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Cycling

60K views 229 replies 30 participants last post by  Bluefan75 
#1 ·
Looks like Sportsnet One is showing live cycling -- the Tour of Spain -- starting tomorrow morning. Apparently it might be good for more than just a few hockey games!
 
#3 ·
There's absolutely nothing wrong with Cycling or "raslin". For your information your so-called "raslin" or wrestling as we fans and most others that appreciate it call it is one of if not the highest rated programs on cable tv, that being WWE Raw on Monday night's, in the US it's usually the #1 rated show on cable TV on a weekly basis or it's in the top 3. Everyone have different likes and dislikes, this is what frustrates me about posters, including myself at times as I'm guilty as well , is most only take into account there own likes and dislikes and totally dismiss that maybe, just maybe others may like what there making fun of. I'm not a fan of cycling just like I'm not a fan of soccer but I do respect others that are and it's good that there showing different sporting events not normally seen and it gives those fans a chance to see some of their favorite sports.

verd buddy you go ahead and enjoy your cycling.
 
#4 ·
One also showed the the two UCI ProTour races from Quebec last weekend. Not that I was able to see those, as Shaw hadn't yet cut a deal for carriage, plus I was busy riding the Gran Fondo to Whistler.

I believe they're also picking up the Tour de France next year which means we should finally be able to see it in HD. Let's hope they also get the Giro and Spring Classics as well.

I haven't yet been able to determine if Sportsnet has the Canadian rights to the World Championships in Australia as their online schedule doesn't go that far ahead.

Speaking of the Gran Fondo; I was surrounded by more than 4,000 roadies last weekend, most of them affluent middle-aged adults with disposable income to burn (given the quality of carbon fiber being ridden and the number of BMWs with roof racks in Whistler afterwards), a desirable audience for advertisers. Sportsnet has a huge opportunity to win the undying loyalty of that audience by positioning itself as the go-to broadcaster for pro cycling in Canada, something OLN squandered for years.
 
#7 ·
Maybe they should have a Sportsnet 2 where its cycling, raslin, beach volleyball, darts, lawn bowling reruns of roller derby....
I'd be all over a Sportsnet that broadcast Euro hockey, field hockey, Euro basketball, international track & field, World Rally Car, UCI cyclocross, UCI track racing, Euro pro volleyball, handball, etc. Oh yeah, that would be called Eurosport. And we're not allowed to get that here...

BTW, that climb Saturday up the Bola del Mundo was off the charts :)
 
#8 ·
Its too bad that Sportsnet couldn't get an HD feed. Universal Sports is a great channel, but it doesn't broadcast in HD.

killarney, what is your problem with sports like cycling and beach volleyball? These are Olympic sports that are popular throughout the world. Maybe you aren't a fan of them, but there are lots of fans. I was personally very happy to tune into Sportsnet One and see FIVB beach volleyball the other night. I love the Olympics and its nice to see these sports more often than once every four years.
 
#9 ·
Just ignore him he's just trolling.

There's nothing wrong any of those sports because there are people who like them but you get some people who have a hard time understanding this and like to use silly icons at the end of their posts all the time, not that there is anything wrong with that, just saying lol.
 
#12 ·
Nice to see Sportsnet One showing extended highlights everyday of the Tour Down Under.
Awesome! Thanks for posting this Carlost; I hadn't even bothered to check SN1's schedule for the possibility of them broadcasting the TDU given the dearth of web feeds for the race. Let's hope this is a portent for coverage of the Spring Classics, Giro, etc!
 
#15 ·
#16 ·
Contador, I'm sure that inwardly Andy is smiling just a little, after the chain incident.
You mean his stomach is no longer full of anger?

Watching the Tour of Qatar is just... weird. No real culture of cycling in this desert, oil-rich country, perhaps a half dozen spectators at the start, a handful of sheiks at the finish, no podium girls, an awkward jersey presentation. Quite a contrast to the fun and colorful atmosphere at the Tour Down Under. But it's February, I haven't had much opportunity to ride myself, and I'm able to watch pro cycling on my 50-inch plasma instead of a little window on my Mac, so it's all good :)
Just two more weeks until the Belgian semi-classics begin!
 
#18 ·
Watching the Tour of Qatar is just... weird. No real culture of cycling in this desert, oil-rich country... But it's February, I haven't had much opportunity to ride myself
This is how I feel with golf watching tournaments in the UAE and Qatar the past couple weekends after the tournament in Hawaii at the start of the season. It just makes me wish there wasn't so much snow on the ground.

RDS has acquired Canadian rights to quite a few cycling events (though the UCI, I think). They will show Tirreno–Adriatico, Milan – San Remo, the Giro, the Vuelta, Giro di Lombardia, Paris–Nice, Paris–Roubaix, La Flèche Wallonne, Liège–Bastogne–Liège and Critérium du Dauphiné. The press release just says those are the key events; it implies they will have more.

I'm not sure if Sportsnet is airing those in English or not, but between Sportsnet (Tour Down Under, Tour of Beijing, Quebec and Montreal World Tour events etc.), TSN (Tour de France) and RDS, it seems that most major cycling races are on Canadian TV this year.
 
#17 ·
Shaw and / or Sportsnet HD screwed something up today on the 4-5PM (Pacific) show. Instead of stage 2, I got some stupid Budweiser sponsored soccer reality show. :mad:

Yes, it is weird to see the peloton riding along a massive highway through the featureless desert. It is also strange to be watching pro cycling in February.
 
#19 · (Edited)
In regards to Contador, I hate the way the whole thing was handled and why did it take them sooooo looooong to make a decision, so it took them 1.5 years to make the decision and now Contador sits at home for 6 months instead of facing a 2 year ban. I don't dislike Contador but that does not seem fair. Contador's contract with Saxo Bank has been annuled, I'm sure he will have no problem finding another team and it will be fun seeing him at the Vuelta with his own "stomach full of anger" destroying the field. :D



If Sportsnet is showing highlights of the Tour of Qatar, I sure hope that they show some of the Classics like Paris-Nice, Paris-Roubaix, Amstel, Fleche Wallone, Liege-Bastogne-Liege and the Dauphine.

Is RDS showing those races live?
 
#22 ·
Too bad they decided to show highlights of the Tour of Oman instead of the Tour of Algarve which I think it has a better field and it has at least some "bumps" on the course, not a straight out flat race on the desert.

I guess I shouldn't be complaining, at least we got some cycling on TV :D
 
#24 ·
Dear Sportsnet:

It's awesome that you are stepping up the inclusion of cycling in your schedule. It's been a treat to watch the Tour Down Under, the Tour of Qatar and the Tour of Oman. However, the Tour of Oman is a SIX stage race and there is no sign of the final stage anywhere on your schedule! While it hasn't been too difficult to stay out of the loop to spoil the results of your delayed highlight packages from Oman, it isn't much fun to be left hanging like this!
BTW, it's great to see commentator Anthony McCrossan get an honest gig after being affiliated with those flimflam artists at cycling.tv...

Sincerely,
Nels

PS, please keep bringing us cycling. We're only weeks away from Classics season, and it would be awesome to see those live on my 50-inch plasma, even though it means getting up at 5 a.m. PST.
 
#25 · (Edited)
I'm glad you posted this b/c I've been recording it and I thought my kids deleted it by mistake. I noticed the hightlights were more than a day delayed, by the time they were on the next stage was already finished.

At least we are getting some cycling on TV :)

Eurosport in Europe had coverage of the Tour of Algarve, it was nice to watch coverage of both races.
 
#29 ·
Paris-Nice

Great first stage on Paris-Nice, a nice flat stage and add little wind and a lit bit of rain and the field got shredded to pieces.

A lot of GC contenders lost over 10 minutes on the road, I think it is now a 3 horse race for the GC.

I can't believe Sportenet One did not pick up this one, it is always a great race :(
 
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