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Why the Giro is the Tour's poor cousin
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Enlarge textMike Tomalaris speculates on the future of the Giro d'Italia in Australian hearts as highlights screen on SBS for the first time this year.
- 16 Comments | Join the discussion
For cycling purists, the Giro d'Italia has long been considered the best of Europe's Grand Tours yet it hasn't received the global exposure of its big brother - the Tour de France.
The reasons are many, but from a television perspective, it all comes down to marketing techniques from the respective host broadcasters.
When the Tour de France was first broadcast on SBS in 1991, it was virtually handed on a platter by race organisor ASO, at a cost of next-to-nothing.
But with the growth of the race in the last 15 years, the increase in audience in that time and the success of the many Australians, it goes without saying costs have increased for a worthwhile investment.
The Tour de France is very much instilled in the sporting pscyhe of Australian viewers and indeed the entire world.
Not so the Giro.
SBS has been chasing the Giro broadcast rights for several years, but for the Italian TV executives who have always charged "like wounded bulls".
And it's not only Australia which has been priced out of the market.
In 2002 to celebrate the introduction of the Euro, the Giro started in The Netherlands and wound its way through Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and France before entering home soil and working its way to the traditional finish in Milan.
Despite the pre-race hype and the array of stars such as Mario Cipollini , Gilberto Simoni, Tyler Hamilton and Paolo Savoldelli - just to name a few - only a handful of countries were prepared to take the live coverage because of the huge expense.
Even Dutch TV was haggling over the fee and it was until a day before the race start in Groningen, did parties from both sides come to an agreement.
But times are slowly changing and it seems the global success of the Tour has prompted a change of heart by the Italian executives.
For the first time SBS viewers will screen daily highlights of the Giro in what is being considered a start of a new era.
Believe me, the sprints are just as fast, the mountains just as high and the drama and emotion just as captivating - if not better.
As always, you must crawl before you can walk and here's hoping the Giro's inaugural broadcast on Australia will spark an increase in TV time in the coming years.
And of course, as well as this year's Giro, there's plenty mroe cycling to come on SBS
Sunday 11 May Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Belgium
Sunday 11 May-Monday 2 Giro d'Italia, Italy daily updates
Sunday 15 June UCI BMX World Championships, China
Sunday 22 June Revolution 3 Melbourne
Saturday 5 July-Monday 28 July LIVE Tour de France and daily updates
Sunday 6 July UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, Italy
Sunday 13 July Tour de Suisse
Sunday 21 September Deutchsland Tour
Sunday 5 October Goulburn to Citi
Sunday 12 Ocober UCI Road World Championships – Varese, Italy
Sunday 19 October Paris-Tours
Sunday 16 November Tour Du Faso
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Comments (16)
19 Oct 2008 13:12 AEST
From: some big mountain
tour de france is not the greatest race - giro is better
this is crap, The tour de france is just all Drummed up, all the real riders know that the Giro is a much harder and much more real glorious race. I don't care if I never go in the tour de france, becuase the giro is the where the strongest will reach the highest summit first. tour de france, more like tour de show off
21 Aug 2008 20:45 AEST
From: Bayside Brisbane
The Giro......a poor cousin to the TDF
What a load of rubbish.....next your all be saying that Mike Tommo whatever has a clue what he is on about ! Stick to your third world broadcasting down under mate and leave the proper stuff to an educated and cultured European !
01 Jun 2008 11:24 AEST
From: Sydney
Gito thanks
Thanks SBS for the coverage of the Giro. It was only small but more much than any other TV network. I hope extended half hour highlights can be arranged for 2009 and I' m sure thousands of other cycling fans think likewise.
01 Jun 2008 5:52 AEST
From: Hampton, Vic
Better for all riders.
As SBS increases it's coverage of the short and long distance classics the sport and it's participants are the winners. Watching the Giro complements the TDF, Paris-Roubaix Tour Down Under, etc. If the Giro organisers are greedy they are only hurting themselves and the brilliant showcase this race gives Italy.
30 May 2008 15:30 AEST
From: Leichhardt
Le tour de France
How can you compare the Tour de France with the giro? It's like comparing a fiat bambino with a ferari! Le tour de France is much much much better than the giro!
21 May 2008 22:21 AEST
From: brighton
the giro
Australia hasn't gotten into the giro because only one rider in last five years from here has featured in the over all standings of the race for gc.
21 May 2008 22:15 AEST
From: east brighton
giro
Who says the french should be number one?The Italians brought us campagnolo,what have the french given us?Some fancy wines and garden pests to eat with it.
17 May 2008 22:39 AEST
From: Geelong
Giro reporting in newspapers is hopeless!
As a fairly new follower of cycle racing, (i loved the 2007 tour de France and the 08 Down Under tour on the tele), I am regularly frustrated by how badly competitive cycling is covered in the newspapers. The Giro has barely rated a mention since starting, this despite Australian stars suffering injuries (McGee & O'Grady) and the simply stunning photo possibilities in Italy. The state of the newspaper coverage suggests that sport editors dont believe anyone is interested...
15 May 2008 22:59 AEST
From: Dalkeith
11 May 2008 23:41 AEST
From: Mt. Gambier
Please give us more Giro!!!!!!!!!!! Your morning snippets are like smelling a good cup of coffee, I want to taste it. Thanks for covering some of the one-day classics. If you had a daily report of the various tours........I'd definitely watch them.
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Stay in touch with the ProTour road cycling season with SBS's cycling blog, featuring race reports, video highlights and blog coverage of every race of 2008, as well as details of SBS's racing coverage
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