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More Creative Cycling-Focused TV Content Is Needed

The head of Flanders Classic, Tomas Van Den Spiegel, recently suggested that the answer to getting more fans interested in the sport would be – in effect – to simply show less of the sport. By cutting the length of broadcasts and only showing the final hour of each race, he suggested that races could capitalize on society’s shrinking attention span. It is telling when a key stakeholder essentially implies that their product is so boring that they need to spare the fans from viewing it. Van Der Spiegel is correct that the sport needs to evolve its broadcast product and presents valid points, but simply reducing the broadcast content to show just the sprint finish isn’t the answer. Instead, all stakeholders should be looking at how to modify events to make them more compelling, and broadcasters should look at new and more creative ways of condensing and packaging the whole...

The Invisible Return of Pro Cycling

This past weekend, real-world professional road cycling returned, in the form of the Slovenian national road racing championships. After months of virtual events, some of the world’s best riders lined up to race — outside, on the road, and in front of fans. Primoz Roglic, a favorite for the 2020 Tour de France, rode away from the rising star and countryman Tadej Pogacar to win in thrilling fashion on the race’s summit finish. However, unlike the professional European soccer leagues, this return to live racing wasn’t marked by any highly publicized and triumphant kickoff. In fact, it was run with no television coverage at all outside of Slovenia, and it took a backseat in the English-language cycling media to the latest Everesting attempts and team sponsorship rumors. Indeed, numerous virtual racing events held during the lockdown over the past few months have been given far more...

Team Movistar Documentary on Netflix Is What Pro Cycling Needs

The new six-part series “The Least Expected Day” featuring Team Movistar’s controversial 2019 season was released on Netflix just a short time ago. And it is just the kind of compelling behind-the-scenes, human interest sports story which pro cycling badly needs – and the type of content which could lure new fans into the sport. The three-hour documentary, produced by the team’s parent company – Spanish telephone company Telefonica – provides unprecedented and up-close access into the team’s bus, race meetings, hotels and dining rooms. It brings a human face to the team, and presents an honest perspective on the interpersonal relationships, challenges and competitive conflicts which make the sport both intriguing for hard-core fans, but also sometimes difficult-to-follow for less familiar spectators. For years, observers have insisted that cycling could make far more effective use of...