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. why must us cyclists have to tolerate a commentator who has no knowledge of professional cycling. Story Time with Carlton Kirby: Mankini's and mechanicals | "The pictures were all over the news. They have produced some merchandise like cycling caps and badges, they get together at Carltons events. Or at least diminished. Proper all rounder. 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. It was a dreadfully high price to pay in my opinion to high but the suffering couldnt go on. It is guys sitting on a motorbike who pull up alongside a cyclist and say 'how are you doing?'. He has to engage with the directors in the ear, guarantee that innumerable hours of gaps are filled in suitably, deal with incoming radio announcements, all the while tackling an uproar of a different kind with the action around him. Cavendish swept to his second win at the Tour of Turkey with another . Personally I think Harmon and Brian Smith are the best team. Carlton Kirby Kirby is the most marmite commentator there is. CK:Its pretty bleak. To cycling fans, Carlton Kirby's voice has become synonymous with the sport, having become an integral part of British Eurosport's race coverage. 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. Carlton Kirby and His Approach On Commenting for GCN and Eurosport This Year: While cycling commentator Carlton Kirby and his teammates would normally head across the channel for the Tour de France, the recent situation suggests he will be covering the 2020 edition from the Eurosport studios in London. As well as sports commentary his voiceover work includes corporate videos and feature films as well as radio and television advertising. 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. 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. VN:Whats it like calling a race from back home at the studio? 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. 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. COME ON WRITE TO EUROSPORT AND LETS GET HIM OFF ! 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. 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 he wasn't wrong. You only need to listen to him to get that he has no time for Johnny Foreigner. Kittel did win stage four, but then Cavendish beat him again on stage six. Punching the handlebars is the almost universal sign of frustration at losing. Juan Antonio Flecha and Johnny Hoogerland were sent into barbed wire on the Tour de France because the France TV van was about to hit a tree having a run out of road, but took the softer option of the riders. He further says, "In tennis, you never talk through a point because the crowd doesn't. Star names like Sagan getting knocked off and knocked out of races. 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. 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. That is because like most hacks they are too arrogant to do any research and preparation. Well ride that sympathy and see how far it takes us up the beach. 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. Rob Hatch is apparently also good but he doesnt do very much that I've seen. But, being in the studio means there is a considerable loss of interaction. Twaddle. However, a lot of his fans understand this and support him. You can use your lens. Yates ended up going out the back of the peloton, losing 1.22. De Gendt, Volta 2019 Stage 1 winner. There is no editing process, except between the brain and the larynx. 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. His voice tends to wake me up from my nap when something happens. That is exactly what has happened now. 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. And, he is right about it. For me, Carlton is the perfect commentator for the 'early shift' on long, flat grand tour stages. Thus concentrating becomes a difficult job for a commentator. Set the scene for us. Terms and conditions of use. As just one example, the long list of criticisms he has levelled at Thibault Pinot. I don't know the guy but I wish in netherlands we would do it with mart smeets, danny nelissen and herbert dijkstra, who are complete idiots. As a Post Graduate Broadcast Journalist Carltons Television career began with the BBC as a News and Sports Reporter. I'm not sure if it was security, medical or a photographer who hit him, but essentially there was braking with four riders on the ground and the bike flipped before landing on the riders. It is not general knowledge, and it should be. The actual bones of the job are quite similar. 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. I talk about the same stuff, except Im making it up. Its a case of trying to keep everybody amused. 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. You take yourself to the studio, call up your procyclingstats.com, do your research online. 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. Kittel is still the fastest guy out there, but when he turns on the taps there is going to be a point when his maximum capacity starts to diminish. The rest is very monotonous and quite naturally the onus of filling that gap falls on the commentator. Youre at the finish line, essentially watching the TV albeit with extra screens.. There are many great cycling commentators around at the moment, Im afraid Kirby isnt one of them. Get the latest race news, results, commentary, and tech, delivered to your inbox. 27/8/22: Stage 7 of the Vuelta, Herrada wins the sprint and has his arm in the air in celebration. CK: You need the details. I could paint the Galibier and Ventoux and even some of the rarer mountains by memory. 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 road curved, but it was nothing to concern one's self with. Without wishing to be too disparaging to Mr. Kirby, I dont have Eurosport or the ability to watch cycling live, so I have to make do with highlights. 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. These local mountain bikers tried Athletic Brewing Company's craft beer for the first time, and you'd be surprised by their reactions. On the last Vuelta a Espaa, Tinkhoff threatened to pull his team out because two of his riders - one of whom is Peter Sagan - were hit by vehicles. By using this website, you agree to our use of cookies. Especially on unstable surfaces. . View our media pack. 1/9/22 4.2km to go, Stage 12 Vuelta a Espana: the riders are going uphill.Kirby: as they get to this step, but it doesnt last long, its like your mums old step, give it a polish, give it a clean and then a clean pair of heels to everybody else. Its Kirbys cheat sheetfor every stage in the race, with details of the top finishers, jersey wearers, men in the breakaway and so on. It doesnt take much accomplishment to understand what Kirby is referring to. How can someone who watches so much cycling know so little? One of the worlds most iconic cycling brands appears set to launch an e-bike. 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. They only received compensation a couple of years later. Kirby remarks, Its not like a written press where you can write something out and finesse it and shave it. Eurosportreports that Kenny expanded on the incident on BBC One today, saying: Someone felt they had right of way and decided that gave them the right to kind of jump on the throttle and drive at us, which was a scary experience. -"Looks like shit. Every time she fought back from a coma we were warned. https://yahoo.uservoice.com/forums/1698 ant-drivel, http://www.ten-tenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=85131. Join Outside+ to get complete access to exclusive content on VeloNews, training plans for road and gravel, and more. Its quite nice at the Tour de France that we have a roadbook and a history book of everything were going through. At least King Kelly is still there despite Harmon's departure. Best known for his work on Eurosport, his voice has also appeared on BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Motors TV, Cycling TV, Speed Channel USA, ABC Australia, SABC South Africa, Canal Plus France, Canal France International and more. 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. He said from the rider's perspective, motorbikes get far too close to the race. but the bike was nowhere to be found!" you can't have it on while doing other things and then return to the screen when it gets interesting because by the time Kirby has noticed many minutes will have passed. Some of which have been admitted, some of which weren't. I think there seems to be a bad feeling against cyclists and its really strange because theyre only people, he continued. That doesnt portend his job has not become a whole lot harder. But he's British and that's all that matters to Kirby. 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. Some people take offence for the strangest reasons. 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. Kittel moves first into Cavendish, who follows the white line. 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. The blokes an insult to all cyclists. Riders who perhaps finished tenth on a day will be livid that we didnt eulogise about them, but Im sorry, I was talking about the person who finished first. If you are not interested you can unsubscribe at any time. Ive done so much and been so many places that I mostly have all of them embedded in my head. hatcher - are you Harmon's mum? For example, I know that Jakob Fuglsangs last name means bird song, which is a nice little thing. I'm not sure if they have forgotten about the rule, or if it was always just advisory. Anyone but dreary Declan Quigley please! Also add in several alert mobile keyholders. Owned by Warner Bros. Its a massive operation. Minutes later, Sean Kelly points out that Padun is 'not getting around the corners well not comfortable whatsoever on the descent'. And within the second group, he sprints hard, coming 13th overall. Also, I would say many of his criticisms are unfair and/or cruel. Well over a 1000 signatories on that petition now. We need to get to tomorrows finish line, and sometimes that is a four-hour drive. He's fine when it's all action but flounders when it's a longer stage. James and Joe catch up with the chosen son of cycling commentary, Carlton Kirby. You get the atmosphere and emotion of a place. Painting a verbal picture of a five-hour race is stream of consciousness, and to be able to do that effectively, you just need to be there. Please enter your email so we can keep you updated with news, features and the latest offers. Valverde gets it very, very wrong!" exclaimed . if many people would do this via twitter it could at least give a sign. We've asked Colnago for more details but they just shrugged their shoulders in reply. #GPDenain pic.twitter.com/2DsagK73lS, Wanty-Gobert Cycling Team (@TeamWantyGobert) March 24, 2019. OK. And then, we wait. Thats one of the vagrancies of Eurosport.. We met a young boy and young girl who recently lost their mum, and its really sad when you see that side of it. Discovery company. I usually increase the pace especially on a sprint day to match the peloton, Kirby admits. You must invest in an alarm upgrade to BT Redcare. Those are definitely the days when you earn your corn. 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. There is no discussion or debate, just chatter, articles, and just that. VeloNews: Whats the biggest difference for you when youre commentating on a race from back home, instead of attending the event? It just stays online forever. and clearly was totally clueless. You must log in or register to reply here. or maybe you,re a relative ?? That should have been alarm bells for everyone. PLEASE CONTACT EUROSPORT/GCN INDIVIDUALLY AS WELL AS SIGNING, BECAUSE THAT WILL PROBABLY HAVE A GREATER EFFECT. Theres no doubt about it, the most difficult thing to do is cover nothing, he says. All of that is avoidable if you have the right distance and the right protocol in place. Its the press guys we see more, because of the mechanics of the day. Fully agree Kirby is the most irritable commentator ever. I think this is what is powering Marks mind at the moment. American racers headed to Italy chime in. I would rather have the sound off than listen to his pathetic attempts to link words and phrases together rather than comment on the racing (as opposed to being able to identify riders) about which he knows precious little. 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. To cycling fans, Carlton Kirbys voice has become synonymous with the sport, having become an integral part of British Eurosports racecoverage. pic.twitter.com/MaRgbFKTet, The Ella Roberta Family Foundation (@rosamund_ElsFdn) March 25, 2019, @emmachamberlain at her soul cycling class. Kirby has however found his own distinctive and unique style which has brilliantly worked for him all these years. 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. 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! There must be so many ex-pro riders out there who would give valuable commentary and insight into the races. As for Kirby - its the arrogance of the bloke - does he think his viewers are 10 year olds who know NOTHING about cycling. Discovery through its international sports unit, it operates two main channels Eurosport 1 and Eurosport 2 across most of its territories, and streams on Discovery+, which superseded Eurosport Player. Among an awful lot of distractions, as Carlton Kirby explains, commentating on cycling is an arduous process. Carlton Kirby discusses the art of commentary, says thank you to those who enjoy listening to him. 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. Carlton Kirby is one of the successful names in the industry, recently had been a topic of gossip for good and bad reasons. 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".