Its not something thats learned, or something you can prepare for. Even my partner, who doesn't watch cycling, could tell who had won. She got hit by a car and thats someones mum, not just a cyclist. I don't think much does get through to him, I really wish it did. Carlton Kirby: What inspired Chris Froome's golden era Eurosport's voice of cycling Carlton Kirby analyses Chris Froome's performance in winning a fourth Tour de France. I have - again - sent this to Eurosport (23/2/23, with 1,871 signatures - and 1,400 people taking the time to comment!). 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. Carlton Kirby: 'Joo Almeida, who won't worry anyone in the General Classification'. Well, Kirby says, when its all out action on the road its very easy the problem comes on longtransition stages. At least King Kelly is still there despite Harmon's departure. When asked about the criticism, Kirby opined Its not like the written press where you can write something out and finesse it and shave it, I dont have that gift. He kept on saying, Its gone, its irretrievable. 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. Rob Hatch is apparently also good but he doesnt do very much that I've seen. Once they pass by, they have to repass the peloton to get the shots they want later on. All rights reserved. And I said: Because I asked him! I asked him at breakfast, because when youre on-site, you can talk to the riders. Bit harsh, Quigley is a lot more knowledgeable. Thomas De Gendt launched a solo attack from the break with 60 kilometres remaining of todays opening stage of the Volta a Catalunya, covering 163 kilometres and starting and finishing in Calella and the Lotto-Soudal rider now finds himself with a lead of almost three minutes on his rivals. 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 . I usually increase the pace especially on a sprint day to match the peloton, Kirby admits. More often than not they slip into commentary which is at best nationalistic, and at worst xenophobic. All of this stuff adds to the vrit of the broadcast, and its stuff you cannot get in a studio in London. 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. CK:Ive been doing bike races live and on-site since 1996. You get a sense of the weather a bright morning, going up this morning in a hail storm, and the hailstones are this big. What is the point? That doesnt portend his job has not become a whole lot harder. For every Nicolas Roche or Steve Cummings great characters, totally locked down there are some savage bastards out there, and we love them all. He clearly thinks he's the star of the show. 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. Dan's stage guides at the giro a few years ago were great. 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. Every time she fought back from a coma we were warned. Kirby is not uncomfortable with the spurt of social media and the exponential increase of criticism that has gone alongside with it. 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. The One Subscription to Fuel All Your Adventures. The prodigious British riderTao Geoghegan Hart laid into Kirby's"outrageous claims", and Owain Doull also chipped in to describe Kirby as a "proper muppet". All material FarrellyAtkinson (F-At) Limited, Unit 7b Green Park Station BA11JB. When actually its just hand-written sheet of notes to recall from.. We saw that on the Tour of Catalunya - a useless piece of motorcycle protocol. Before Kirby hits the airwaves, he touchesbase with Eurosport HQ in Paris,and then its time to take to the microphone. PLEASE CONTACT EUROSPORT/GCN INDIVIDUALLY AS WELL AS SIGNING, BECAUSE THAT WILL PROBABLY HAVE A GREATER EFFECT. "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. Baseless. There are no points for each turn. Theres so much stuff going on because in front of us for starters, we have live timing, results sheets, stage profiles, live pictures, alternative live pictures and a sub-monitor with the schedule. It is all well having experience, but at some of the smaller races who are the guys riding these bikes? De Gendt, Volta 2019 Stage 1 winner. You can't work commentating on it for as long as he has next to informative ex-pros without some of it getting in through osmosis at the least. Its Kirbys cheat sheetfor every stage in the race, with details of the top finishers, jersey wearers, men in the breakaway and so on. Ill be making notes when Sean Kellys driving, which can be a difficult thing! 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. You sit there, its often quite quiet, and you get brought an exotic meal like a guacamole sandwich. Are you sure? Ive now just watched the end of Milan-Sanremo again: Aranburu wasnt in the first group behind Morhoric, so he literally couldnt have come higher than 10th. I never say when Im on-site vs. at the race. 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. One of the worlds most iconic cycling brands appears set to launch an e-bike. You can sound like youre a genius, with an incredible memory, Kirby says. "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. This is why he often cracks jokes and laughs heartily. We have a quiet conversation about who is going to win today. Kittel is not a broken man, but his supremacy has tumbled because Mark Cavendish has only gone and won four stages here. I speak no language other than English. To cycling fans, Carlton Kirby's voice has become synonymous with the sport, having become an integral part of British Eurosport's race coverage. 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? It's their commentators or silence. If you are not interested you can unsubscribe at any time. Its windowless. 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. You cant please everybody and as a commentator thats something you have to get to grips with. 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 . 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). 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. This is why he often cracks jokes and laughs heartily. pic.twitter.com/MaRgbFKTet, The Ella Roberta Family Foundation (@rosamund_ElsFdn) March 25, 2019, @emmachamberlain at her soul cycling class. But I do allow people to believe Im always on-site. Get rid. There has to be some kind of distance applied and minimal standards of what is needed. A new bike is coming very soon! Log in or register to join the conversation. Discovery company. And he has outthought Marcel Kittel here. Can you imagine Paris-Roubaix with Kirby commentating? (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. Mark Cavendish crossed the line first, and said Kittel came up to slap him in the back. While folk littering with gel wrappers is no doubt annoying, is it really up there with fly-tipping? CK:Its pretty bleak. For all those who can't stand Kirby's 'commentary' (must be everyone on Bikeradar? People were saying track preparation knocks you back for the sprint because it is a different form of physicality that is needed. But he's British and that's all that matters to Kirby. Without any editing, moderation, or credibility, it is all out in the name of fate. You have your usual office equipment, coffee machine, and sandwich machine. I can get caught out, particularly if theres a crash in the last three kilometres, because that can animate the tempo even more and I have to keep something in reserve for the sprint finish. We need to get to tomorrows finish line, and sometimes that is a four-hour drive. Ive just turned Catalunya on and hes already come out with I think he fell victim to his agent, so now hes at x team. To show no fear is the best skill of all. 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. He also never tells you who the riders on screen are - and if he does, he's usually wrong. 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 It is not just the motocycles remember. That is in fact my main Friday occupation. Read our full Privacy Policy as well as Terms & Conditions. Carlton Kirby brings his True Tales of the Tour de France to Reading on Weds June 21, a little over a week before #TDF2023 , as he launches his new @BloomsburySport book, Sticky Bottle . That is because like most hacks they are too arrogant to do any research and preparation. 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. Kirby remarks, Its not like a written press where you can write something out and finesse it and shave it. Its that melting pot of information that you get on-site. theres nowhere like ENOUGH cycling on tv. What you are talking about is a place in history. Jason Kenny has recounted to the BBC the near miss he and his infant son Albie encountered while out cycling last month. Im a bit annoyed at myself because I lost my temper at the time. Thats when it down to you and not the riders.. Being a commentator is all about improvisation and Kirby knows this quite well considering his huge range of experience. 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. Info-wise, being on-site is amazing.. because there wuld be an uprising in the country. They race ahead, dismount to get the tracking shots they need of the riders. 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 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. It just stays online forever. And hes trying to improve them. VN:Whats it like calling a race from back home at the studio? I think you need to be a specialist to be a cycling commentator, yet he covers several sports on Eurosport. Mark thought it was congratulations, but it was Kittel hitting him on the back in frustration. Yates was obviously cooked - why else would anyone work for dozens of kilometres and then give up in the final 2km? Please tell your friends: Ive read so many negative comments about Kirby that unlike most online petitions this one could work. VeloNews: Whats the biggest difference for you when youre commentating on a race from back home, instead of attending the event? I changed to German commentary on eurosport international today I was so mad. The Vuelta a Espana used to be the worst of the Grand Tours because theyd have transitions day of 250km across a desert. The atmosphere fills up with buzz from moment to moment that enthusiasm pushes the words out of the heart. Terms and conditions of use. Tony Martin scared everybody with his breakaway, says Etixx chief. Riders having to get close to a motorbike just to take a corner. Seriously. I'm constantly berating or pointing out the danger of the motorcycle. And to be honest, most of us are scared of losing Carlton Kirkby in case Ant McCrossan takes his place. Yeah he does. Shouldnt be that hard to organise with so many people here able to talk eloquently and intelligently for 4 hours. but the bike was nowhere to be found!" Eurosport commentator. De Gendt, ganador de la primera etapa de la Volta 2019. 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. Yates ended up going out the back of the peloton, losing 1.22. At least he can string a sentence together and he seems to bring good comments out of Backstedt. Simon Yates drops back to the Peloton in the last 2km - Carlton Kirby: 'Yates has decided this isn't worth the candle' - i.e. And somebody asked me, why dont you pronounce his name Foo-gel-sang instead ofFoolsong. It is amusing that explaining this is futile, he remarks. You don't need to be that close to the riders to get snaps. 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. His voice tends to wake me up from my nap when something happens. A piece of the petition has gained over 542 signatures demanding the removal of Carlton Kirby from Eurosports, citing Unnecessary Screaming, Terrible Jokes as one of the biggest downsides. The Wanty-GroupeGobert rider was air lifted to hospital after the crash yesterday, but thankfully it seems like he's in a stable condition. 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. You might remember an 'interpretive spinning' vid doing the rounds on social media a few weeks ago. Quite brilliant and gutsy from Tom. But it is also true that there isnt a dearth of genuine fans of Kirby who really appreciate his vast knowledge on the field. Owned by Warner Bros. You get the mood of the crowd, and of the press. Various types of distractions are always ready for a commentator. 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. In the early 1990's he became a freelance commentator. Carlton Kirby: 'Yates is the heart and mind of this breakaway group'. That is common in France and Belgium with a dedicated roving reporter from the race roving all over the peloton and having a chat. Carlton's voice is familiar to fans of Motorsports and Cycling both on British Television and throughout the world. Always the hardest and most challenging role in such types of games is of a cycling commentator. There are many great cycling commentators around at the moment, Im afraid Kirby isnt one of them. 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. (@StasaZlatanovic) March 24, 2019. Well, Ill tell you: It makes your view of the race verifiable when youre there. But saves my life" German governments helmet advert sparks sexism row, Bristol taxi driver who cut up cyclist and braked in front of him has licence revoked (+ video), Porn Pedallers to carry on riding despite being stripped of British Cycling affiliation, in: Car crashes into building - please post your Local news stories, in: Has cycling become F1? However, a lot of his fans understand this and support him. His Grand National, Murray Walker shouting in the last 2 kilometres really is unbelievable. So many other cycling commentators on Eurosport. I would rather have the sound off than listen to his pathetic attempts to link words and phrases together rather than comment on the racing (as opposed to being able to identify riders) about which he knows precious little. Harmon's attitude can best be described as 'wogs begin at Calais'. 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. It is crazy. 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. Eurosport is a group of pay television networks in Europe and parts of Asia. Eurosport's Carlton Kirby. What a load of rubbish - Team Sky Fan !! 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.? Coverage includes enhanced production with access to helicopter, on-board and superslomo cameras. The youngsters were congratulated by the force on Twitter, as they helped chase down a thief who had stolen over 300 worth of goods. All crescendo sports deserve to be treated as such. He is rubbish Eurosport have many other far better options we need a decent commentator not Carltons partridge esque musings. If it goes on for two or three years, then people will notice because the freshness of what is in our heads will ebb. It is a thrilling climax and its my job to convey that to the public. The walls do move when they pile in too. And, one can understand the enthusiasm that has kept him going despite the setbacks and even criticism from people. 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. At other broadcasters you still have cue points, but its usually after youve finished making a point [because youre the only commentary team]. The actual bones of the job are quite similar. I had almost no idea what was going on or who was where. With very little data being sent to them, and some pretty bad camerawork they have made a good fist of the event in Spain. pic.twitter.com/fFcEf0AgHK, Volta a Catalunya (@VoltaCatalunya) March 25, 2019. 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. To my mind, the motorised vehicles are getting far too close, a point I continue to pick up on commentary. You have engineers popping in and out, you have guests from the different languages, and the only thing separating us from the Germans, on our left, and the French, on our right, are thin sound walls its completely open at the back, he says. Its a case of trying to keep everybody amused. The sights and sounds of the race and the attention of aptitude in an ample pressroom can renounce some valuable chunks for a commentator. We met a young boy and young girl who recently lost their mum, and its really sad when you see that side of it. 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. 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. 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. How do you call one of the biggest sporting events on the planet? He's fine when it's all action but flounders when it's a longer stage. 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? Driver escapes punishment for alleged hit-and-run on cyclist, as victim blasts police inaction and barriers to justice. Kirby says he opens the Tours road book (the bible for riders and media alike) first and foremost, having to change all of the notes to match his commentary notes and the on-screen graphics counting down the kilometres, rather than up as the book does. If you don't like something, how else can you change it - by saying nothing? Cavendish swept to his second win at the Tour of Turkey with another . 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. 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. Personally I think Harmon and Brian Smith are the best team. These local mountain bikers tried Athletic Brewing Company's craft beer for the first time, and you'd be surprised by their reactions. 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. if many people would do this via twitter it could at least give a sign. After a long journeyback to the hotel, often punctuated by Kelly taking media calls especially on the stages he himself would have thrived on during his career its then a debrief over dinner and back to bed for a seven-hour sleep and restarting the process again the next day. Kelly will probably kill him by the end. Absolutely mad. That is the way it appears. . But it was here he developed the ability to call a sprint. We have seen far too much of it - near collisions as much as actual collisions over the past few years. Help us to make it better. https://yahoo.uservoice.com/forums/1698 ant-drivel, http://www.ten-tenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=85131. Its a massive operation. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. "Oh! 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. Those are definitely the days when you earn your corn. For example, I know that Jakob Fuglsangs last name means bird song, which is a nice little thing. 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. One example of his commentary, from 11/3/21 Tirreno-Adriatico: Carlton Kirby: 'Yates is the heart and mind of this breakaway group'. UPDATE: New online Zoomcast show, July 16, click through for tickets. Astonishingly though, a single stage of the Tour de France lasts for about more than six hours. Kirby continues to put his notes togetheronce hearrives at the commentary booth, reading the local press andKellys grasp of colloquial French coming into its own. So, what is Scottish Cycling / British Cycling doing about this? I remember being impressed during the Giro at his ability to identify riders. He came off the corner leading, it was a right hand to the finish in Villars-les-Dombes. Now it is live pictures going onto blogs, stream TV pictures. 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. Every stage of the Tour de France LIVE on British Eurosport HD. The man, the myth, the chosen son. ). How can someone who watches so much cycling know so little? You can use your lens. Tao Geoghegan Hart (@taogeoghegan) March 25, 2019. Fantasy Cycling: game [at] road.cc Discovery company. 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. pic.twitter.com/bcRWeK1p3o, just merder. I could paint the Galibier and Ventoux and even some of the rarer mountains by memory.