No different than any other year. This is how OLN covers the Tour.

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Slowguy

(insert pithy phrase here...)

I'm just happy there IS coverage.

hi JP,
You're right - just wait until next when Lance Inc. is not in the equation.

How many Americans care about whether Basso, Ullrich, or Cunego wins the 2006 Tour?

rtm

Get a Tivo, you can watch it in half the time.

me :)

Your right, this year seems to be particularily bad with comercials. Up until last year there was no daily coverage at all so I am just happy to be able to watch it all. Although, tomorrow I will definitely Tivo it.

On Danish TV there's no commercials at all during the live coverage. They are only allowed to show commercials in between programns, not during the programs.

That's why each episode of "24 hours" only last 45 minutes on television instead of 60 minutes as the clock shows. In Danish they should call it "18 hours".

CNN's program "60 minutes" is also shown on Danish televison and this program also only last 45 minutes or so, because there's no commericals.

Same thing with the "Late Show" with David Letterman.


Danish TV also live-stream TdF online in high quality, but then it's not free like it is on TV. You have to pay 159 DKK ($ 26) to watch all the live streaming of TdF: http://tv.sputnik.dk/...p/1782918/index.html

I thought Cunego was out because of Epstein-Barr? Any news?

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kestrel driver


DonorsChoose.org (!!!)
bogolight.com (!!!)

Early on it wasn't this way, even Lincoln bought the last half hour commercial free.

I was referring to 2006. Cunego is out this year (+ Simoni if anyone cares).

Why the hell is a guy riding like Lance retiring anyway? He's clearly still at or very close to his best.

rtm

Cerevélo about Only Lance Network (OLN):

http://www.cervelo.com/mediacentre.aspx


...The only fly in the ointment seems to be that we hear the Only Lance Network (OLN) is making excuses for Lance and saying he “let” Zabriskie win. When will they realize the potential for the sport (and their network ratings and income) of another American, on a North American bike (Cervelo, Speedplay, Zipp, Alpha-Q), with an American sponsor (Computer Sciences Corporation- CSC)? How can they be betting the future of their broadcasts on the guy who will retire after this race. It baffles people here how they are going out of their way to ensure there is no interest in cycling after Lance retires...

Sounds like whining to me.

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Slowguy

(insert pithy phrase here...)

I agree. Zabriskie seems to be getting plenty of coverage (which I enjoy). I've not heard one mention by OLN commentators that Lance let Dave win (which actually seems like a wise strategic decision to me).

"How can they be betting the future of their broadcasts on the guy who will retire after this race. It baffles people here how they are going out of their way to ensure there is no interest in cycling after Lance retires..."

Phil sounds like a politician with his annoying rhetoric. Face it, no other cyclist has the story or the charisma that Lance does. Hate him or love him, he's a media darling and he's the one most people want to hear about. Who else is going for a 7th Tour win? Nobody on CSC. If Cervelo/CSC has someone to replace Lance, then I'm sure they'll get their fair share of media attention. Definitely makes me lose some respect for Cervelo. Too much whining for my taste.

"Up until last year there was no daily coverage at all so I am just happy to be able to watch it all."

Uhhh...there has been daily coverage of the TdF since at least 2000...in 2002 they (OLN) had daily coverage of all three Grand Tours, but have cut back on the Vuelta and Giro the last two years consecutively.

This is heaven, commercials and all, compared to 1986 when you got a half-hour spot during ABC's Wide World of Sports each week...and that was ONLY for the TdF. In 1989 we considered ourselves fortunate to see the tape-delayed coverage of Lemond's 8 second win. I'll take today's coverage, commercials, Roll, Gum, Trautwig and all...thanks very much.

I completely rely on OLN's TdF broadcast for important information about DR Power Equipment, such as the DR Field and Brush Mower.

Maillot Jaune! Who cares? Look at that bad ass go!



"He's mowing like an 'angel of the mountains!'"

I rely on OLN for those commercials with the talking fish trophies.

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Slowguy

(insert pithy phrase here...)

did anyone catch the "sight for sore eyes" of Bob Roll's Kinetic trainer commercial on OLN on July 2 -- Bob Roll as wanna be rapper followed by a full side profile shot of Bob Roll on a bike and kinetic trainer NAKED!

my eyes still hurt ... what was Kinetic thinking !

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Tri-ing for a cure.

NYtrigal's Team in Training Page

Phil is in France so he has not watched any Only Lance Network. He is only writing from what he have heard from home.

I just pray, someone...anyone, take sir Lancelot and deposit him on one of the Cols. Please...Please...Please. I can't take much more of the Lance lovefest on OLN. By the way, on Sat. did anyone hear Liggett say Lance looked back at Ullrich when he passed him. He made a big deal of "the Look", but I never saw it on any replay. Am I missing something???

"By the way, on Sat. did anyone hear Liggett say Lance looked back at Ullrich when he passed him He made a big deal of "the Look", but I never saw it on any replay> I am I missing something???"

I thought he mentioned Jan glancing over at Lance, which you can kind of see in the coverage.

" I can't take much more of the Lance lovefest on OLN."

Well you only have to wait another 3 weeks.

I'm not sure I understand this. OLN is an American network. Lance is an American and OLN also keeps more track of other American riders than the Europeans. Lance has already won more tours than anyone and is going for one more and his last. It is, like it or not, an historic tour. OLN has a mostly American audience and is giving them the coverage of their favorite son. Any real surprise there? That's what the average American is interested in. I don't blame OLN for their coverage. They are a business just like any network. If there was a purely cycling network, then things might be different, maybe not.

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Slowguy

(insert pithy phrase here...)

To be honest it isn't really all that exiting except for the last 5 minutes. It's just guys pedaling ad infinitum. Quite boring. I love to cycle but watching it is very boring, except for the sprint finishes and mountain attacks which could be condensed into an exciting 30 minute show.

I love it how guys on this forum trash NASCAR yet go ape over cycling coverage. If you asked me NASCAR is 10 times more entertainment value. Instead of going 30mph they are going 200mph.

I tape a stage, watch the last 5 minutes and feel like I got the whole show without wasting half the day.

Let the flaming begin.

I think there are similarities between long distance racing of any kind, and NACAR and cycling have many similarities. I watch and enjoy both. Both involve tactical positioning. Both sometimes have terrible crashes. Both sometimes involve a big battle between two or three guys at the finish. Cycling has more teamwork, but NASCAR has more speed and pit work. Both fun for me.

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Slowguy

(insert pithy phrase here...)

So he's talking shit about OLN's Tour coverage without having actually witnessed OLN's Tour coverage? That's classic.