ToB Women and TV coverage

[carlislemike]

I recorded the Women’s Tour. Some of the racing was good and only spoiled by the final day’s end of race celebration assumptions! Races are races and you win as you cross the line not metres well before the finishing line! However, I was not really impressed by the commentary team beforehand, during and afterwards. Trying to create a silk purse out of more processionary parts of the race. Dauphine commentary good but imo the Giro commentary far better.

[pjclinch]

I recorded the Women’s Tour. Some of the racing was good and only spoiled by the final day’s end of race celebration assumptions! Races are races and you win as you cross the line not metres well before the finishing line! However, I was not really impressed by the commentary team beforehand, during and afterwards. Trying to create a silk purse out of more processionary parts of the race. Dauphine commentary good but imo the Giro commentary far better.

I thought Hannah Walker, Dani Rowe and Jo Rowsell did a characteristically sound job.
As for "create a silk purse out of more processionary parts of the race", just wait until we get our next 200 Km "transition stage" on a Grand Tour, especially if it's Carlton Kirby laughing at his own jokes...

Pete.

[carlislemike]

Pete I really revert to the Rebecca Charlton intros etc. Jo Rowsell is a class apart. Now how about a comment on the Cat 1 climbs? Are we kidding ourselves? Regarding Carlton Kirby (sic) , he’s okay. Marmite to some. The Gary Imlach, Robbie McEwan, Adam Blythe, etc., style of commentary more attractive to my ears. Mind you, as an added remark, the road surfaces especially in Horwich are a British take on the Belgian Cobbles!!

[TrevA]

I don’t mind Danny Rowe or Jo Rowsell, but Hannah Walker seems to suffer from verbal Diarrhoea, often repeating or paraphrasing what the other commentator says, or just talking complete nonsense. She’s OK when doing short pieces to camera on location or interviewing riders, but no good as a race commentator.

[Saissac]

I'm ashamed to say I've never watched it. I find the mens Tour hard to watch at times so maybe...

[Saissac]

When is the women's Tour de France on?

[kylecycler]

When is the women's Tour de France on?

12th-18th August. 8 Stages this year, starting in Rotterdam*. These are the Stage Profiles (click on each one to blow it up):

https://firstcycling.com/race.php?r=15687&y=2024&e=all

You'll see the first 4 are pan-flat, then there's an Individual Time Trial (for the first time in the TdFF, although it's only 6 km, in Rotterdam) then they build up. Last stage finishes at Alpe d'Huez.

I suppose Vollering's just about bound to win the GC and Wiebes might win all the sprint stages, but the stages are 'back-loaded' in terms of elevation so at least the GC won't be resolved until they get closer to the end.

Demi might have more competition next year, though, since yesterday it was announced that her boss at SD Worx-Protime Anna van der Breggen is coming back out of retirement (although Vollering is leaving, by all accounts to go to FDJ-Suez, at the end of this year). Nobody saw that coming, I don't think - Van der Breggen 'retired' at the end of '21, but she's only 34, just a year or so older than Annemiek van Vleuten was at the Rio Olympics in 2016, and AvV was only just getting into her stride back then, so she still has years left in her.

*I do know Rotterdam is in the Netherlands, but hey!