pic.twitter.com/MaRgbFKTet, The Ella Roberta Family Foundation (@rosamund_ElsFdn) March 25, 2019, @emmachamberlain at her soul cycling class. I like Carlton too, not as much as Harmon, granted, but I've given up on him coming back. I don't think much does get through to him, I really wish it did. It is amusing that explaining this is futile, he remarks. Plus security bikes, plus rolling paramedics. And I said: Because I asked him! I asked him at breakfast, because when youre on-site, you can talk to the riders. I often moan about Kirby myself, but I don't. I can walk or drive the technical approach to the finish, which is gold. https://t.co/rFjZ7dTFUE. 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.. 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. So poor . 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! The commentators day doesnt juststart when the racing does, with research and planning underwayas soon as breakfast is taken. Get the latest race news, results, commentary, and tech, delivered to your inbox. Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. Advertising, commercial: sales [at] road.cc When youre on-site, even though youre there, youre still watching a monitor, Kirby says. 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. UPDATE: New online Zoomcast show, July 16, click through for tickets. Ive done so much and been so many places that I mostly have all of them embedded in my head. Copyright 2015-2022 ProCyclingUK - All rights Reserved, 2024 Womens WorldTour Promotion/Relegation Standings, Commentating on cycling is not like snooker or tennis, says Carlton Kirby, Demi Vollering wins Strade Bianche from teammate Kopecky. 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. why must us cyclists have to tolerate a commentator who has no knowledge of professional cycling. Wow, all this over a commentator, so Kirby sees a Quickstep rider and mistakes it for Voeckler - that's funny, it's engaging! Carlton Kirby discusses the art of commentary, says thank you to those who enjoy listening to him. So many other cycling commentators on Eurosport. But it was here he developed the ability to call a sprint. We've asked Colnago for more details but they just shrugged their shoulders in reply. Once they pass by, they have to repass the peloton to get the shots they want later on. hatcher - are you Harmon's mum? And then on day one on Utah beach..boom..Cavendish stuns the previously unbeatable German racer. 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 because there wuld be an uprising in the country. Before Kirby hits the airwaves, he touchesbase with Eurosport HQ in Paris,and then its time to take to the microphone. The Tour forces us to have dinner. More often than not they slip into commentary which is at best nationalistic, and at worst xenophobic. It was almost featureless and the riders would not engage in it at all. 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. Its a massive operation. You get the mood of the crowd, and of the press. 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. It is exciting being in a vast peloton, and the less experienced ones almost engage with it. But it is also true that there isnt a dearth of genuine fans of Kirby who really appreciate his vast knowledge on the field. VN:When youre at the race, who are you talking to regularly to get your intel for the broadcast? They have produced some merchandise like cycling caps and badges, they get together at Carltons events. ), peppered with the repeated clichs (just see how many times he says 'puppy paws', joining the party or a dozen or so others). https://yahoo.uservoice.com/forums/1698 ant-drivel, http://www.ten-tenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=85131. Its the art of illusion. Ive fallen off the Galibier. Joe Robinson. 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. 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. It doesnt take much accomplishment to understand what Kirby is referring to. The blokes an insult to all cyclists. Its the constant attempts at humour, then the giggling at his own in-jokes that has me reaching for the mute button. 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. March 2, 2022 . And it is at that point, Cav comes out of the shadows to mug him at the line. Or at least diminished. I have - again - sent this to Eurosport (23/2/23, with 1,871 signatures - and 1,400 people taking the time to comment!). At other broadcasters you still have cue points, but its usually after youve finished making a point [because youre the only commentary team]. There are many great cycling commentators around at the moment, Im afraid Kirby isnt one of them. When we drive to the finish well usually get on the course, because were badged up to do it, and then make notes. The very aspect of commentating that requires filling the gaps spanning hours of no action is the reason. Set the scene for us. Especially on unstable surfaces. If you are not interested you can unsubscribe at any time. 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. 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. Im a bit annoyed at myself because I lost my temper at the time. Me too. You must log in or register to reply here. 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. Tech in brief: new gear from Shimano, Park Tool, Wahoo and more Tech in brief: new gear from Shimano, Park Tool, Wahoo, Tortec and more Vitus launch three bikes for cyclo-cross season. What is his cycling background ? Anyone but dreary Declan Quigley please! @DeGendtThomas, guanyador de la primera etapa de la #VoltaCatalunya 2019. 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 . 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. 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. How much longer do the cycling public have to suffer the idiotic commentary from Carlton Kirby ?? Kirby tells us that Batistella is punching his handlebars in celebration. I do love the sport because its a crescendo sport. Antoine Demoitie tragically died after being hit by a motorbike. And anybody who has watched one unfold on TV will recognise the frantic speed of the commentary as the race reaches its climax. Carlton Kirby Kirby is the most marmite commentator there is. I tweeted quite a few comments which clearly annoyed him. And he wasn't wrong. All the news from the site and beyond as we start a new week. VN:Whats it like calling a race from back home at the studio? I just wish we had Liggett and Kelly doing the Grand Tours. "Commentating on cycling is not like snooker or tennis," Carlton Kirby tells Betway in a recent interview, one of the principal commentators for Eurosport's cycling coverage, who has served in the sport since 1996. For me, Carlton is the perfect commentator for the 'early shift' on long, flat grand tour stages. It is all well having experience, but at some of the smaller races who are the guys riding these bikes? I think its just taking a breath and think about the consequences, he concluded. Quite often you are talking while being handed a note, being spoken to by the director, and listening to race radio at the same time as well, says Kirby. Help us to make it better. Now it is live pictures going onto blogs, stream TV pictures. For god's sake grow up the man's just doing his job some of it good, some of it bad Is it my imagination or has there been more talk about commentators than cycling on here recently? This latest incident proves exactly that. The schedule and time duration work differently for every sport. On the descent, motorbikes often get too close to the cyclist in front of them. Conversely, a Carlton Kirby Fan Club exists for those who love the cycling commentator. So, what is Scottish Cycling / British Cycling doing about this? Harmon's attitude can best be described as 'wogs begin at Calais'. 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. Also, Kirby criticises riders in almost every race. 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. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. I had almost no idea what was going on or who was where. Kirby remarks, Its not like a written press where you can write something out and finesse it and shave it. And we have managed to cover his view on it. Not that itsa straightforward drive to the finish at the Tour, as Kirby explains. There are already calls for a convening of UCI protocol committee so they can start to get some proper rules together about it. 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's ruining the sport I love - I avoid many races purely because he's the commentator. For me Kirby has the key ingredient I need from a commentator. We need to get to tomorrows finish line, and sometimes that is a four-hour drive. You might remember an 'interpretive spinning' vid doing the rounds on social media a few weeks ago. We have seen far too much of it - near collisions as much as actual collisions over the past few years. This is the video I showed Trinity School in Lewisham this morning. 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. At least King Kelly is still there despite Harmon's departure. It just stays online forever. 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. Whether they be dusty in the summer or wet in the winter, motorcycles are far too dangerous and get far too close to the bikes. He's fine when it's all action but flounders when it's a longer stage. 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. Terms and conditions of use. Astonishingly though, a single stage of the Tour de France lasts for about more than six hours. 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. 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. Youre at the finish line, essentially watching the TV albeit with extra screens.. Can you imagine Paris-Roubaix with Kirby commentating? 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! Kittel did win stage four, but then Cavendish beat him again on stage six. I make notes of the corners, pinch points, danger points, acceleration points, attack points all of those things.. Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. He is thinking Champs Elysees. 2008present unless otherwise stated. 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. and clearly was totally clueless. Kirby has more than two decades as a. Id love to see this Eurosport commentator substantiate even 1% of the outrageous claims he makes. 35m is 100ft. Carlton learnt his trade as a commentator in Motorsport and Speedway while the holy trinity of Phil Ligget (ITV), David 'Duffers' Duffield (Eurosport) and Hugh Porter (BBC) had all the cycling tied up between them. The Kirby CODEC will also be called into action as his followers on Twitter will know. 2023 Eurosport, a Warner Bros. He clearly thinks he's the star of the show. You have your usual office equipment, coffee machine, and sandwich machine. -"Looks like shit. Uhhh, Ill say Bettiol. Tel 01225 588855. You get a sense of the weather a bright morning, going up this morning in a hail storm, and the hailstones are this big. At dinner, you gather around the table and argue the hell out of it, and thats a big thing. Nobody but nobody doesnt sprint for 5th at the end of a Monument. carlton kirby leaves eurosport 2021; carlton kirby leaves eurosport 2021. Cycling is a sport where there are no time limits and there are no constant action-packed sequences to speak about. And this sort of meaningless, demented jabber is not at all unusual I could have chosen many examples just from today. In the early 1990's he became a freelance commentator. 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. If youve watched Eurosport cycling, you'll know. 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. but the bike was nowhere to be found!" Cavendish swept to his second win at the Tour of Turkey with another . And somebody asked me, why dont you pronounce his name Foo-gel-sang instead ofFoolsong. Carlton Kirby is a sports commentator who is most known for his work commentating on the Tour de France. 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. As for the Sky Team Fans member - you wouldnt actually be Mr Kirby would you ???? As just one example, the long list of criticisms he has levelled at Thibault Pinot. His cycling life began during his students days, when he cobbled togethera few hundred quidoff the back of a hard winter selling hats (long story) and bought hisfirst road bike - a Trek 1.1 that was quickly relegated to winter steed, before it was sadlypinched a few years later. #GPDenain pic.twitter.com/2DsagK73lS, Wanty-Gobert Cycling Team (@TeamWantyGobert) March 24, 2019. The problem is that social media has allowed anyone and everyone to voice their opinion, regardless of their credibility. 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. Among an awful lot of distractions, as Carlton Kirby explains, commentating on cycling is an arduous process. You must invest in an alarm upgrade to BT Redcare. You also have picture breakdowns, sometimes audio breakdowns so weve got all that going on and we havent even got on to the racing yet!. We caught up with Kirby to learn what is gained for the telecast and what is lost from these two very different broadcasting scenarios. These local mountain bikers tried Athletic Brewing Company's craft beer for the first time, and you'd be surprised by their reactions. However, a lot of his fans understand this and support him. I speak no language other than English. Went for a bike ride earlier today. Especially on the downhill runs which is a crazy situation. I think this is what is powering Marks mind at the moment. 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. 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. On rest days we circulate to meet with everybody. 4th in last year's Giro d'Italia. The One Subscription to Fuel All Your Adventures. if many people would do this via twitter it could at least give a sign. Kirby is not uncomfortable with the spurt of social media and the exponential increase of criticism that has gone alongside with it. Whilst im not a great fan of Carlton Kirkby I very much doubt I could talk for between 1 and 5 hours without descending into complete nonsense from time to time. I'm not sure if they have forgotten about the rule, or if it was always just advisory. It is crazy. 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. Nonetheless, one other thing that Kirby believes, sets the very best apart is commitment. There is no discussion or debate, just chatter, articles, and just that. During a long interview, the legendary veteran commentator of Eurosports shares some of his knowledge about the job. Are you sure? 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. De Gendt, ganador de la primera etapa de la Volta 2019. What a load of rubbish - Team Sky Fan !! CK:Ive been doing bike races live and on-site since 1996. We dont want this man commentating. It is all clearly not set in stone at the moment, and I hope that I'm not going to have some sharp intake of breath moments on commentary just because bikes are needlessly endangering the lives of cyclists. 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 suddenly some feel like a part of the race. You sit there, its often quite quiet, and you get brought an exotic meal like a guacamole sandwich. I think you need to be a specialist to be a cycling commentator, yet he covers several sports on Eurosport. You get the atmosphere and emotion of a place. He is now only four short. Thankfully, no tree roots to overcome. But I do allow people to believe Im always on-site. Hosted by Duncan Steer Carlton Kirby's Cycling Lock-In Radio Days Events Sports NOV 24, 2021 London live show preview! See the recording of the last Carlton Kirby Zoomcast hereEnjoy our vintage/summer Parisian Spotify playlist (plus Little Italy by Stephen Bishop, not French, don't write in) hereSee Carlton's he's saving his energy. Mark thought it was congratulations, but it was Kittel hitting him on the back in frustration. 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. There must be so many ex-pro riders out there who would give valuable commentary and insight into the races. 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. Pure invention; based on nothing. Ive been up the Galibier. Simon Yates drops back to the Peloton in the last 2km - Carlton Kirby: 'Yates has decided this isn't worth the candle' - i.e. I like Kelly just out of respect more than anything. There are some other sports, like cycling, where the commentary has to be complete. And then, you hang a look at anyone who is there to find out if theyre going to listen to you. 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. 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. Bridport cycles. Teams have been announced for May's Tour de Yorkshire and the Asda Tour de Yorkshire Women's Race. We met a young boy and young girl who recently lost their mum, and its really sad when you see that side of it. Also, I would say many of his criticisms are unfair and/or cruel. 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.. 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. Would the football fans be subjected to him commentating on the football matches ? Fantasy Cycling: game [at] road.cc After moving to 30 Tour de France stage wins with four rousing victories that has shattered Marcel Kittel on this year's Tour, Eurosport's voice of cycling Carlton Kirby tells Desmond Kane why he . Having spent over 25 years in the field, he has seen a lot, as many other countless commentators have seen. 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). 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. 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. He has been commentating on the Tour de France since 2009, and his deep knowledge of the race and the riders makes him one of the most respected commentators in the sport. Such things impact ones reputation a lot, and there is no way around it. COME ON WRITE TO EUROSPORT AND LETS GET HIM OFF ! Kelly will probably kill him by the end. 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. what part did tim smith play in top gun, 13832934d2d515915c942c3 the fair housing act of 1968 had little effect,