Now that the centenary Giro d'Italia has come to a close, before we analyze the riders and the tactics of the race itself, it should first be stated that thanks to Universal Sports, we the cycling public were treated to all the drama and excitement of a three week tour that normally we never would have seen.
Each day, Universal Sports showed a live, as-it-happens Web video production of the race, and then hours later a simulcast on TV. So, for each and every day, we were able to feel like we were in Italy, and enjoy all the sights and sounds of the centenary edition of the race.
Hopefully this is the beginning of a trend, and Universal will continue to broadcast cycling for the world to see. And while small corrections could and no doubt will be made to future broadcasts, overall the Universal experience was a positive one.
Around a month from now, the Tour de France will begin, and the main viewing option in America will once agin be the commercial-laden, limited and often myopic coverage of VS television. We'll listen with glazed eyes as the pro-American announcing team of Craig Hummer, Bob Roll, Paul Sherwin and Phil Liggett concentrate on one man and one man only . . . Lance Armstrong. It will be then that all of us will fully understand how good we had things for three weeks in May at the centenary Giro d'Italia. All thanks to NBC's Universal Sports.
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