RainmanP

As becomes increasingly obvious that OLN is decreasing it's cycling coverage to TDF and not much else I have been looking around to see if there is an alternative. There doesn't seem to be much hope. Does anyone know if EuroSport is available on any of the satellite services like DirectTV?
Thanks,
Raymond

Devil

Actually, there is hope. Check this thread, you'll see what I'm talking about: https://www.bikeforums.net/33-road-bike-racing/82296-2004-verona-uci-world-road-championships-dvd.html

jazzy_cyclist

Is there commentary (and does it have subtitles?)

Devil

From what I was told by the guy the thread refers to, there is English commentary and no "OLN-speak" directed to newbs of the sort you'd find from Al Trautwig. I'm thinking it'll be the Eurosport commentators, but I don't know for sure.

Laggard

Devil: Let me make sure I've got this right. The alternative to OLN are recordings that you get a couple weeks after the stage is over?

I guess I miss the point. Thanks for the link though. I missed that thread somehow.

Devil

With OLN covering nigh but the Tour, the alternative to watching cycling on OLN is, well, nothing. Everyone follows the races at VeloNews and cyclingnews but it would be nice to actually see races that have happened recently, instead of waiting a couple months for WCP to put out a highly edited DVD. For example, the longest 2004 Tour DVD pack that WCP offers has six discs. The one from this guy has 23 discs. Not bad if I do say so myself.

RainmanP

Laggard,
The only live cycling on OLN is going to be the TDF anyway, so what's your beef? Two weeks is better than OLN has had on other races where you might get one hour of a 6 hour race a month later. Oh, I'm sorry I think they may have had PR live last year and some Giro, but I'm sure that won't last long. Ya gotta pay for the stuff anyway, either cable or dvd. I may drop digital cable, which I took ONLY becausee the local cable company put OLN on digital only. That will save several bucks a month. The only time I turn the cable box on is to watch cycling.

Anyway, I'm emailing the guy.

Laggard

Oh I plan on contacting that guy. It sounds like a great service.

I just meant that it's no real substitute for live or same-day coverage.

gcasillo

So what's the fee, or do I have contact the fella to find out?

WoodyUpstate

Be patient. It won't be long before the web takes over for satellite/cable TV. I expect in a couple of years you'll be able to watch ANYTHING live via webcast, especially niche-type programming. Yeah, you'll have to have cable/broadband, but most people will have it in a couple of years. And then you'll be able to save the webcast on your harddrive and burn your own DVD.

For now. . . OLN is the only north american choice to watch cycle racing. I suggest VeloNews, CycleSport or Pro Cyclign magazines to help you get your racing fix.

skydive69

NBC is broadcasting the RAAM this Saturday at 2:30 PM - 2 hour broadcast.

jazzy_cyclist

Race Across America? Thanks for the tip, SkyDive. I just finished reading "Cyclists Guide to Long Distance Cycling" (Pavleka and Burke) and there were lots of stories from RAAM. I wasn't previously familiar with it, but these guys cycle cross country faster than I drive! Should be interesting if they don't try to get too dramatic.

Jaco

cycling.tv

skydive69

Yes, that's it - hopefully they will have knowledeable commentators.

Guest

Thanks for the link!

BTW, could you drop me a PM? I'm looking to exchange notes about your trip to Verona.

Koffee

sailor

You can always try downloading them via BitTorrent, though Ive admittedly used that only for stages of the Tour that I missed, so I dont know about smaller races like the classics (if you can call them smaller).

karesz3

According to another thread that was just closed for some reason, a very "reputable" alternative to OLN may become Al-jezeera. I wonder if they would cover the women's races, hmmmm.

Cheers

RainmanP

I contacted William, and here are some details. "Basic" membership is $120/yr and "Gold" is $160. The difference is that DVD price for Basic members is $15 and for Gold is $10. So if you buy more than 8 the Gold is worth the extra price. William also has no problem with a group sharing the cost and passing the DVDs around, but there has to be one official member who does all the transactions. At what I am paying extra strictly to get the pittance OLN offers the pricing is competitive, particularly if I can put together a group of 5 or 10 to share the cost.

geneman

Sorry, but I'm still a little confused. The $120 or $160/year gets you what exactly?

-mark

gcasillo

If someone gets a group together, I want in. PM me or post here.

Walter

I'd be interested in joining a group as well. I've contacted him too but would like to share if possible

RainmanP

I was thinking more in terms of trying to put together a local group, but if I don't get enough interest I would be willing to be part of a long-distance group. I just checked on a postal scale, and to mail a DVD in a small padded envelope would be about $1.06. A CD mailer might cost even less. If I coordinated such a group I would probably print up mailing labels, send a set of labels with each DVD so each person could stick on the next label and postage and forward it along the list. Again, though, a local group would be easier.

geneman

Count me in on a long-distance group. We definitely need someone to drive this little adventure though.

NOT IT!!

-mark

Jaco

I'd be happy to do it.

I've already recieved a set of DVDs from him as a "trial" offer before I join. Let me know if you'd like in. He's even offering a special deal, which I'll be happy to let you know about over PM, if you'd like to join. I figure transactions can be made over paypal, and I'm pretty sure he will ship to individual addresses, but he wants one main "contact." Let me know if you have any questions, and if you'd like to do it.

Jaco

Laggard

Count me in.

Thanks.