like a written press where you can write something out and finesse it and shave it. but the bike was nowhere to be found!" Eurosport commentator. Mark is already the greatest sprinter there has ever been. He also never tells you who the riders on screen are - and if he does, he's usually wrong. Most races have one unit but the Tour de France has four double-decker units. And then, of course, there are the flat stages and the sprint finishes. Hence, To be qualified to fill up that huge amount of time is, quite naturally, a daunting job. I speak no language other than English. Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. The Vuelta a Espana used to be the worst of the Grand Tours because theyd have transitions day of 250km across a desert. Or at least diminished. A close study of the final 20 kilometres follows, picking out key hazardslike pinch points, street furniture and likely attack points, before the repeating the study in the car alongside King Kelly as the pair make their way to the commentary point at the stage finish. #GPDenain pic.twitter.com/2DsagK73lS, Wanty-Gobert Cycling Team (@TeamWantyGobert) March 24, 2019. But there are always other lines to cross, and he just loves collecting these plaudits and the deserved success coming his way is just brilliant. ), there is a thread in the. We get to see our own output with our team interviewing the riders. Well then I propose a CN forum audio livestream for the tour de france. It is not just the motocycles remember. When Cavendish won again on stage 14, Kittel just fell to pieces emotionally. Carlton's voice is familiar to fans of Motorsports and Cycling both on British Television and throughout the world. Carlton Kirby: No matter if youre in a mobile unit at the finish, or in a studio with air conditioning and a coffee machine, youre doing the same thing, the view out the window is just different. Not that itsa straightforward drive to the finish at the Tour, as Kirby explains. 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. I talk about the same stuff, except Im making it up. They seem to think that it is enough to just talk about english speaking riders, or to 'emote' any time there is a crash, or a difficult corner. But try explaining that to Cycling Weekly and their letters column.. Teams have been announced for May's Tour de Yorkshire and the Asda Tour de Yorkshire Women's Race. VN:What do you talk about differently when youre in the studio? Bridport cycles. The Tour de Suisse is traditionally one of the last big races before the Tour de France. I think people will appreciate what were trying to deal with. 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. "In tennis you never talk through a point because the crowd don't. In certain sports, you have to respect the action, and then you comment on it. You don't need to be that close to the riders to get snaps. Hence, talking on something is difficult without matter. Hes done it four times, and I think he might want to do it again on the Champs-lyses. I never say when Im on-site vs. at the race. For every Nicolas Roche or Steve Cummings great characters, totally locked down there are some savage bastards out there, and we love them all. It is irretrievable. Such things impact ones reputation a lot, and there is no way around it. Cookies help us deliver our services. 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. Nobody but nobody doesnt sprint for 5th at the end of a Monument. There are people who love what I do, and others who hate it, he admits. I am having this problem too. One of the most adaptable voices on British Television, as can be seen from hisworking synopsis, Carltons range is wide. Thomas De Gendt launched a solo attack from the break with 60 kilometres remaining of todays opening stage of the Volta a Catalunya, covering 163 kilometres and starting and finishing in Calella and the Lotto-Soudal rider now finds himself with a lead of almost three minutes on his rivals. 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. Apologies it's in super annoying meme form (we couldn't find the originalsource) but this is too good not too share! Talk about what you know. And hes trying to improve them. The headline does anyway, while the sources in the article cover a few different potential causes. Its that melting pot of information that you get on-site. But it was here he developed the ability to call a sprint. Kirby has more than two decades as a commentatorbehind him and, alongside Irish legend Sean Kelly, has been back at the Tour de France this year calling the action from Utrecht through to Paris. 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. During a long interview, the legendary veteran commentator of Eurosports shares some of his knowledge about the job. How can someone who watches so much cycling know so little? ). Matt Stephens will be Eurosport's dedicated reporter on all Grand Tour coverage, bringing breaking news, updates, and interviews from inside the peloton. Every time she fought back from a coma we were warned. From dealing with the never-ending frenzy of action, and incessant radio announcements, to having to tackle the director. Yep I always watch the ITV coverage if possible - even if that means missing the stage live and watching the highlights package (like the vuelta). hatcher - are you Harmon's mum? I agree listening to the mans over stressed enthusiasm really gets on my nerves. Kirby says he opens the Tours road book (the bible for riders and media alike) first and foremost, having to change all of the notes to match his commentary notes and the on-screen graphics counting down the kilometres, rather than up as the book does. VN:Whats it like calling a race from back home at the studio? 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.. How do you call one of the biggest sporting events on the planet? However, a lot of his fans understand this and support him. Please enter your email so we can keep you updated with news, features and the latest offers. . It is not so bad if they are in front because the rider can tell the motorbike to go away, but if it is trailing the rider and the rider comes off, there is always the possibility of impact. There are many great cycling commentators around at the moment, Im afraid Kirby isnt one of them. 2023 Eurosport, a Warner Bros. From wrestling with sound walls, coping with dropped audio, working with Sean Kelly and deciphering the Kirby CODEC, we caught up with Kirby midway through the raceto getan insight into life on Tour as a commentator. At least he can string a sentence together and he seems to bring good comments out of Backstedt. I can walk or drive the technical approach to the finish, which is gold. It is all kinds of stuff. CK:Ive been doing bike races live and on-site since 1996. The concern of course is how much is this going to take out of him before he begins preparations for the Olympic Games next month? We need to get to tomorrows finish line, and sometimes that is a four-hour drive. Cue points, Kirby adds, are a bigger problem at Eurosport than with other networks, with producers calling for radio silence across the Eurosports various nationalbroadcasts to assist with the editing process. There is absolutely no deficit of distractions for a commentator. Especially on the downhill runs which is a crazy situation. You have engineers popping in and out, you have guests from the different languages, and the only thing separating us from the Germans, on our left, and the French, on our right, are thin sound walls its completely open at the back, he says. When asked about the criticism, Kirby opined Its not like the written press where you can write something out and finesse it and shave it, I dont have that gift. He kept on saying, Its gone, its irretrievable. Ill be making notes when Sean Kellys driving, which can be a difficult thing! Log in or register to join the conversation. He is thinking of five wins, and is finally allowing himself to believe he is going to reach the all-time record of the Belgian all-rounder Eddy Merckx's record for stage wins of 34. The man, the myth, the chosen son. As well as sports commentary his voiceover work includes corporate videos and feature films as well as radio and television advertising. You get the mood of the crowd, and of the press. Kirby is a shockingly bad commentator, but Harmon is not much better. 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". They have produced some merchandise like cycling caps and badges, they get together at Carltons events. (@StasaZlatanovic) March 24, 2019. Strade Bianche 2023, March 4, one-day classic (men's & women's), 78th Omloop Het Nieuwsblad: February 25, 2023, UAE Tour 2023, February 20-26 (women's race February 9-12), O Gran Camio 2023, Spain, February 23-26, 49th Volta ao Algarve em Bicicleta (2.Pro) // February 15th - 19th 2023, Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne 2023 February 26, 196 km (1.Pro). Fully agree Kirby is the most irritable commentator ever. But Kirby is only interested in his own narrative: McEwen told him twice that Herrada had won, but Kirby kept eulogising about Batistella's 'win', even as Herrada celebrated further coming past the camera. All crescendo sports deserve to be treated as such. It is exciting being in a vast peloton, and the less experienced ones almost engage with it. When Kirby explains the difficult process of commentating on cycling, and the concerns he has, one might want to know how much of that impacts him. Here they are listed below, but we already know there will be one change - Team Sky will be racing as Team Ineos, with the Tour de Yorkshire being its first race following the management company's sale to the petrochemical business. James and Joe catch up with the chosen son of cycling commentary, Carlton Kirby. He's ruining the sport I love - I avoid many races purely because he's the commentator. Went for a bike ride earlier today. 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. The Kirby CODEC will also be called into action as his followers on Twitter will know. Kirbys Knowledge and Enthusiasm on the Mic is Unparalleled, When Kirby explains the difficult process of commentating on cycling, Michael Matthews powers to Bretagne Classic victory, Bora-hansgrohe riders false positive raises new doubts over accuracy of COVID-19 testing, Giro dItalia, Milan-San Remo under threat of cancellation due to coronavirus, Ewan storms to victory on stage 2 of UAE Tour. 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. https://t.co/rFjZ7dTFUE. Also, I would say many of his criticisms are unfair and/or cruel. Yates ended up going out the back of the peloton, losing 1.22. That is because like most hacks they are too arrogant to do any research and preparation. I changed to German commentary on eurosport international today I was so mad. I usually increase the pace especially on a sprint day to match the peloton, Kirby admits. Controversial! We saw that on the Tour of Catalunya - a useless piece of motorcycle protocol. He's fine when it's all action but flounders when it's a longer stage. The youngsters were congratulated by the force on Twitter, as they helped chase down a thief who had stolen over 300 worth of goods. Helen Blackman (@HelenBlackman) March 24, 2019. Commentating on cycling is not like snooker or tennis, says Carlton Kirby, a principal commentator for Eurosports cycling coverage, who has worked in the sport since 1996. And it is at that point, Cav comes out of the shadows to mug him at the line. I can't understand why Eurosport need to use him when they gave at least four other knowledgeable commentators, even without Harmon. Kittel moves first into Cavendish, who follows the white line. It is all well having experience, but at some of the smaller races who are the guys riding these bikes? Shouldnt be that hard to organise with so many people here able to talk eloquently and intelligently for 4 hours. Without any editing, moderation, or credibility, it is all out in the name of fate. 2.4K views, 20 likes, 3 loves, 5 comments, 3 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Eurosport: "The pictures were all over the news. He is thinking Champs Elysees. More often than not they slip into commentary which is at best nationalistic, and at worst xenophobic. VN:When youre at the race, who are you talking to regularly to get your intel for the broadcast? https://yahoo.uservoice.com/forums/1698 ant-drivel, http://www.ten-tenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=85131. I don't think much does get through to him, I really wish it did. There must be so many ex-pro riders out there who would give valuable commentary and insight into the races. (PS If there's anything here about donating, that's the website host - nothing to do with this petition - there is nothing to donate to. Le point sur la situation de Yoann Offredo. Its the art of illusion. The problem is that social media has allowed anyone and everyone to voice their opinion, regardless of their credibility. #cycling @carltonkirby whatsonreading.com Carlton Kirby True Tales of the Tour de France | What's On Reading Maybe it's because he doesn't ride a bike himself? Kirby laughs. And we have managed to cover his view on it. After my tweet he at least toned that down. Agreed. Eurosport's lead cycling commentator Carlton Kirby has called for action to regulate the role of motor vehicles in the sport following the tragic death of Belgium's Antoine Demoitie, who was. Carlton Kirby As a Post Graduate Broadcast Journalist Carlton's Television career began with the BBC as a News and Sports Reporter. You sit there, its often quite quiet, and you get brought an exotic meal like a guacamole sandwich. Yes Harmon is okay and like I said - at least he does his homework on the teams and riders and hangs on every word uttered by Sean Kellyas though he is keen to learn the professional circuit. And yet, love him or loathe him, Kirbys voice is as intrinsically linked to the Tour de France, for Eurosport viewers at least, as other famous voices across the sporting spectrum. They kept the suspect in view and assisted us in the footchase before he was caught and arrested pic.twitter.com/QcQg7PBcsn, Wednesfield Police (@WednesfieldWMP) March 24, 2019. ), peppered with the repeated clichs (just see how many times he says 'puppy paws', joining the party or a dozen or so others). Page 6 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community. He came off the corner leading, it was a right hand to the finish in Villars-les-Dombes. For example, I know that Jakob Fuglsangs last name means bird song, which is a nice little thing. You take yourself to the studio, call up your procyclingstats.com, do your research online. Read our full Privacy Policy as well as Terms & Conditions. They basically work on the principle that people watching cycling in english are only interested in english speaking riders. Ive just turned Catalunya on and hes already come out with I think he fell victim to his agent, so now hes at x team. And suddenly some feel like a part of the race. 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. 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. 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. Can you imagine Paris-Roubaix with Kirby commentating? The sights and sounds of the race and the attention of aptitude in an ample pressroom can renounce some valuable chunks for a commentator. i like the stuff the two GCN guys do, is it dan Loyd and Matt Stephens? This latest incident proves exactly that. All material FarrellyAtkinson (F-At) Limited, Unit 7b Green Park Station BA11JB. Hosted by Duncan Steer Carlton Kirby's Cycling Lock-In Radio Days Events Sports NOV 24, 2021 London live show preview! People were saying track preparation knocks you back for the sprint because it is a different form of physicality that is needed. It is guys sitting on a motorbike who pull up alongside a cyclist and say 'how are you doing?'. Even once the race itself is over, and the post-analysis is done, theres a second race to get away from the finish line. Hosted by Duncan Steer. Quite brilliant and gutsy from Tom. Carlton Kirby: 'Yates is the heart and mind of this breakaway group'. So many other cycling commentators on Eurosport. And I said: Because I asked him! I asked him at breakfast, because when youre on-site, you can talk to the riders. He is rubbish Eurosport have many other far better options we need a decent commentator not Carltons partridge esque musings. When actually its just hand-written sheet of notes to recall from.. 26/8/22: Stage 6 of the Vuelta, Kirby informs us (clearly based on nothing) that Mark Padun is 'a master' at descending in the wet (at that precise moment, Padun is descending very gingerly, taking pretty poor lines). You can also sometimes find your hotel is one or two hours away. (Clarke is a very good rider, but there is nothing to suggest he SHOULD have won the 2016 M-SR. Watch the race.). You must invest in an alarm upgrade to BT Redcare. Would like to cancel eurosport but it's the only way to watch the classics (legitimately at least). I like him. Stay tuned! Being on the site always gives you extra material which makes the commentating so natural and energetic. We will never sell your data and you'll only get messages from us and our partners whose products and services we think you'll enjoy. We have a quiet conversation about who is going to win today. If youve watched Eurosport cycling, you'll know. Tony Martin scared everybody with his breakaway, says Etixx chief. It is a thrilling climax and its my job to convey that to the public. Joe Robinson. why must us cyclists have to tolerate a commentator who has no knowledge of professional cycling. They race ahead, dismount to get the tracking shots they need of the riders. 4th in last year's Giro d'Italia. And within the second group, he sprints hard, coming 13th overall. 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. The atmosphere fills up with buzz from moment to moment that enthusiasm pushes the words out of the heart. So poor . Cavendish swept to his second win at the Tour of Turkey with another . Following a two year broadcasting secondment with the United Nations in the South Pacific he joined ITV as TVams overnight Sports Producer and Reporter. No ! You cant please everybody and as a commentator thats something you have to get to grips with. 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. But, being in the studio means there is a considerable loss of interaction. Carlton Kirby: 'Joo Almeida, who won't worry anyone in the General Classification'. I think as well that audiences will be sympathetic, so even if they know were not there, we will be upfront and honest about it. They only received compensation a couple of years later. 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. But Mark Cavendish says no: what the track does is make you think fast, it makes you think within a very tight set of circumstances. Simon Clarke, who should have won the 2016 Milan-San Remo is just one in a long, long line of things he invents from nowhere and then portrays as facts, banging on about them throughout a season. Learn More, Blog: Abusing other cyclists highlights everything wrong with cycling in Britain, Chris Froome backed by strong Team Sky squad for Vuelta a Espana, Vuelta a Espana 2015 route: five stages which could decide the race, Vuelta a Espana 2015: five stages which could decide the race. Well, Ill tell you: It makes your view of the race verifiable when youre there. In the early 1990s he became a freelance commentator. Thats because the Tours largest broadcasters are staying at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, rather than broadcasting the race on-site in France. The word count for me at the end is almost blurred.. How much longer do the cycling public have to suffer the idiotic commentary from Carlton Kirby ?? 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. At other broadcasters you still have cue points, but its usually after youve finished making a point [because youre the only commentary team]. To know that, you simply have to do a Google Search and you will know why. This person has obviously just seen red, Ive got right of way, Im going to go, and you might have right of way technically whether you do or dont is often debatable but it doesnt give you the right to smash someone and potentially kill someone, which is what is going to happen if you run someone off their bike.