ITV4 to air new cycling show

ednwireland

ITV4 to air new cycling show

Cycling in Britain has truly arrived: it's going to get its own television show. ITV4 is broadcasting an eight-part 'cycling-based chat show' starting from Monday, July 23.

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/533929/itv4-to-air-new-cycling-show.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31gGKtyKwOk

doozerie

Here's hoping it proves to be informative, or entertaining at least, though comparisons with Top Gear are not encouraging.

Junior

doozerie wrote: »

Here's hoping it proves to be informative, or entertaining at least, though comparisons with Top Gear are not encouraging.

Here's the full press release I got.

Century TV is pleased to announce the launch of The Cycle Show, a new cycling based chat show, produced for ITV4 and sponsored by Chain Reaction Cycles, the world’s largest online bike store.
 
The 8 x 30 mins series will air in HD on Monday evenings at 8pm from 23rd July and will be repeated on Saturdays at 5:30pm and on Sunday mornings, will be available on ITV4+1 as well as ITV Player.
 
The programme will be presented by Graham Little with support from Rob Hayles and Anna Glowinski and will be filmed on Sundays at Look Mum No Hands café in Old Street.
 
The show will follow the latest cycling news and includes features with a two-wheeled theme, from Top Gear style challenges to technical features. With riding adventures and interviews with cycling legends, The Cycle Show looks at the lifestyle and fashion as well as the sport, across all disciplines. Viewers will be able to interact with the show via Twitter and Facebook.
 
Regulars will include a Rolla Sprint Challenge, supplied by Rollapaluza, and the first few shows will feature names such as Eddy Merckx, Nigel Mansell, Wayne Hemingway, Graham Obree and Gary Kemp.
 
Managing Director Rohan Browning said: "We'd really like to thank all of the people who have believed in and backed this series, particularly our sponsors Chain Reaction Cycles. We feel that there is a real gap in the market for a programme such as this and we're looking forward to getting the show underway. ITV4 are an ideal partner for a programme such as this and it will really compliment their cycling portfolio."
 
Chain Reaction Cycles Marketing Manager Damien Duggan commented: “This is another positive signal that cycling is finally hitting the mainstream, so we’re delighted to be supporting such an exciting new show.
 
The beauty of The Cycle Show is that it’ll appeal to a wide range of viewers, and with its debut to coincide with the start of the London 2012 Olympics we hope it’ll inspire more people to discover the joys of riding.”
 

Seve OB

whats the betting "This program is not available in the Republic of Ireland"

Highway_To_Hell

Just watched this show on the ITVPlayer, not overly impressed but will probably keep watching it to see if it improves over the 8 weeks.

I think Graeme Obree might have had a little nip of something in his coffee. Gary Fisher (inventor of mountain bikes) seemed an interesting character, there was a 500mtr sprint challenge between the 2 and they will keep a wall of fame similar to top gear.

When/how did Nigel Mansell get involved in cycling?

dastardly00

I saw a bit of it last night. It was good enough to keep me interested, and I'll watch it again next week.

The 500m-stationary bike challenge was a good bit of fun. Nigel Mansell was on it because he finances the UK Youth cycling team (Google told me that).

Rob Hayles and a bunch of amateur cyclists rode 9 laps of Box Hill to replicate that section of the Olympic Road Race course. The road is super smooth after it was resurfaced, but it is also quite narrow.

yop

Wasn't too bad, as said it just about keeps the interest. Some road surface for that spin! It will made the Olympic spin interesting though

ratracer

dastardly00 wrote: »

I saw a bit of it last night. It was good enough to keep me interested, and I'll watch it again next week.

The 500m-stationary bike challenge was a good bit of fun. Nigel Mansell was on it because he finances the UK Youth cycling team (Google told me that).

Rob Hayles and a bunch of amateur cyclists rode 9 laps of Box Hill to replicate that section of the Olympic Road Race course. The road is super smooth after it was resurfaced, but it is also quite narrow.

Is mansell funding it only while his son is cycling for the youth team? Damn, I wish I was rich instead of good looking

jinkypolly

Watched it today, thought it was ok if a bit short and therefore a bit light. I don't think Obree had anything in his coffee just that...well let's just say he's maybe wired up a wee bit differently from the rest of us.
I'll watch it again and hopefully they might extend the program and allow them to go into a wee bit more detail with the stories.

doozerie

Cycling Plus did an article on the UK Youth team last year and had some quotes from Nigel Mansell too. This is the only such article I can find on their online site but I don't think it is as comprehensive as the printed article was - I seem to remember there being something in the printed article about Mansell himself being a big fan of cycling but some of his injuries from his racing years make cycling problematic so he can't spend much time on a bike. As far as I can recall that was the gist of it anyway.

Cycling has been quite popular amongst some of the current top Formula 1 drivers for years, from what I understand. It seems to fit well with their requirements to maintain a high level of fitness. Jenson Buttons gets mentioned for doing triathlons the odd time, but someone mentioned to me about having read that Michael Schumacher was/is a strong bike rider too.