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BBC to broadcast world championships road races & time trials - schedule

Chris Boardman commentary for coverage of men's & women's races ...

The BBC will once again broadcast the UCI road cycling world championships, which this year will be held in Florence, Italy, between September 22 and 29, the UCI has announced.

The UCI says this world’s will have the broadest TV reach in history, with coverage on new stations and new territories including Al Jazeera (Middle East), Charlton (Israel) and Direct TV (South America).

A combination of live and highlights will also be available on the UCI’s Official You Tube channel, depending on each territory’s broadcast commitment.

The BBC’s coverage will be presented by Jonathan Edwards  with Ccommentary from Simon Brotherton and Chris Boardman and reporting by Jill Douglas.

BBC TV world championships schedule

Time trials: Wednesday 25 September, 1.40-4.10pm, BBC TWO

Women’s road race: Saturday 28 September, 3.30-4.30pm, BBC ONE
Women’s road race: Saturday 28 September, 4.30-5.15pm, BBC TWO

Men’s road race: Sunday 29 September, 2.15-4.15pm, BBC TWO

(Note: The BBC website currently says the men's race will be broadcast on 28 September) hence our earlier error. We're sorry to disappoint those planning to watch it on the BBC and then head down the bookies,  but can you imagine all the people complaining about spoilers?)

John has been writing about bikes and cycling for over 30 years since discovering that people were mug enough to pay him for it rather than expecting him to do an honest day's work.

He was heavily involved in the mountain bike boom of the late 1980s as a racer, team manager and race promoter, and that led to writing for Mountain Biking UK magazine shortly after its inception. He got the gig by phoning up the editor and telling him the magazine was rubbish and he could do better. Rather than telling him to get lost, MBUK editor Tym Manley called John’s bluff and the rest is history.

Since then he has worked on MTB Pro magazine and was editor of Maximum Mountain Bike and Australian Mountain Bike magazines, before switching to the web in 2000 to work for CyclingNews.com. Along with road.cc founder Tony Farrelly, John was on the launch team for BikeRadar.com and subsequently became editor in chief of Future Publishing’s group of cycling magazines and websites, including Cycling Plus, MBUK, What Mountain Bike and Procycling.

John has also written for Cyclist magazine, edited the BikeMagic website and was founding editor of TotalWomensCycling.com before handing over to someone far more representative of the site's main audience.

He joined road.cc in 2013. He lives in Cambridge where the lack of hills is more than made up for by the headwinds.

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19 comments

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Scottsparkrider | 10 years ago
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Anyone know where I, or anyone else who has been in work, can watch today's race. Bbc red button isn't showing it and the website has a two-min video with a spoiler saying who won before you click.

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Roberj4 | 10 years ago
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I miss David Harmon. When Cadel won his worlds RR title Dave's commentary was epic. Any way I've ditched Sky to go Free-view so I'm pleased with this announcement...get my PVR on record!  1

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Wooliferkins | 10 years ago
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Nothing ageist in the comment at all. Ageist would be, "We need someone younger than X because X has passed a certain age."
That someone can no longer do their job to the standard they used/ that is required to is a valid reason to replace that person.
Hugh has a future as a pundit but the increasing errors in his live commentary say, that sadly, he's not up to the job anymore.
He's always made Murray Walker type errors, that we loved, and quickly self corrected but they are increasing and becoming blatant mistakes not slips of the tongue.

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arrieredupeleton replied to Wooliferkins | 10 years ago
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Wooliferkins wrote:

Nothing ageist in the comment at all. Ageist would be, "We need someone younger than X because X has passed a certain age."
That someone can no longer do their job to the standard they used/ that is required to is a valid reason to replace that person.
Hugh has a future as a pundit but the increasing errors in his live commentary say, that sadly, he's not up to the job anymore.
He's always made Murray Walker type errors, that we loved, and quickly self corrected but they are increasing and becoming blatant mistakes not slips of the tongue.

Totally agree. Bear in mind cycling enjoying a huge surge in popularity and viewing figures for these events. Porter can totally confuse even seasoned cycling fans never mind newcomers to the sport. Having said that there's not many commentators who've won at the Commonwealth Games and rode the ToB so he does know more than most about the sport - albeit from experiences decades ago. A backward step by ITV nevertheless.

Another point. Why do riders not have a race number somewhere on the front of their person/bike. Probably tradition and aerodynamics but with all these daft ventless helmets currently in fashion, could numbers not be stuck on them? It would certainly help commentators identify riders in a head-on sprint shot (with the exception of David Harmon who seems to recognise riders by their form alone).

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a.jumper | 10 years ago
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No team timed trial coverage?

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davidncohen | 10 years ago
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I always felt that Porter's commentating expertise was on the track, not on the road.

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Metjas | 10 years ago
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I'll take Hugh Porter over Eurosport's Carlton Kirby anytime. Anytime.

The races will be shown on Sporza as well, in fact sometimes I mute the Eurosport channel and use Sporza internet commentary just to avoid CK.

Please can David Harmon come back? I hope he's getting better.

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timothy | 10 years ago
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Ageist comments, your tern will come. Given some of the commentary on other channels he does quite well.

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Gkam84 replied to timothy | 10 years ago
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timothy wrote:

Ageist comments, your tern will come. Given some of the commentary on other channels he does quite well.

Nothing about his age on my part, I just think he's never been a good commentator. He's on the same level as P&P....all mouth, no knowledge about what they are speaking about.

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festival replied to Gkam84 | 10 years ago
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Hugh Porter, No Knowledge? You Sir, are talking rubbish.

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VeloPeo | 10 years ago
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Al__S replied to VeloPeo | 10 years ago
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VeloPeo wrote:

Porter got dropped by the BBC

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/cycling/9906092/BBCs-disser...

Yeah, he's popped up on the Tour of Britain coverage (ITV). I know some don't like them, but I'd much prefer Carlton Kirby, Phill Ligget, paul Sherwen etc.

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Dog72 | 10 years ago
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Race Face

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crazy-legs | 10 years ago
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Agreed, the sooner he gets put out to pasture the better. He was good in his day, he's done a huge amount for the sport and he's a nice bloke but he really needs to realise that his time is done.

Glad I can watch ToB on EuroSport cos Hugh's commentary on ITV4 has been cringeworthy.  2

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Gkam84 | 10 years ago
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I am glad one name is missing from that. HUGH PORTER  24

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arrieredupeleton | 10 years ago
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The elite mens race is on Sunday 29th not Saturday 28th. Good to see that renowned cyclist Jonathan Edwards heading things up for the Beeb. Surely they can do better?

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crazy-legs replied to arrieredupeleton | 10 years ago
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arrieredupeleton wrote:

Good to see that renowned cyclist Jonathan Edwards heading things up for the Beeb. Surely they can do better?

Ah but he's a "name" - might mean that they get more viewers cos more people recognise the name. Sometimes it works - Jake Humphries was actually very good in commentary/anchor on the Olympics; Adrian Chiles by contrast was bloody awful.

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robthehungrymonkey replied to crazy-legs | 10 years ago
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Jonathan Edwards is a particularly keen cyclist though... And does a good job on telly.

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andyhill1 | 10 years ago
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Will the full road races be on the red button again like last year?

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