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Enlarge textTalk to any rider who has raced in the Giro or any spectator who has simply watched the race in the flesh from the sidelines, and they will tell you the Italian spectacle is the best cycle tour in the world.
The Giro can be as spectacular as the Tour de France (AAP)
- 46 Comments | Join the discussion
Talk to any rider who has raced in the Giro or any spectator who has
simply watched the race in the flesh from the sidelines, and they will
tell you the Italian spectacle is the best cycle tour in the world.
The race is tougher, the roads are steeper, the crowds are more passionate and the wine and food…..well, say no more!
I'm told the whole package even surpasses the Tour de France – if that is possible.
Unfortunately,
I haven't sampled the Giro experience – the closest I have been is on
the odd occasion when the Tour has crossed borders as was the case last
year on the second rest day in the city of Cuneo.
It goes without saying Italians have always embraced world cycling.
There’s
no denying the national colours are clearly visible from the tens of
thousands who line the roadways when supporting most races in Europe,
let alone their own nation's Grand Tour.
So why then doesn’t the Giro enjoy the same world-wide profile as the Tour de France?
I
feel it has much to do with the television coverage and the way the
Italian executives have marketed their race compared to the French
owners of the Tour de France.
Not surprisingly, Italians have called the Giro "their own".
In
the past they have refused to "share the love" with cycling fans who
have been exposed to the sport only by watching the Tour.
For
the first time since SBS covered European cycling in the late 1980s,
network officials have decided to screen extended half hour highlights,
along with the daily morning updates.
It's a similar package to
the way the Tour was initially handled prior to SBS screening every
stage live from 2004 and hopefully, it could mark the start of a new
era in the way the event is covered in the future.
With the
world becoming increasingly linked by modern technology and the
multi-million dollar windfall and economic gain a big race such as the
TdF enjoys, it's no wonder Giro officials seem to have finally woken up
to the fact that they are sitting on a "gold mine".
Statistics
have proven that thousands of international travellers have chosen
France as a tourist destination simply by watching coverage of the Tour.
The same cannot be said for Italy and the Giro.
I
must confess you don't need a bike race to lure tourists to that part
of the world, but it would surely help if the Giro was marketed and
promoted in a similar way to the TdF.
Who knows, the fixation
and appeal for world cycling, which many Australians have come to enjoy
from the TdF for three weeks every year, may double sooner or later.
For that to happen Italian TV must come to the party.
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Comments (46)
Previous 10 |
22 May 2009 15:19 AEST
From: Melbourne
--
To be fair to SBS, the network surley couldn't control LIVE coverage of a scheduled European Cup final which went into extra time. I'm sure SBS management wouldn't interrupt a live stage of the Tour de France for a recorded update of a Euro soccer game.
21 May 2009 7:28 AEST
From: SA
--
Yet again the football takes over and the cycling gets pushed back..pathetic!
18 May 2009 19:32 AEST
From: bellambi
hail giro
I rode the Johnny Warren Classic, a great ride I must say and as I was passing Mike Tomalaris up a steep hill in Austimmer , I threw a question at him on the steepest section "when is SBS going to televise the Giro?" . He responded catching his breath " Never! . " That was two years ago. Cycling is taking over the world! Long live SBS. .
18 May 2009 14:42 AEST
From: Brisbane
--
Great to have at least some coverage of the Giro, but pity about the highlights package times - even 11pm is toolate for most people and 7.10am is OK for some, but I'm often out cycling then,
17 May 2009 12:54 AEST
From: Sydney
--
Thanks for broadcasting the Giro and I am enjoying the commentary now that Mike has taken over. It was tough with Paddy but the event itself overrode the standard of the commentary. I love watching any cycling and can't wait for July. Being able to watch another Grand Tour is fantastic. On first impressions of watching it and comparing it to the TDF, it lacks the polish of the TDF spectacle. Even little things like the banners over the roadway, different camera shots and angles and so on. I guess it is difficult to tell too much seen as though we have seen the TDF live for the last few years. Still love watching any Pro-cycling however.
16 May 2009 13:31 AEST
From: Melbourne
--
Fantastic job this morning on the commentry Mike. Thanks for listening to all the Paddy complaints.
15 May 2009 0:07 AEST
From: Goulburn, NSW
--
Really appreciate SBS coverage of the tour this year, BUT, do we have to have the worst, most amateur commentator its ever been my misfortunate to hear. There are so many um and grunts and fade outs that it makes what should be a thrilling even into an ordeal. I've taken to putting on some music and turning off the sound. Please don't take this the wrong way, before SBS we lived in a cycling wilderness, but please Mike, do the commentary yourself, or ask the guy at the coffee shop, he couldn't do a worse job!
14 May 2009 21:27 AEST
From: Adelaide
--
Tomorrow Mike Tomalaris, instead of finishing your introduction to the stage, hold onto the microphone and spare us the pregnant pauses and sentances that just fade away and are never finished by Paddy Agnew. This guy may be an experienced football commentator, but his transition to cycling just does not work. I have just had a scary thought....what the hell will TV coverage of the pro tour be like when Phil Liggett finally retires?
14 May 2009 14:52 AEST
From: sunshine coast qld
--
enjoy watching the italian cycling tour but please change the commentator, paddy, so hard to understand him & now watch without sound!! Bring on Phil Leggitt!! cheers
14 May 2009 7:35 AEST
From: S.A.
--
Great SBS , it's 6:53am and the football is still on! , the Giro was to start at 6:40am.I am now going to work and will miss your meager 11 minute highlight package that i can't understand anyway because of PADDY! Put a decent 30 highlight package on in the early evening so most people will be able to see it and stick to the start time.
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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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