Welsh-language channel S4C has claimed the rights screen extensive coverage of 2014 Tour de France, bringing the world’s greatest cycle race to the channel for the first time.
In a deal which brings some of the world’s best cycle races to S4C, the channel has announced plans to bring more coverage of the sport to Welsh-speaking audiences, featuring Le Tour and a host of other top races throughout June and July.
Throughout June, S4C will screening highlights of some of the ‘Spring Classics’, an annual series of races which are among the most challenging in the world of cycling.
Paris-Roubaix will be the first race covered in the series ‘Seiclo’, with highlights airing on Thursday, June 5 at 10.00pm, presented by Rhodri Gomer Davies and commentary from Wyn Gruffydd, giving special focus to the Welsh angle, with Geraint Thomas among the front runners.
In the following weeks, all airing on Thursday nights, there will be coverage of La Fleche Wallonne on June 12, Liege-Bastogne-Liege on June 19 and Criterium du Dauphine on June 26.
This will take cycling fans up to the beginning of the world’s greatest cycle race – Le Tour de France – with the 2014 edition starting in the UK on Saturday, July 5.
For the first time, S4C will screen regular live afternoon Welsh-language coverage of the race and nightly highlights.
On each stage of the Tour, S4C will join the peloton live on the road for the final two hours of each stage, with Wyn Gruffydd commentating on the action and bringing viewers the latest news as the leaders break away and sprint for the finish.
S4C will also broadcast daily highlights of each stage, not before 10.00pm, as well as review and preview programmes on rest day evenings.
Due to the Llangollen International Eisteddfod (July 9-12) and the Royal Welsh Show (July 22-24), S4C’s live stage coverage on these days will instead be shown via its website – s4c.co.uk/clic.
Then, each evening Rhodri Gomer Davies presents a comprehensive round up of the day’s stage. He will also join the teams on the road as they take on the British stages.
This year, the Tour de France begins in Yorkshire, with three stages held over three days starting in Leeds and ending on the Mall in London on July 7.
It will then return home to France with the finishing line on the Champs-Elysees in Paris three weeks later, on July 27.
One who will feel the world’s eyes on him is Team Sky’s Dave Brailsford, a Welsh speaker from Deiniolen, Snowdonia, who has lead Team Sky to two consecutive Tour de France victories.
The team’s success is largely down to this man, who spent years cycling the inclines of Snowdonia, and played football for local team Llanrug.
Brailsford welcomes the increased interest in the sport and S4C’s plans to broadcast daily live coverage from the Tour de France.
“It’s fantastic news that S4C are going to show the Tour de France,” says Brailsford.
“I think I can vouch as the head of Team Sky, who won the race twice, the Tour de France is a global event and it’s one of the biggest annual global events in sport.
“To have it shown on S4C is just a fantastic thing and I hope it’ll bring a whole new audience from Wales and more participation in Wales to the sport of cycling.”
S4C Factual and Sports Commissioner Llion Iwan says: “Cycling has experienced a massive surge in popularity over recent years, with the names of cyclists and races becoming widely familiar.
“The success of Team Sky and Team GB has raised the profile, and in response to this we’re proud to bring coverage of not only the Classics, which are of great importance to the cyclists, but also the most famous race of all Le Tour de France, which is widely known the world over and its popularity stretches beyond the world of cycling.”
S4C is available on all major platforms in Wales and across the UK on Sky, Virgin, Freesat, and on demand via YouView, while fans can also watch live and on demand online at s4c.co.uk/clic.
ITV Sport and British Eurosport will also be screening comprehensive coverage of the 2014 Tour de France, with both networks set to cover the race until at least 2019.
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