Vuelta on Universal

[firerescuefin]

First off, I am a race junkie...love watching the classics, Giro, and the TdF. I turned on Universal today and lost interest faster than I would watching a Women's Senior Pro Bowling Tour event....Not sure if it was the video quality, crappy announcing, or a grand tour that just isn't that grand. Maybe I am just burnt out. Anyone else in the same boat?

[fourflys]

actually watching it right now... Liquigas is just about to finish... the first week of a grand tour is always kind of boring to me, but yes the lack of HD sucks compared to the TdF...

[biker72]

Team time trials are the least interesting of the stages for me. The video today did have some problems.

[Climb01742]

the vuelta is sort of the stepchild of the GTs. the giro is on the rise; the tour is, well, the tour; and the vuelta has many second-tier riders and guys tuning up for the WCs. the fire seems missing. just waiting for the worlds and lombardy. otherwise, meh.

[1centaur]

After such a satisfying Tour conclusion, and with the interesting Colorado race about to start, it's not surprising the Vuelta does not feel like a must-see event. But these are spectacularly gifted athletes who will fight tooth and nail for wins they can't chase with Tour GC guys around. Many, many times, the Vuelta surprises with a few really good stages and early indications of future career success. I'm going to watch every day; I bet I'll be glad I did.

And while the Schlanger-dude is not announcing gold (though he does hit his breaks perfectly), Phil and Paul could not turn a TTT into Alpe d'Huez either.

Worst thing about the Vuelta is the stages that amble along modern highways through arid, monochrome areas.

[CunegoFan]

The Vuelta looks to be a good race this year. Lots of competitors that are close in ability. And a course, unlike the Tour, where the first two and a half weeks is more than filler.

[93legendti]

The Vuelta often has great mountain stages, as well as tactical, windy stages on the plains that help determine the GC

[Climb01742]

Worst thing about the Vuelta is the stages that amble along modern highways through arid, monochrome areas.

this may be a big part of why the vuelta 'pales' for me. in august, brown seems the dominant spanish color. the italian and french countrysides are perhaps more spectacular in may and july. and having traveled in france and italy, there's a familiarity i don't have with the spanish landscape.

[don'TreadOnMe]

Not trying to be a contrarian dbag here, but any cycling on tv is freaking great.

[retrogrouchy]

Not trying to be a contrarian dbag here, but any cycling on tv is freaking great.

Yes, and the atrocious video quality in the Tour of Utah footage makes this stuff look like near-HD! (Well, way less crappy, anyways).

Who is covering the Tour of Colorado? Versus? Show times?

[Grant McLean]

I'm watching the Eurosport coverage, and enjoying it as usual.
Today's stage had a great finish. I'm looking forward to see how
Wiggo goes in the mountains.

-g

[1centaur]

It was a great finish, and a good interview from the winner - seems like a solid person.

Colorado is on Versus at 4 pm each day, according to my TIVO season pass.

[jeo99]

Hey, be happy that you can even view this race! There was a time that it was not televised. Get over it! Spoiled, spoiled , spoiled

:banana: :banana: :banana:

[cmg]

the announcers while understanding cycling are boring to listen to, to much dead air. there isn't any cycling commentary about the racers, who's particpating, no tibits about the region to race is traveling through and Spain doesn't seam to dress up the roads that are being raced on. those long stretches in france would have had trees and if the course had been down the same road after servaeral tours the trees would be fully grown. Didn't know Booen and Cancellera were in this race until they poped upped briefly. and the final complaint, it needs to be in HD, picture looks better on my moms 15 year old RCA than my big screen.

[oldpotatoe]

Yes, and the atrocious video quality in the Tour of Utah footage makes this stuff look like near-HD! (Well, way less crappy, anyways).

Who is covering the Tour of Colorado? Versus? Show times?

Versus along with Phil and Paul. Should be a good race altho I think the small teams/minor riders are gonna shine. Mostly a US vacation, great hotels, friendly fans, beautiful scenery but some tough climbs starting at high altitude getting higher.

[BumbleBeeDave]

Even five years ago it was near impossible to find US TV coverage of this race. Now we get the whole thing and people are complaining about every aspect, it seems.

I'm sure Schlanger and Gogulski will get better. They simply don't have the history in the sport or with TV commentating that Phil and Paul have. Are they even IN Spain for the event or working with a remote feed? In this day of cutting costs and high tech, it would not surprise me if they are in some Madrid studio--or even not in Spain.

Kind of hard to compete with Phil and Paul who have God kmnows how many years of background between them. I have noticed, though that Schlanger and Go-Go DO generally get the rider's names correct--unlike Phil of late.

BBD

[fiamme red]

I remember when OLN (Only LANCE Network) was scheduled to air the entire Vuelta in 2004, and cancelled it except for a one-hour recap, while they continued to show "The LANCE Chronicles." I think there was a rumor that LANCE would ride the Vuelta that year, and when he decided not to, there was no point in airing it. Back to your regularly-scheduled moose-hunting show.

I'm very happy that Universal airs the Vuelta. You won't find me complaining about their coverage.

[67-59]

Even five years ago it was near impossible to find US TV coverage of this race. Now we get the whole thing and people are complaining about every aspect, it seems.

I'm sure Schlanger and Gogulski will get better. They simply don't have the history in the sport or with TV commentating that Phil and Paul have. Are they even IN Spain for the event or working with a remote feed? In this day of cutting costs and high tech, it would not surprise me if they are in some Madrid studio--or even not in Spain.

Kind of hard to compete with Phil and Paul who have God kmnows how many years of background between them. I have noticed, though that Schlanger and Go-Go DO generally get the rider's names correct--unlike Phil of late.

BBD


Agree that it's better to have it on TV than not.

However, not so sure I'd compliment Schlanger and Gogulski about the names. At the end of stage 2 yesterday, all they could tell me for about a minute after the finish was that the winner was "the Sky rider." :o

[biker72]

Not trying to be a contrarian dbag here, but any cycling on tv is freaking great.
+1
It used to be either Lemond or Lance on TV. If they weren't riding, there would be no coverage on TV or even in the newspapers.