Race Broadcasts in the US
 

(Note: I asked a similar question in the pro-racing forum but it's dead over there.)

I'm becoming more interested in watching the various races. Last year Versus seemed to broadcast quite a bit and in HD. Now they are gone and everything I'm seeing is on Universal Sports which is rather poor coverage - only the last third of the race and not HD. I don't get a lot of channels so maybe I'm missing something.

NBC Sports has this schedule.

What are you watching and where?

I'm working with that same NBC Sports Epic Cycle schedule. Watched Criterium International last week. Tour of Flanders tomorrow...

Seems I don't get the right channel. Guess I have to upgrade my package. Lame. Seems it should be a basic channel.

steephill.tv on the web.

Live coverage usually starting around 5am (Pacific) or so. I haven't been able to find an HD feed though. And it's sometimes way cool to watch a race with Flemish or Italian commentary. But, EuroSport English has way better commentary from David Harmon & Sean Kelly than anything Versus or Universal ever did.

Yeah. Seeing how bike road racing is so mainstream here in the States.

It's the same channel as versus... NBC bought it a year ago (or whenver) and finally renamed it. I have DirecTV and it's still 603. YMMV.

This

But NBC Sports broadcasts more than cycling. Though I don't watch much else, I'm sure other people do.

I have Dish and it's channel 151. Have to buy a more expensive package to get it. I downgraded since I don't watch much TV but have to upgrade to watch cycling I guess.

Thanks for the tip. I'll check it out.

Subscribe to Universal Sports online and to cycling.tv, and you'll get coverage of almost everything with English commentary. You're also able to watch live or on-demand later on. For the TdF, you have to subscribe to the NBC Sports TdF online coverage, which is a *million* times better than watching on regular TV.

Usports has always been excellent. cycling.tv has been a little flaky in the past, but so far this season it's been dead-on 100% perfect. I've really enjoyed watching the spring classics after work on-demand.

NBC didn't buy Versus. Comcast now owns NBC. Comcast already owned Versus. The decision was made to roll Versus under the NBC umbrella for branding and marketing purposes...

But yes, it's the same channel. :)

Don't forget there's NBC Sports and Universal Sports. All part of NBC Universal and owned by Comcast. Just my two cents.

I'm enjoying the Tour of Flanders on the big screen right now. cycling.tv is doing full coverage of the race from start to finish.