Very interesting comments but most miss the mark. Carlton Kirby makes a race come alive. Yes he has some annoying foibles (i will yield on finding his own non jokes funny) but there is more to commentating on a long stage of a bike race than the regurgitation of stats so beloved of some listed on this site. His double act with Kelly has a balance not evident with others, the dovetailing between Kirby’s exuberance and Kelly’s race experience support each others approach and content. This is in stark contrast to others mentioned on this site, especially Rob “allo allo” Hatch who cannot read a race without a stat book and is constantly being contradicted by his ex-racer side kick Brian Smith who has to correct Hatch’s inept analysis of tactics and form. Leaving aside Hatch’s reliance on his linguistic approach to almost everything, bringing with it a staccato disruption of verbal flow as his brain momentarily clicks from one accent to another (then in moments of high tension reverts to a more natural anglicised version) highlights a smug superior pompousness but with it masks a distinct inability to react to any race move. So many times Hatch misses a move or badly calls a period of the stage while he is deludedly pontificating on the sats of an unimportant rider who just happened to be on the screen at that moment. It would appear that according to Rob “allo allo” Hatch, every domestique who happens to find themselves on the front of the peloton is having an amazing race.
There is far more to commenting over long periods of inactivity than just reading stats in a comedic accent. And no, just because he speaks those languages doe it make it right.
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Jane pratt
5 years ago
Stick to accuracy
A
Anonymous
5 years ago
very tedious commentary
A
Andy Lewis
5 years ago
Kirby is hopeless. A prattling fool. Spoiling my La Vuelta. Pls get rid of.
A
Andy Lewis
5 years ago
A total prat. Sounds like a 1970s local radio station DJ. Prattles on with nothing interesting to say. Spoiling La Vuelta for me at the moment so much I have to keep muting it. Only problem is I then miss Sean Kelly's proper commentary. Eurosport pls get rid of him.
A
Anonymous
5 years ago
Unnecessary prattle. Too much laughing at his own jokes.
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noel johnson
5 years ago
For God's sake bring back David Harmon!!!!
K
Keith Neail
5 years ago
Carlton Kirby, please no more, get rid !! However I do agree with the comments re Rob Hatch, he is so over the top and his emphasis on the pronunciation of foreign names and places is toe curling. Brian Smith beats Kirby, Hatch and Kelly all day long.
S
Shaneo
5 years ago
To right. Hes a muppet. Bring back Dave Harmon or promote Rob Hatch!
J
John Chambers
5 years ago
I have to turn off the cycling when he is prattling on.
G
Georg P
5 years ago
Bin him off
F
Fran Williams
5 years ago
The only person who finds Carlton Kirby amusing or informative appears to be Carlton Kirby
A
Anonymous
5 years ago
And Rob Hatch too.
D
David Stead
5 years ago
I cannot stand Kirby’s commentary on cycling for Eurosport. He has nothing interesting to say but babbles continuously in a weird, affected way that very quickly becomes intolerable.
I
Iwan Jones
5 years ago
The river comment did for me - he's always been awful please make him stop....
T
tony meader
5 years ago
I mute whenever he is commentating
L
Luke Smithson
5 years ago
Grinds my sanity to powder.
G
Gordon Smith
5 years ago
Please let's get rid of Kirby and replace him with one of the many knowledgeable retired pro riders...I have to turn off the sound .
K
Keith Neail
5 years ago
He's back commentating on Eurosport- Oh noooooooo !!!
Embarrassing.
Very interesting comments but most miss the mark. Carlton Kirby makes a race come alive. Yes he has some annoying foibles (i will yield on finding his own non jokes funny) but there is more to commentating on a long stage of a bike race than the regurgitation of stats so beloved of some listed on this site. His double act with Kelly has a balance not evident with others, the dovetailing between Kirby’s exuberance and Kelly’s race experience support each others approach and content. This is in stark contrast to others mentioned on this site, especially Rob “allo allo” Hatch who cannot read a race without a stat book and is constantly being contradicted by his ex-racer side kick Brian Smith who has to correct Hatch’s inept analysis of tactics and form. Leaving aside Hatch’s reliance on his linguistic approach to almost everything, bringing with it a staccato disruption of verbal flow as his brain momentarily clicks from one accent to another (then in moments of high tension reverts to a more natural anglicised version) highlights a smug superior pompousness but with it masks a distinct inability to react to any race move. So many times Hatch misses a move or badly calls a period of the stage while he is deludedly pontificating on the sats of an unimportant rider who just happened to be on the screen at that moment. It would appear that according to Rob “allo allo” Hatch, every domestique who happens to find themselves on the front of the peloton is having an amazing race. There is far more to commenting over long periods of inactivity than just reading stats in a comedic accent. And no, just because he speaks those languages doe it make it right.
Stick to accuracy
very tedious commentary
Kirby is hopeless. A prattling fool. Spoiling my La Vuelta. Pls get rid of.
A total prat. Sounds like a 1970s local radio station DJ. Prattles on with nothing interesting to say. Spoiling La Vuelta for me at the moment so much I have to keep muting it. Only problem is I then miss Sean Kelly's proper commentary. Eurosport pls get rid of him.
Unnecessary prattle. Too much laughing at his own jokes.
For God's sake bring back David Harmon!!!!
Carlton Kirby, please no more, get rid !! However I do agree with the comments re Rob Hatch, he is so over the top and his emphasis on the pronunciation of foreign names and places is toe curling. Brian Smith beats Kirby, Hatch and Kelly all day long.
To right. Hes a muppet. Bring back Dave Harmon or promote Rob Hatch!
I have to turn off the cycling when he is prattling on.
Bin him off
The only person who finds Carlton Kirby amusing or informative appears to be Carlton Kirby
And Rob Hatch too.
I cannot stand Kirby’s commentary on cycling for Eurosport. He has nothing interesting to say but babbles continuously in a weird, affected way that very quickly becomes intolerable.
The river comment did for me - he's always been awful please make him stop....
I mute whenever he is commentating
Grinds my sanity to powder.
Please let's get rid of Kirby and replace him with one of the many knowledgeable retired pro riders...I have to turn off the sound .
He's back commentating on Eurosport- Oh noooooooo !!!