NFR Le Tour

[Andrew]

The coverage was removed from the brilliant ITV who really broke the sport in the UK.

We now have TNT and it is like going back a century. I hope when the real racing starts things improve but I am not optimistic.

And whilst I am on the topic, why does every sports programme seem to have a 'bimboesque' female presenter, it's ridiculous. The one they have for le tour is massively over enthusiastic and doesn't seem to be wearing a skirt, her legs are so shiny they are a reflecting the studio lights so much they are a distraction!

Just my opinion.

[C Block]

Le Tour is one of my sporting hi-light's of the entire year, like you I'm absolutely gutted that ITV4 have lost the rights to it,their coverage was exceptional, I almost signed up for TNT earlier but I'm going to wait until I see the hi-light's on Channel 5 tonight first before deciding

[Andrew]

Le Tour is one of my sporting hi-light's of the entire year, like you I'm absolutely gutted that ITV4 have lost the rights to it,their coverage was exceptional, I almost signed up for TNT earlier but I'm going to wait until I see the hi-light's on Channel 5 tonight first before deciding
[/quote

I have tnt anyway
Not brilliant but team time trial is maybe a bit harder to present on day one, I hope so.

[Woolly Mammoth]

Going back a century you say, hmmm
perhaps you should tell TNT to get on their bike.

[Nero]

If its Orla shes been doing it for years on Eurosport

[bill taylors apprentice]

The coverage was removed from the brilliant ITV who really broke the sport in the UK.

We now have TNT and it is like going back a century. I hope when the real racing starts things improve but I am not optimistic.

And whilst I am on the topic, why does every sports programme seem to have a 'bimboesque' female presenter, it's ridiculous. The one they have for le tour is massively over enthusiastic and doesn't seem to be wearing a skirt, her legs are so shiny they are a reflecting the studio lights so much they are a distraction!

Just my opinion.

Actually Channel 4 was first to showcase the sport in a big way, albeit a daily highlights show.

As for the lady presenters, I know for a fact they all have a background in cycling and are not just ticking a box,
I do agree Orla has a bizarre style.

[RaySmith]

Watched the c5 highlights show - seemed ok, though the team trial is hard to present and make exciting. Great C5 are doing it, anyway, even if only highlights.

[Alec of good Stock]

Watched the c5 highlights show - seemed ok, though the team trial is hard to present and make exciting. Great C5 are doing it, anyway, even if only highlights.

As someone's who's raced in France and ridden a few TTTs I can assure you that they are even harder to do than present!

Individual TTs are ok, but TTTs are a massive sufferfest, particularly if you are one of the riders designated to be there at the end.

[C Block]

Watched the c5 highlights show - seemed ok, though the team trial is hard to present and make exciting. Great C5 are doing it, anyway, even if only highlights.

It wasn't a patch on the hi-light show on ITV4 , every single presenter on that show was incredibly knowledgeable of the race, the riders and the history, not sure we can say that about the young girl on Ch 5 ,oh well early days and all that.

[Andrew]

The coverage was removed from the brilliant ITV who really broke the sport in the UK.

We now have TNT and it is like going back a century. I hope when the real racing starts things improve but I am not optimistic.

And whilst I am on the topic, why does every sports programme seem to have a 'bimboesque' female presenter, it's ridiculous. The one they have for le tour is massively over enthusiastic and doesn't seem to be wearing a skirt, her legs are so shiny they are a reflecting the studio lights so much they are a distraction!

Just my opinion.

Actually Channel 4 was first to showcase the sport in a big way, albeit a daily highlights show.

As for the lady presenters, I know for a fact they all have a background in cycling and are not just ticking a box,
I do agree Orla has a bizarre style.

I should have said. Phil Ligget was always my favourite commentator. Ned Boulting's book is interesting when Phil tells him about Lance because at that time it was not a topic for conversation BUT i can assure you me and my oldest boy discussed how Lance was cheating big time at the time and why wasn't anything being done. I like Ned's books on cycling, darts and football all very interesting...'1923: The Mystery of Lot 212 and a Tour de France Obsession' by ned is an amazing story if you are interested and even if you aren't!

[bill taylors apprentice]

The coverage was removed from the brilliant ITV who really broke the sport in the UK.

We now have TNT and it is like going back a century. I hope when the real racing starts things improve but I am not optimistic.

And whilst I am on the topic, why does every sports programme seem to have a 'bimboesque' female presenter, it's ridiculous. The one they have for le tour is massively over enthusiastic and doesn't seem to be wearing a skirt, her legs are so shiny they are a reflecting the studio lights so much they are a distraction!

Just my opinion.

Actually Channel 4 was first to showcase the sport in a big way, albeit a daily highlights show.

As for the lady presenters, I know for a fact they all have a background in cycling and are not just ticking a box,
I do agree Orla has a bizarre style.

I should have said. Phil Ligget was always my favourite commentator. Ned Boulting's book is interesting when Phil tells him about Lance because at that time it was not a topic for conversation BUT i can assure you me and my oldest boy discussed how Lance was cheating big time at the time and why wasn't anything being done. I like Ned's books on cycling, darts and football all very interesting...'1923: The Mystery of Lot 212 and a Tour de France Obsession' by ned is an amazing story if you are interested and even if you aren't!

Phil Liggett kissed his arse regarding doping (like many others) for far too long.

[Woolly Mammoth]

I once had a puncture whilst riding a bike.
Luckily for me the tyre was only flat at the bottom.

[Andrew]

The coverage was removed from the brilliant ITV who really broke the sport in the UK.

We now have TNT and it is like going back a century. I hope when the real racing starts things improve but I am not optimistic.

And whilst I am on the topic, why does every sports programme seem to have a 'bimboesque' female presenter, it's ridiculous. The one they have for le tour is massively over enthusiastic and doesn't seem to be wearing a skirt, her legs are so shiny they are a reflecting the studio lights so much they are a distraction!

Just my opinion.

Actually Channel 4 was first to showcase the sport in a big way, albeit a daily highlights show.

As for the lady presenters, I know for a fact they all have a background in cycling and are not just ticking a box,
I do agree Orla has a bizarre style.

I should have said. Phil Ligget was always my favourite commentator. Ned Boulting's book is interesting when Phil tells him about Lance because at that time it was not a topic for conversation BUT i can assure you me and my oldest boy discussed how Lance was cheating big time at the time and why wasn't anything being done. I like Ned's books on cycling, darts and football all very interesting...'1923: The Mystery of Lot 212 and a Tour de France Obsession' by ned is an amazing story if you are interested and even if you aren't!

Phil Liggett kissed his arse regarding doping (like many others) for far too long.

His hands were tied. Without proof positive he can't say stuff he can't back up in a court of law.

I think he gave enough clues as to his opinion, it's worth reading Ned's book...the yellow jumper one.

[Andrew]

great race so far

however I have seen two episodes of the highlights show and it is very poor indeed.
I hate to be critical of the talented bike rider Sean Kelly but he brings very little to the party with his comments
The girls they use are clearly cycling fans but say nothing worth hearing and at the end we don't get the standings in the GC after the race results are shown.

When they show the next day's route, the map is too small to see, the whole thing looks like it was put together by junior school kids.... I still love the race but wish they could get ITV back on the case.

[Alec of good Stock]

great race so far

however I have seen two episodes of the highlights show and it is very poor indeed.
I hate to be critical of the talented bike rider Sean Kelly but he brings very little to the party with his comments
The girls they use are clearly cycling fans but say nothing worth hearing and at the end we don't get the standings in the GC after the race results are shown.

When they show the next day's route, the map is too small to see, the whole thing looks like it was put together by junior school kids.... I still love the race but wish they could get ITV back on the case.

I completely agree.

Hannah Walker was a professional cyclist and Rebecca Charlton raced as an amateur.

ITV4 with Ned Boulting and David Millar was far more professional and entertaining.

[Alec of good Stock]

For those missing Ned Boulting and David Millar, they do a podcast on YouTube called "For the Love of Cycling".

[bill taylors apprentice]

The coverage was removed from the brilliant ITV who really broke the sport in the UK.

We now have TNT and it is like going back a century. I hope when the real racing starts things improve but I am not optimistic.

And whilst I am on the topic, why does every sports programme seem to have a 'bimboesque' female presenter, it's ridiculous. The one they have for le tour is massively over enthusiastic and doesn't seem to be wearing a skirt, her legs are so shiny they are a reflecting the studio lights so much they are a distraction!

Just my opinion.

Actually Channel 4 was first to showcase the sport in a big way, albeit a daily highlights show.

As for the lady presenters, I know for a fact they all have a background in cycling and are not just ticking a box,
I do agree Orla has a bizarre style.

I should have said. Phil Ligget was always my favourite commentator. Ned Boulting's book is interesting when Phil tells him about Lance because at that time it was not a topic for conversation BUT i can assure you me and my oldest boy discussed how Lance was cheating big time at the time and why wasn't anything being done. I like Ned's books on cycling, darts and football all very interesting...'1923: The Mystery of Lot 212 and a Tour de France Obsession' by ned is an amazing story if you are interested and even if you aren't!

Phil Liggett kissed his arse regarding doping (like many others) for far too long.

His hands were tied. Without proof positive he can't say stuff he can't back up in a court of law.

I think he gave enough clues as to his opinion, it's worth reading Ned's book...the yellow jumper one.

Pro cycling was very much a smaller world in those days where almost everyone knew everyone.
It's true Armstrong made it clear he would ruin anyone who crossed him and he did so frequently.

I got told to F off by him early in his career (can't reveal my connection in the sport) but lets just say many chose to ignore things, look the other way and not spoil the story.

Having an American star opened up the (until then) untapped US market and no one dared risk upsetting the money train.

[C Block]

The coverage was removed from the brilliant ITV who really broke the sport in the UK.

We now have TNT and it is like going back a century. I hope when the real racing starts things improve but I am not optimistic.

And whilst I am on the topic, why does every sports programme seem to have a 'bimboesque' female presenter, it's ridiculous. The one they have for le tour is massively over enthusiastic and doesn't seem to be wearing a skirt, her legs are so shiny they are a reflecting the studio lights so much they are a distraction!

Just my opinion.

Actually Channel 4 was first to showcase the sport in a big way, albeit a daily highlights show.

As for the lady presenters, I know for a fact they all have a background in cycling and are not just ticking a box,
I do agree Orla has a bizarre style.

I should have said. Phil Ligget was always my favourite commentator. Ned Boulting's book is interesting when Phil tells him about Lance because at that time it was not a topic for conversation BUT i can assure you me and my oldest boy discussed how Lance was cheating big time at the time and why wasn't anything being done. I like Ned's books on cycling, darts and football all very interesting...'1923: The Mystery of Lot 212 and a Tour de France Obsession' by ned is an amazing story if you are interested and even if you aren't!

Phil Liggett kissed his arse regarding doping (like many others) for far too long.

His hands were tied. Without proof positive he can't say stuff he can't back up in a court of law.

I think he gave enough clues as to his opinion, it's worth reading Ned's book...the yellow jumper one.

Pro cycling was very much a smaller world in those days where almost everyone knew everyone.
It's true Armstrong made it clear he would ruin anyone who crossed him and he did so frequently.

I got told to F off by him early in his career (can't reveal my connection in the sport) but lets just say many chose to ignore things, look the other way and not spoil the story.

Having an American star opened up the (until then) untapped US market and no one dared risk upsetting the money train.

It wasn't just Armstrong though was it, Brailsford and Wiggins have a few questions to answer as well.

[Andrew]

I don't want an endless repeated list of posts but Wiggins remains a question mark I am sorry to say

[RaySmith]

The coverage was removed from the brilliant ITV who really broke the sport in the UK.

We now have TNT and it is like going back a century. I hope when the real racing starts things improve but I am not optimistic.

And whilst I am on the topic, why does every sports programme seem to have a 'bimboesque' female presenter, it's ridiculous. The one they have for le tour is massively over enthusiastic and doesn't seem to be wearing a skirt, her legs are so shiny they are a reflecting the studio lights so much they are a distraction!

Just my opinion.

Actually Channel 4 was first to showcase the sport in a big way, albeit a daily highlights show.

As for the lady presenters, I know for a fact they all have a background in cycling and are not just ticking a box,
I do agree Orla has a bizarre style.

I should have said. Phil Ligget was always my favourite commentator. Ned Boulting's book is interesting when Phil tells him about Lance because at that time it was not a topic for conversation BUT i can assure you me and my oldest boy discussed how Lance was cheating big time at the time and why wasn't anything being done. I like Ned's books on cycling, darts and football all very interesting...'1923: The Mystery of Lot 212 and a Tour de France Obsession' by ned is an amazing story if you are interested and even if you aren't!

Phil Liggett kissed his arse regarding doping (like many others) for far too long.

His hands were tied. Without proof positive he can't say stuff he can't back up in a court of law.

I think he gave enough clues as to his opinion, it's worth reading Ned's book...the yellow jumper one.

Pro cycling was very much a smaller world in those days where almost everyone knew everyone.
It's true Armstrong made it clear he would ruin anyone who crossed him and he did so frequently.

I got told to F off by him early in his career (can't reveal my connection in the sport) but lets just say many chose to ignore things, look the other way and not spoil the story.

Having an American star opened up the (until then) untapped US market and no one dared risk upsetting the money train.

Armstrong has said that he only began doping, after coming back from cancer, because it was the only way to be successful at that time - and I think there is a lot of truth in that, and he was scapegoated, with  many other  stars of the sport getting away with it, whatever you think of him.

But he did get away with it for some time, it's true, even a failed test being 'lost', but he made the mistake of coming back, again, after he already won  a  record number of tours, but it was a book by David Walsh, and ex- team members' confessions, like Floyd Landis, that led to a refusal from a major US corporation to pay  him  a huge bonus for winning his sixth tour because of the doping allegations, and lead to the USADA investigation that found him guilty, with his wins being wiped from the record books, though he always maintained his innocence - but has since admitted his and his team's use of epo and blood doping, which is detailed in Floyd Landis's book Positively False -a compelling read.