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.. There are already calls for a convening of UCI protocol committee so they can start to get some proper rules together about it. He is thinking Champs Elysees. Among an awful lot of distractions, as Carlton Kirby explains, commentating on cycling is an arduous process. All of that is avoidable if you have the right distance and the right protocol in place. "Beware everybody, he is well and truly back!" yelled Carlton Kirby on Eurosport commentary. You have got to be kidding! He clearly thinks he's the star of the show. 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. If you're after one, guess that does makethe two grand plus 40 quid a month price tag seem a little fairer A mother from London has launched a petition calling for a second coroner's inquest into the death of her daughter, who passed away at nine years of age in what was originally believed to be an asthma-related case. I can walk or drive the technical approach to the finish, which is gold. 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. There are people who love what I do, and others who hate it, he admits. And then, you hang a look at anyone who is there to find out if theyre going to listen to you. 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 The actual bones of the job are quite similar. And it is at that point, Cav comes out of the shadows to mug him at the line. If she wins so does everyone else. Eurosport's voice of cycling Carlton Kirby analyses the collision between Peter Sagan and Mark Cavendish that ended the Tour de France for both men. Every stage of the Tour de France LIVE on British Eurosport HD. It means sometimes were not actually commentating from the finish line because the Tour de France is so huge theres about 8,000 people attached to the Tour. Its a massive operation. I never say when Im on-site vs. at the race. 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. 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. Kirby tells us that Batistella is punching his handlebars in celebration. It is a free-for-all. It is crazy. I think there seems to be a bad feeling against cyclists and its really strange because theyre only people, he continued. Id love to see this Eurosport commentator substantiate even 1% of the outrageous claims he makes. Join Outside+ to get complete access to exclusive content on VeloNews, training plans for road and gravel, and more. For me Kirby has the key ingredient I need from a commentator. Astonishingly though, a single stage of the Tour de France lasts for about more than six hours. 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. They only received compensation a couple of years later. And this sort of meaningless, demented jabber is not at all unusual I could have chosen many examples just from today. . But try explaining that to Cycling Weekly and their letters column.. We've asked Colnago for more details but they just shrugged their shoulders in reply. In the early 1990's he became a freelance commentator. Simon Yates drops back to the Peloton in the last 2km - Carlton Kirby: 'Yates has decided this isn't worth the candle' - i.e. The commentators day doesnt juststart when the racing does, with research and planning underwayas soon as breakfast is taken. Teams have been announced for May's Tour de Yorkshire and the Asda Tour de Yorkshire Women's Race. Well ride that sympathy and see how far it takes us up the beach. Carlton Kirby Kirby is the most marmite commentator there is. All material FarrellyAtkinson (F-At) Limited, Unit 7b Green Park Station BA11JB. To cycling fans, Carlton Kirbys voice has become synonymous with the sport, having become an integral part of British Eurosports racecoverage. Please enter your email so we can keep you updated with news, features and the latest offers. And we have managed to cover his view on it. Not much love for Eurosport commentator Carlton Kirby amongst the Team Sky ranks it seems Air pollution: London mother launches petition for second inquest into daughter''s death, Jason Kenny recounts last months near miss on BBC TV, Yoann Offredo's condition described as not life-threatening after GP de Denain crash, Telegraph article suggests "Littering cyclists and joggers could be to blame for countryside rubbish problem", Jeremy Vine's latest unpleasant encounter, 'Youths on pedal cycles' help Wednesfield Police catch thief, Best Cycling Website, BikeBiz Awards 2018, Tao Geoghehan Hart (picture copyright Simon Wilkinson, SWPix.com via Britishcycling.org_.uk), "Looks like shit. @DeGendtThomas, guanyador de la primera etapa de la #VoltaCatalunya 2019. Stay tuned! The very aspect of commentating that requires filling the gaps spanning hours of no action is the reason. 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. In my ear I have a producer telling me when we have interviews, drop-in features, ad breaks and cue points.. Its a case of trying to keep everybody amused. We met a young boy and young girl who recently lost their mum, and its really sad when you see that side of it. VeloNews: Whats the biggest difference for you when youre commentating on a race from back home, instead of attending the event? You get the mood of the crowd, and of the press. 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. Kittel was completely shocked, and has been getting more and more upset as this Tour has gone on. hatcher - are you Harmon's mum? 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. 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. You get the atmosphere and emotion of a place. Being on the site always gives you extra material which makes the commentating so natural and energetic. . Mark thought it was congratulations, but it was Kittel hitting him on the back in frustration. Don't miss a moment from Paris-Roubaix and Unbound Gravel, to the Giro dItalia, Tour de France, Vuelta a Espaa, and everything in between when you carlton kirby leaves eurosport 2021; carlton kirby leaves eurosport 2021. VN:What difference will people notice in this years Tour broadcast from a normal year, when you and your team are on-site? Its the art of illusion. The road curved, but it was nothing to concern one's self with. Like this site? I heard him doing weightlifting once. No ! And then, of course, there are the flat stages and the sprint finishes. 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. And thats where comes the utterly significant role of the commentator who not only has to fill the huge time span but needs to stay alert at all times. VN:So, what really is gained by being on-site? 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. Even my partner, who doesn't watch cycling, could tell who had won. Its that melting pot of information that you get on-site. The races are only on GCN/Eurosport. 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. During a long interview, the legendary veteran commentator of Eurosports shares some of his knowledge about the job. Cavendish swept to his second win at the Tour of Turkey with another . Its the constant attempts at humour, then the giggling at his own in-jokes that has me reaching for the mute button. Theyd often stop too Euskaltel-Euskadi were one of the most common for that, theyd roll to the front, let everyone know it wasnt an attack and then ride up the road to briefly chat to family! At the moment I turn up to a large building that has been stripped of staff, and there are just 16 people in the building. It is amusing that explaining this is futile, he remarks. I think this is what is powering Marks mind at the moment. I think it is just individual race directors who decide who gets to ride these bikes. I remember being impressed during the Giro at his ability to identify riders. My primary issue with Carlton Kirby is that he doesn't commentate on what is happening (he rambles whatever is inside his head). By using this website, you agree to our use of cookies. The Wanty-GroupeGobert rider was air lifted to hospital after the crash yesterday, but thankfully it seems like he's in a stable condition. Carlton Kirby As a Post Graduate Broadcast Journalist Carlton's Television career began with the BBC as a News and Sports Reporter. And anybody who has watched one unfold on TV will recognise the frantic speed of the commentary as the race reaches its climax. De Gendt, ganador de la primera etapa de la Volta 2019. 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. 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. 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). His Grand National, Murray Walker shouting in the last 2 kilometres really is unbelievable. Especially on the downhill runs which is a crazy situation. There have always been deaths since the early 1900s from vehicle-related incidents. 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. Would like to cancel eurosport but it's the only way to watch the classics (legitimately at least). While he admits Sagan's explusion for. 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. Seriously. 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 . So poor . You are calling the race as you see it on the screen. It is not just the motocycles remember. Carlton Kirby is a sports commentator who is most known for his work commentating on the Tour de France. Exactly - and if you had any insight into professional riding and experience actually being a pro like Sean Kelly or Rob Hayles - you wouldnt struggle to find commentary. 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. Stig Broeckx avoids serious injury after being hit by motorbike. 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. The Vuelta a Espana used to be the worst of the Grand Tours because theyd have transitions day of 250km across a desert. There are some other sports, like cycling, where the commentary has to be complete. Eurosport's lead cycling commentator Carlton Kirby presents a weekly guide to everything that's NOT happening in the sport . 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. But it is also true that there isnt a dearth of genuine fans of Kirby who really appreciate his vast knowledge on the field. You can use your lens. 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. When actually its just hand-written sheet of notes to recall from.. 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. He is rubbish Eurosport have many other far better options we need a decent commentator not Carltons partridge esque musings. 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. 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. Im a bit annoyed at myself because I lost my temper at the time. Wow, all this over a commentator, so Kirby sees a Quickstep rider and mistakes it for Voeckler - that's funny, it's engaging! As for Kirby - its the arrogance of the bloke - does he think his viewers are 10 year olds who know NOTHING about cycling. but the bike was nowhere to be found!" Eurosport commentator. I like Carlton too, not as much as Harmon, granted, but I've given up on him coming back. You must invest in an alarm upgrade to BT Redcare. 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. De Gendt, Volta 2019 Stage 1 winner. 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. His voice tends to wake me up from my nap when something happens. It is really sad when you see the consequences of that. You can also sometimes find your hotel is one or two hours away. These local mountain bikers tried Athletic Brewing Company's craft beer for the first time, and you'd be surprised by their reactions. You can get every picture you need from in front of the peloton. For all those who can't stand Kirby's 'commentary' (must be everyone on Bikeradar? Ill be making notes when Sean Kellys driving, which can be a difficult thing! One example of his commentary, from 11/3/21 Tirreno-Adriatico: Carlton Kirby: 'Yates is the heart and mind of this breakaway group'. Before Kirby hits the airwaves, he touchesbase with Eurosport HQ in Paris,and then its time to take to the microphone. 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. 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. Utterly self-absorbed: he had already decided who'd won. Your Tour de France telecastwill look the same this year, but it may feel somewhat different. There is absolutely no deficit of distractions for a commentator. Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. Win! Mark Cavendish crossed the line first, and said Kittel came up to slap him in the back. Ive done so much and been so many places that I mostly have all of them embedded in my head. Carlton Kirby Kirby is the most marmite commentator there is. He suddenly realises how to beat Kittel, working out the formula to finish first. Theres no doubt about it, the most difficult thing to do is cover nothing, he says. And to be honest, most of us are scared of losing Carlton Kirkby in case Ant McCrossan takes his place. There has to be some kind of distance applied and minimal standards of what is needed. 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. "Commentating on cycling is not like snooker or tennis," says Carlton Kirby, principal commentator for Eurosport's cycling coverage, who has worked in the sport since 1996. The commentary line-up will include regular voices Rob Hatch and Carlton Kirby, who will also joined by cycling legend Sean Kelly at all three major races. Marcel Kittel gesticulates as Mark Cavendish wins stage 14 of the Tour de France ahead of Peter Sagan, Stage six finish: Cavendish edges Kittel again in thrilling finale, WATCH: Moment Cavendish finds out he has won. You get a sense of the weather a bright morning, going up this morning in a hail storm, and the hailstones are this big. pic.twitter.com/TkvUUUeBXs. Brian Smith is very good and I feel for him having to listen to Kirby's dumbfounding comments. One of the most adaptable voices on British Television, as can be seen from hisworking synopsis, Carltons range is wide. We saw that on the Tour of Catalunya - a useless piece of motorcycle protocol. And, he is right about it. Especially on unstable surfaces. How do you call one of the biggest sporting events on the planet? As a small example, he started talking to Magnus Backstedt about tyre widths the other day ("weren't you the 27 mm guy?") Nobody but nobody doesnt sprint for 5th at the end of a Monument. 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. "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. 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. He came off the corner leading, it was a right hand to the finish in Villars-les-Dombes. People were saying track preparation knocks you back for the sprint because it is a different form of physicality that is needed. 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. Doesn't look that pretty, cable tied, very practical. 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. Kirby is a shockingly bad commentator, but Harmon is not much better. This latest incident proves exactly that. Even once the race itself is over, and the post-analysis is done, theres a second race to get away from the finish line. And hes trying to improve them. 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. Its windowless. Tel 01225 588855. 27/8/22: Stage 7 of the Vuelta, Herrada wins the sprint and has his arm in the air in celebration. For over 20 years, be it the Tour de France, Olympic Games, Monte Carlo Rally or Le Mans 24 Hours, his easy-going manner coupled with incisive commentary and a dramatic edge has made him an audience favourite. Yeah he does. Well, Kirby says, when its all out action on the road its very easy the problem comes on longtransition stages. When all the commentators from different nationalities are inside the same studio room, it is no longer the same as before, remarks Kirby, in a monotonous tone. Driver escapes punishment for alleged hit-and-run on cyclist, as victim blasts police inaction and barriers to justice. You must log in or register to reply here. Would the football fans be subjected to him commentating on the football matches ? 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. They support his knowledge and enthusiasm behind the mic, even after so many years. To show no fear is the best skill of all. Tom Owen vents his fury after cycling blogger highlights verbal abuse on Box Hill, Geraint Thomas returns as domestique in experienced nine-man line-up, Summit finishes dominate opening fortnight with potentially pivotal time trial in final week, The best of the gear that's dropped into RCUK over the last couple of weeks, One carbon bike and two alloy models for 2016 'cross campaign from Chain Reaction Cycles' in-house bike brand. The Tour forces us to have dinner. Kittel moves first into Cavendish, who follows the white line. For no reason. 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. theres nowhere like ENOUGH cycling on tv. You are as ill informed as Kirby. 2008present unless otherwise stated. Valverde gets it very, very wrong!" exclaimed . You might remember an 'interpretive spinning' vid doing the rounds on social media a few weeks ago. I could get 20 minutes of commentary out of dinner last night. For every Nicolas Roche or Steve Cummings great characters, totally locked down there are some savage bastards out there, and we love them all. A mile from home, looked behind me, moved to the centre of the lane, stuck my arm out to turn right, got Editorial, general: info [at] road.cc 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. Cycling is a sport where there are no time limits and there are no constant action-packed sequences to speak about. Coverage includes enhanced production with access to helicopter, on-board and superslomo cameras. join Outside+. I talk about the same stuff, except Im making it up. The blokes an insult to all cyclists. Plus security bikes, plus rolling paramedics. (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. But it was here he developed the ability to call a sprint. Tony Martin scared everybody with his breakaway, says Etixx chief. -"Looks like shit. We have seen far too much of it - near collisions as much as actual collisions over the past few years. Always the hardest and most challenging role in such types of games is of a cycling commentator. Eurosport's commentator Carlton Kirby has called hundreds of races throughout his career, both on-site and from the studio. 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. 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.