Cycling Tour of Britain 2019
Discussion
Tour of Britain started yesterday (Saturday) in Scotland, moving later to Northern England, and then a bit further South. So it should really be called Tour of northern Britain.
Coverage on ITV4, (Channel 24 on my TV) during the day with highlights in the evening at 8pm after highlights of the Vuelta.
Disappointing coverage as regards the commentary.
In the European Grand tours - Tour de France, Giro and Vuelta the British commentators never miss a chance to sing the tourist attractions of the area the race is passing through. On the tour of Britain, the (British) commentators barely say a word about the country the race is passing through. Yesterday the cameras showed a huge viaduct and then what was presumably a monument on a distant hillside - not a word as to what we were looking at.
Today the cameras swivelled to look at a river as we crossed a bridge - what was it? No idea! Not a word!
They drone on endlessly, drivel, much of the time. Why don't they tell us where we are? We are passing through X, a small town in The Borders? The Highlands, near the coast? No idea?
Do you want me to come up there and do it?
Coverage on ITV4, (Channel 24 on my TV) during the day with highlights in the evening at 8pm after highlights of the Vuelta.
Disappointing coverage as regards the commentary.
In the European Grand tours - Tour de France, Giro and Vuelta the British commentators never miss a chance to sing the tourist attractions of the area the race is passing through. On the tour of Britain, the (British) commentators barely say a word about the country the race is passing through. Yesterday the cameras showed a huge viaduct and then what was presumably a monument on a distant hillside - not a word as to what we were looking at.
Today the cameras swivelled to look at a river as we crossed a bridge - what was it? No idea! Not a word!
They drone on endlessly, drivel, much of the time. Why don't they tell us where we are? We are passing through X, a small town in The Borders? The Highlands, near the coast? No idea?
Do you want me to come up there and do it?
loskie said:
Fantastic first day yesterday in SW Scotland. Went to see it near Gelston, Castle Douglas a couple of miles from home. Couldn't believe the amount of police motorbikes involved, from as far as Devon and Cornwall Police.
Showed the true beauty of Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway, was it? Nobody told us?Showed the true beauty of Dumfries and Galloway
loskie said:
Really? I think there was plenty of reference to that. Or are you being sarky?
Not at all. There was little or no reference to the area through which the cyclists were passing. No reference to the towns, historic buildings, churches, hills, rivers. I have emailed ITV4 and complained about it.I think Tourism Scotland (or whatever they are called) are missing a trick. Compare this coverage to how the reporters on the European Grand Tours talk about the sights/sites they can see . I said all this in my first post, didn't I?
AND I am not a Scot.
The names of the towns and villages popped up on the screen and mention to many was made by the commentators.
Maybe it helped knowing the area well and if I didn't know it I may have thought like you have.
For some reason the SW corner of Scotland is often overlooked with people preferring the overcrowded English Lakes or heading up to the Scottish Highlands.
Visit Scotland do us little favours here. They are all about promoting Edinburgh, Glasgow or the Highlands. Almost all of the tourist info centres have shut.
Maybe it helped knowing the area well and if I didn't know it I may have thought like you have.
For some reason the SW corner of Scotland is often overlooked with people preferring the overcrowded English Lakes or heading up to the Scottish Highlands.
Visit Scotland do us little favours here. They are all about promoting Edinburgh, Glasgow or the Highlands. Almost all of the tourist info centres have shut.
The grand tour commentators have been doing it for years and know the route anything up to a year in advance so have plenty of time to prepare, they are also given cue sheets on each stage with interesting things en route. Sure ToB could do the same but budgets are smaller being a single week tour, it’s just not worth it. If you’re really bothered, the stage maps and timings are on the web. The race manual will probably be tucked away in a “media” section too
pablo said:
The grand tour commentators have been doing it for years and know the route anything up to a year in advance so have plenty of time to prepare, they are also given cue sheets on each stage with interesting things en route. Sure ToB could do the same but budgets are smaller being a single week tour, it’s just not worth it. If you’re really bothered, the stage maps and timings are on the web. The race manual will probably be tucked away in a “media” section too
I think you have missed my point.The point I was trying to make was that Scotland could have got some useful tourism publicity if the cameramen and commentators had pinted out places of interest as the motorcycle mounted cameras, or the helicopter mounted cameras passed nearby.
It wasn't for me. I wasn't thinking about myself, as usual, I was thinking about other people.
The Mad Monk said:
snuffy said:
On stage 5 it goes past my front door ! (Well, about 100 yards from my front door anyway). So I shall tool along on Wednesday afternoon an see if I can get myself on the telly.
If I see you, I will give you a wave.The Mad Monk said:
The race has now been stopped by a closed level crossing.
I am going to stop now. This has become farcical.
I was wondering about things like that. For example, where it goes very close to me there are a set of traffic lights where they turn 90 degrees left. Do they turn the lights green all the time or just let them work as normal ?I am going to stop now. This has become farcical.
campionissimo said:
the lights keep going through their cycle of colours, the road is blocked in all directions by barriers and / or motorcycle outriders.
I see, thanks.It will be interesting to see on Wednesday then. It's not something I'd normally bother about but as it comes so close I might as well have a look.
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