I have - again - sent this to Eurosport (23/2/23, with 1,871 signatures - and 1,400 people taking the time to comment!). He threw the toys out of the pram because his head is scrambled by these defeats. ADDITIONAL: 13/4/21 - Some have said that this petition is 'cruel', but if you're in the public eye then you are open to criticism of your professional abilities - or are we now not allowed to criticise the abilities of authors, actors, sports people, musicians, etc.? The very aspect of commentating that requires filling the gaps spanning hours of no action is the reason. Discovery company. Kirby has however found his own distinctive and unique style which has brilliantly worked for him all these years. Wow, all this over a commentator, so Kirby sees a Quickstep rider and mistakes it for Voeckler - that's funny, it's engaging! Kirby has more than two decades as a. Over 3,200 worth of amazing prizes from Pacenti Cycle Design and Saint Piran, including some stunning carbon wheels! 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. 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. Thankfully, no tree roots to overcome. 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. 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. Among the big names the Belgian put time into today were Alejandro Valverde, fourth overall and 2 minutes 56 second down in fourth place overall, and Team Skys Egan Bernal, a further 1 second back. and clearly was totally clueless. I can't understand why Eurosport need to use him when they gave at least four other knowledgeable commentators, even without Harmon. 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. 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. ), there is a thread in the. You can sound like youre a genius, with an incredible memory, Kirby says. 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. I usually increase the pace especially on a sprint day to match the peloton, Kirby admits. All rights reserved. You have got to be kidding! We get to see our own output with our team interviewing the riders. But I do allow people to believe Im always on-site. Various types of distractions are always ready for a commentator. There used to be a 35 metre rule which seems to be flouted these days. If it goes on for two or three years, then people will notice because the freshness of what is in our heads will ebb. Especially on unstable surfaces. As you say, he doesn't shout unnecessarily either. 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! I can walk or drive the technical approach to the finish, which is gold. -"Looks like shit. 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. pic.twitter.com/RRu5rosVP4, Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) March 24, 2019, This time it's a driver who doesn't get the concept of taking the lane (and is caught soon after he risks an overtake on the clogged up London street anyway), Yesterday officers were helped by youths on pedal cycles & many other members of public in catching a thief (300 theft) from Bentley Bridge who security were chasing for a while. Eurosport will never get rid of Carlton Kirby, he receives so much fan-mail that it will far out way any negative feedback they get from him. The major problem with this is that you cannot follow a race he is commentating on unless you are watching it - i.e. Following a two year broadcasting secondment with the United Nations in the South Pacific he joined ITV as TVam's overnight Sports Producer and Reporter. His knowledge of most non-english speaking riders can be written on the back of a postage stamp, with the exception of 'famous' foreigners like the Schlecks, Dertie Cont, Cancellera and after this spring Gilbert. I like Carlton too, not as much as Harmon, granted, but I've given up on him coming back. Every time she fought back from a coma we were warned. But he's British and that's all that matters to Kirby. And, he is right about it. I comfort myself with the fact that there are people out there who actually hate Terry Wogan. why must us cyclists have to tolerate a commentator who has no knowledge of professional cycling. Agreed. One of the worlds most iconic cycling brands appears set to launch an e-bike. Were literally opening up Sean Kellys cranium to learn the nuances of the sport, and he comes out and says which guy is going to go on and win the next day. 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. he's saving his energy. When we drive to the finish well usually get on the course, because were badged up to do it, and then make notes. To cycling fans, Carlton Kirby's voice has become synonymous with the sport, having become an integral part of British Eurosport's race coverage. Following a two year broadcasting secondment with the United Nations in the South Pacific he joined ITV as TVams overnight Sports Producer and Reporter. 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. As well as sports commentary his voiceover work includes corporate videos and feature films as well as radio and television advertising. Kelly will probably kill him by the end. 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. They have produced some merchandise like cycling caps and badges, they get together at Carltons events. VN:What do you talk about differently when youre in the studio? Most races have one unit but the Tour de France has four double-decker units. Where is the central body that has its own rules of discipline and rules of engagement that respect distance protocol and passing protocol under the race director? The Tour forces us to have dinner. There has to be some kind of distance applied and minimal standards of what is needed. but the bike was nowhere to be found!" Cycling is a sport where there are no time limits and there are no constant action-packed sequences to speak about. Now it is live pictures going onto blogs, stream TV pictures. After my tweet he at least toned that down. 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. Harmon LOVES cycling, cycling history, and even riders who don't speak English. The youngsters were congratulated by the force on Twitter, as they helped chase down a thief who had stolen over 300 worth of goods. 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. To my mind, the motorised vehicles are getting far too close, a point I continue to pick up on commentary. 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. VN:So, what really is gained by being on-site? What blasphemy is this? 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. Info-wise, being on-site is amazing.. The blokes an insult to all cyclists. Get the latest race news, results, commentary, and tech, delivered to your inbox. More often than not they slip into commentary which is at best nationalistic, and at worst xenophobic. 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. When actually its just hand-written sheet of notes to recall from.. The Tour de Suisse is traditionally one of the last big races before the Tour de France. 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. Ill ring someone up on-site to talk to them. I had almost no idea what was going on or who was where. We've asked Colnago for more details but they just shrugged their shoulders in reply. 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. And its only the past year that we even get to see more than the Tour de France. 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! He's fine when it's all action but flounders when it's a longer stage.