During a long interview, the legendary veteran commentator of Eurosports shares some of his knowledge about the job. Talk about what you know. 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". You only need to listen to him to get that he has no time for Johnny Foreigner. The youngsters were congratulated by the force on Twitter, as they helped chase down a thief who had stolen over 300 worth of goods. I remember being impressed during the Giro at his ability to identify riders. Punching the handlebars is the almost universal sign of frustration at losing. You have a sound wall battle, where theyre shoving one way and were shoving the other while trying to sound calm and interesting on the commentary when actually what you want to do is knock someone out! When youre on-site, even though youre there, youre still watching a monitor, Kirby says. Once its out there youre done, so youll just have to forgive me if I make the odd gaffe. Arriving at road.cc in 2017 via 220 Triathlon Magazine, Jack dipped his toe in most jobs on the site and over ateBikeTips before being namedthe new editor of road.cc in 2020, much to his surprise. As for Kirby - its the arrogance of the bloke - does he think his viewers are 10 year olds who know NOTHING about cycling. That is in fact my main Friday occupation. Some pros think so, plus more tech news from Shimano, Zwift, Le Col, Dahon, Fairlight + more, Pick-up truck driver crashes into group of cyclists, leaving two dead and 11 injured. Eurosport have a lot of these, so theres a lot of conversation going on in your ear [between producers] and its quite a task trying to keep the flow of what you are saying, Kirby says. Theyd often stop too Euskaltel-Euskadi were one of the most common for that, theyd roll to the front, let everyone know it wasnt an attack and then ride up the road to briefly chat to family! 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. Theres no doubt about it, the most difficult thing to do is cover nothing, he says. Its a whole other much more positive view of commentators as a whole. We met a young boy and young girl who recently lost their mum, and its really sad when you see that side of it. When youre part of the race caravan, all you talk about is the race. he's saving his energy. 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. 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. Im a bit annoyed at myself because I lost my temper at the time. But it is also true that there isnt a dearth of genuine fans of Kirby who really appreciate his vast knowledge on the field. It is not just the motocycles remember. Best known for his work on Eurosport, his voice has also appeared on BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Motors TV, Cycling TV, Speed Channel USA, ABC Australia, SABC South Africa, Canal Plus France, Canal France International and more. 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. CK:Ive been doing bike races live and on-site since 1996. A lot of these guys seems to have free rein on what they are doing. Fully agree Kirby is the most irritable commentator ever. That doesnt portend his job has not become a whole lot harder. During a sprint stage, every turn is important, and sometimes Ill walk the final approach with [commentator] Sean Kelly, and there will be no need to even take notes, because hell just say, Oh, this will be shit. You can read an off-camber turn when youre standing on it, and see the attack points when youre going up and down a mountain. It is a thrilling climax and its my job to convey that to the public. It is amusing that explaining this is futile, he remarks. #GPDenain pic.twitter.com/2DsagK73lS, Wanty-Gobert Cycling Team (@TeamWantyGobert) March 24, 2019. It is all kinds of stuff. To cycling fans, Carlton Kirby's voice has become synonymous with the sport, having become an integral part of British Eurosport's race coverage. When we drive to the finish well usually get on the course, because were badged up to do it, and then make notes. Every time she fought back from a coma we were warned. You also have picture breakdowns, sometimes audio breakdowns so weve got all that going on and we havent even got on to the racing yet!. VeloNews: Whats the biggest difference for you when youre commentating on a race from back home, instead of attending the event? Jason Kenny has recounted to the BBC the near miss he and his infant son Albie encountered while out cycling last month. Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. VN:When youre at the race, who are you talking to regularly to get your intel for the broadcast? Plus the the week's top tech news, in: Flying Tom Pidcock wins Strade Bianche, in: Cyclists call on council to reconsider unsafe diversion, in: Call for Scottish safety portal that would "deliver justice", in: Campaigners: Remove pedestrian vs cyclist conflict, in: Highway Code changes haven't helped cyclists, Near Miss of the Day 853: Driver of lorry urging cyclists to Please take extra care near this vehicle fined for close pass (includes swearing), Continental unveils the "strongest" and "fastest" ever Grand Prix 5000 tyre models, Brompton boss frustrated to be fighting "war of attrition" against rip-off rivals, Remove conflict between cyclists and pedestrians, urge campaigners in wake of manslaughter case, Have bike tech wars turned cycling into Formula 1? If you're after one, guess that does makethe two grand plus 40 quid a month price tag seem a little fairer A mother from London has launched a petition calling for a second coroner's inquest into the death of her daughter, who passed away at nine years of age in what was originally believed to be an asthma-related case. AndKirby wouldnt have it any other way, even if there are those who dont always appreciate what goes into calling a Tour de France stage. During a long interview, the legendary veteran commentator of Eurosports shares some of his knowledge about the job. because there wuld be an uprising in the country. It is crazy. 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. A close study of the final 20 kilometres follows, picking out key hazardslike pinch points, street furniture and likely attack points, before the repeating the study in the car alongside King Kelly as the pair make their way to the commentary point at the stage finish. One of the worlds most iconic cycling brands appears set to launch an e-bike. He believes. Carlton Kirby is one of the successful names in the industry, recently had been a topic of gossip for good and bad reasons. Hence, To be qualified to fill up that huge amount of time is, quite naturally, a daunting job. And we have managed to cover his view on it. Stig Broeckx avoids serious injury after being hit by motorbike. I don't have anything against him personally, but he doesn't seem to get the basics of the sport. I just wish we had Liggett and Kelly doing the Grand Tours. What you are talking about is a place in history. 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. Baseless. There are people who love what I do, and others who hate it, he admits. You are calling the race as you see it on the screen. They basically work on the principle that people watching cycling in english are only interested in english speaking riders. or maybe you,re a relative ?? For all those who can't stand Kirby's 'commentary' (must be everyone on Bikeradar? Eurosport is a group of pay television networks in Europe and parts of Asia. I could paint the Galibier and Ventoux and even some of the rarer mountains by memory. and apologises to those who don't. 00:04:00, 29/05/2020 at 08:52 Related Kittel moves first into Cavendish, who follows the white line. Strade Bianche 2023, March 4, one-day classic (men's & women's), 78th Omloop Het Nieuwsblad: February 25, 2023, UAE Tour 2023, February 20-26 (women's race February 9-12), O Gran Camio 2023, Spain, February 23-26, 49th Volta ao Algarve em Bicicleta (2.Pro) // February 15th - 19th 2023, Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne 2023 February 26, 196 km (1.Pro). Read our full Privacy Policy as well as Terms & Conditions. Eurosport's Carlton Kirby and cycling legend Sean Kelly reacted like the viewers at home - at first incredibly concerned, then mightily relieved. He's fine when it's all action but flounders when it's a longer stage. @DeGendtThomas, guanyador de la primera etapa de la #VoltaCatalunya 2019. You cant please everybody and as a commentator thats something you have to get to grips with. We caught up with Kirby to learn what is gained for the telecast and what is lost from these two very different broadcasting scenarios. She talks about the background to the petition, which you can sign here, in this video. In the early 1990s he became a freelance commentator. 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. 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. And then on day one on Utah beach..boom..Cavendish stuns the previously unbeatable German racer. CK:Its pretty bleak. Without any editing, moderation, or credibility, it is all out in the name of fate. Baseless. Stay tuned! There must be so many ex-pro riders out there who would give valuable commentary and insight into the races. You can get every picture you need from in front of the peloton. On the descent, motorbikes often get too close to the cyclist in front of them. 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. Tel 01225 588855. At other broadcasters you still have cue points, but its usually after youve finished making a point [because youre the only commentary team]. The moment you have spoken a word, it is out there on tape and on every news website, forum, and who knows what. He is thinking Champs Elysees. And its only the past year that we even get to see more than the Tour de France. 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. ), peppered with the repeated clichs (just see how many times he says 'puppy paws', joining the party or a dozen or so others). For every Nicolas Roche or Steve Cummings great characters, totally locked down there are some savage bastards out there, and we love them all. The atmosphere fills up with buzz from moment to moment that enthusiasm pushes the words out of the heart. Yeah he does. Can you imagine Paris-Roubaix with Kirby commentating? Youre at the finish line, essentially watching the TV albeit with extra screens.. We need to get to tomorrows finish line, and sometimes that is a four-hour drive. pic.twitter.com/bcRWeK1p3o, just merder. View our media pack. 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. Especially on unstable surfaces. London live show preview! Absolutely mad. How much longer do the cycling public have to suffer the idiotic commentary from Carlton Kirby ?? As just one example, the long list of criticisms he has levelled at Thibault Pinot. He spoils everyones enjoyment of the race with his silly so called jokes and rubbish talk. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. To my mind, the motorcycles are the most dangerous because they have the least ability to stop. Commentating during the 2022 Ronde with 222km to go, Kirby says: Aranburu could have finished as high as 5th in Milan-Sanremo, but didnt think it was worth his while so he eased off at the end and came in 13th. No ! Brian Smith is very good and I feel for him having to listen to Kirby's dumbfounding comments. Tony Martin scared everybody with his breakaway, says Etixx chief. e-bikes are very much the SUVs of the car world with every manufacturer seemingly keen to add at least one to their range to not miss out. I speak no language other than English. I often moan about Kirby myself, but I don't. 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. Help us to make it better. Among an awful lot of distractions, as Carlton Kirby explains, commentating on cycling is an arduous process. After my tweet he at least toned that down. Kittel is not a broken man, but his supremacy has tumbled because Mark Cavendish has only gone and won four stages here. If youve watched Eurosport cycling, you'll know. They seem to think that it is enough to just talk about english speaking riders, or to 'emote' any time there is a crash, or a difficult corner. There is a rumour that the plane ticket has already been bought for Mark to leave the Tour, but I think the temptation is there for him to go to the Champs-lyses because he believes in his mind that he has worked out how to unpick Marcel Kittel, who is his main threat. Utterly self-absorbed: he had already decided who'd won. Well then I propose a CN forum audio livestream for the tour de france. You take yourself to the studio, call up your procyclingstats.com, do your research online. Carlton Kirby Kirby is the most marmite commentator there is. Tech in brief: new gear from Shimano, Park Tool, Wahoo and more Tech in brief: new gear from Shimano, Park Tool, Wahoo, Tortec and more Vitus launch three bikes for cyclo-cross season. You must log in or register to reply here. Would the football fans be subjected to him commentating on the football matches ? All of that is avoidable if you have the right distance and the right protocol in place. And, one can understand the enthusiasm that has kept him going despite the setbacks and even criticism from people. 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. If she wins so does everyone else. He also never tells you who the riders on screen are - and if he does, he's usually wrong. Ive gotten drunk on the Galibier and been evacuated off the Galibier. Like in any other sports, being a cycling commentator for a broadcast has its own perks & lows. I've also been known to drag washing machines behind the bike and throw them down embankments, along with piles of grass clippings, black bags of household rubbish and several hubcaps. A football match lasts for hardly ninety minutes, a rugby match is over in eighty minutes, whilst a basketball game takes only thirty-eight minutes to finish. 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? Carlton Kirby pete54 Posts: 488 March 2014 edited October 2019 in Pro race For all those who can't stand Kirby's 'commentary' (must be everyone on Bikeradar? I have been speaking to (former cyclist and Eurosport expert) Sean Kelly about it at various races, and we have both had hold your breath moments. Eurosport's lead cycling commentator Carlton Kirby presents a weekly guide to everything that's NOT happening in the sport this year, with stories and reflections from his 25 years in the gantry. 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. As we reported at the time, the six-time Olympic champion tweeted that he had been on a Sunday bike ride with his son when they were almost run over by a van driver who drove at us, then proceeded to angrily inform me it was my fault we nearly died.. Not that itsa straightforward drive to the finish at the Tour, as Kirby explains. It's their commentators or silence. So, what is Scottish Cycling / British Cycling doing about this? 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). Especially on the downhill runs which is a crazy situation. I'm not sure if they have forgotten about the rule, or if it was always just advisory. In the early 1990's he became a freelance commentator. I think there seems to be a bad feeling against cyclists and its really strange because theyre only people, he continued. One thing Ive always been able to do is, I believe, see a very wide picture and a lot of different movement, and call those fast and accurately. Riders have lost their ability to race, says LeMond, Nacer Bouhanni handed penalty, fined for shove. Doesn't look that pretty, cable tied, very practical. The headline does anyway, while the sources in the article cover a few different potential causes. Controversial! He threw the toys out of the pram because his head is scrambled by these defeats. 2023 Eurosport, a Warner Bros. So, were close to the press guys who have spoken to the riders, and they wander up during the day, and weve been in place for two hours already, and we meet with you guys. I think you need to be a specialist to be a cycling commentator, yet he covers several sports on Eurosport. But, being in the studio means there is a considerable loss of interaction. De Gendt, Volta 2019 Stage 1 winner. We dont want this man commentating. She got hit by a car and thats someones mum, not just a cyclist. This is why he often cracks jokes and laughs heartily. https://yahoo.uservoice.com/forums/1698 ant-drivel, http://www.ten-tenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=85131.