Cycling on CBS

{{Infobox television

| image =

| image_upright =

| image_size =

| image_alt =

| caption =

| alt_name =

| native_name =

| genre = Multiple-stage bicycle racing

| creator =

| based_on =

| inspired_by =

| developer =

| writer =

| screenplay =

| story =

| director = David Michaels

| creative_director =

| presenter =

| starring = Greg Amsinger
Tim Brant
James Brown
John Dockery
Jim Gray
Eric Heiden
Craig Hummer
Armen Keteyian
Bob Neumeier
Phil Liggett
Tim Ryan
Paul Sherwen
John Tesh

| judges =

| voices =

| narrated =

| theme_music_composer =

| opentheme =

| endtheme =

| composer = John Tesh
Yanni
Geoffrey Downes

| country = United States

| language = English

| num_seasons =

| num_episodes =

| list_episodes =

| executive_producer = Ted Shaker
Harold Bryant

| producer = David Michaels
Victor Frank{{cite news |last=Braff|first=Carolyn|date=July 23, 2010|title=CBS Sports To Provide National Exposure for Tour de France Finale|url=http://staging.sportsvideo.org/2010/07/23/cbs-sports-to-provide-national-exposure-for-tour-de-france-finale/|work=Sports Video Group|location= |access-date=}}

| news_editor =

| location = France and other countries

| cinematography =

| animator = Post Group

| editor = Raymond Ek
Stig Johansson

| camera = Multi-camera

| runtime = 3 1/2 hours

| company = CBS Sports
OLN

| budget =

| network = CBS

| first_aired = {{Start date|1980}}

| last_aired = {{End date|1988|07|24}}

| first_aired2 = {{Start date|2001}}

| last_aired2 = {{End date|2010|07|25}}

| related = {{Plainlist|

}}

Cycling on CBS is the de facto name for broadcasts of multiple-stage bicycle races produced by CBS Sports, the sports division of the CBS television network. CBS was notably the first{{cite web |url=https://casetext.com/case/broadcasting-rights-v-stdf|title=Broadcasting Rights International Corp. v. Societe du Tour de France|last= |first= |date= |website=Casetext|publisher= |access-date= |quote=}} American television network to provide coverage of the Tour de France.{{cite book |last=Reed|first=Eric|author-link= |date= 7 January 2015|title=Selling the Yellow Jersey: The Tour de France in the Global Era|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Bn_VBQAAQBAJ&dq=1981+tour+de+france+cbs&pg=PA156|location= |publisher= University of Chicago Press|page=155|isbn=9780226206677}} CBS also provided coverage of Paris–Roubaix during the 1980s.

Overview

=Tour de France coverage=

CBS first covered the Tour de France in 1980, airing approximately five minutes of action. During that time, CBS typically taped segments of the beginning of the stage in order to air them the following weekend on CBS Sports Sunday. The final stage would however, be broadcast live.{{cite news |last=Wilcockson|first=John|date=February 10, 2006|title=Inside Cycling with John Wilcockson: The "premature" Tour of America, and a Phinney first|url=https://www.velonews.com/news/inside-cycling-with-john-wilcockson-the-premature-tour-of-america-and-a-phinney-first/|work=VeloNews|location= |access-date=}}

On April 7, 1985, CBS entered into an agreement with Broadcasting Rights International Corporation to retain the American television broadcasting rights to the Tour de France through 1988. The agreement was said to initially be worth approximately $50,000 with an additional $237,000 for the broadcasting rights to the 1987 tour. By 1986,{{cite news |last=Hersh|first=Phil|date=June 8, 1986|title=FOR AMERICA'S LEMOND THE WORLD IS HIS BICYCLE PATH|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1986-06-08-8602110294-story.html|work=Chicago Tribune|location= |access-date=}} CBS would devote to {{frac|3|1|2}} hours of coverage for five consecutive weekends.

When CBS broadcast their final Tour de France in 1988,{{cite news |last=Hersh|first=Phil|date=June 10, 1988|title=NEW U.S. HOPE PEDALS PAST AILING LEMOND|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1988-06-10-8801060621-story.html|work=Chicago Tribune|location= |access-date=}} their coverage for the first three weekends{{cite news |last=Fang|first=Ken|date=July 26, 2009|title=Videos of the Week - Tour de France|url=https://thesportsdaily.com/2009/07/26/videos-of-the-week-tour-de-france/|work=The Sports Daily|location= |access-date=}} consisted of highlights and features. Tim Brant and Phil Liggett served as hosts for the telecasts airing under the CBS Sports Sunday umbrella. CBS would however, air the final stage live on July 24.

In 2001, the Outdoor Life Network{{cite news |last=Green|first=Kristen|date=July 1, 2005|title=Outdoor Life Network ready to show 'Super Bowl of cycling'|url=https://www.ocala.com/article/LK/20050701/News/604233613/OS|work=Ocala.com|location= |access-date=}} (or OLN{{cite book |last=Liggett, Raia, Lewis|first=Phil, James, Sammarye|author-link= |date= 4 May 2011|title=Tour De France For Dummies|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g0-OU0Q5lk0C&dq=2004+tour+de+france+cbs+oln&pg=PA136|location= |publisher= John Wiley & Sons|page= |isbn=9781118070109}}{{cite news |last=Ennis|first=Connor|date=July 29, 2003|title=OLN Gets Big Boost From Tour De France|url=https://apnews.com/article/57cb37ad43e3f69638700d7dfa573730|work=AP|location= |access-date=}}) replaced ABC and ESPN as the principal American television broadcaster for the Tour de France. The network in the process, purchased air time{{cite news |last= |first= |date=August 4, 2001|title=For Tour Coverage, CBS Asleep at Wheels|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-aug-04-sp-30570-story.html|work=Los Angeles Times|location= |access-date=}} on CBS,{{cite news |last=Katz|first=Richard|date=July 30, 1999|title=Outdoor Life rides on Tour |url=https://variety.com/1999/tv/news/outdoor-life-rides-on-tour-1117744375/|work=Variety|location= |access-date=}} where three one-hour{{cite news |last=Andera|first=Scott|date=July 29, 2002|title=ARMSTRONG'S WINNING STREAK A VICIOUS CYCLE|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-2002-07-29-0207290090-story.html|work=The Orlando Sentinel|location= |access-date=}} tape delayed specials would air on Sunday afternoons. These specials mainly recapped{{cite news |last=Mugmon|first=Matthew|date=August 1, 2002|title=Tour de France overlooked in sports world|url=https://www.thedp.com/article/2002/08/tour_de_france_overlooked_in_sports_world|work=The Daily Pennsylvanian|location= |access-date=}} the past few days of action{{cite news |last=Ennis|first=Connor|date=July 3, 2003|title=Cable Channel Awaits Tour De France|url=https://www.theintelligencer.com/news/article/Cable-Channel-Awaits-Tour-De-France-10583649.php|work=The Intelligencer|location= |access-date=}} from the final three weeks{{cite news |last=Miller|first=Nicole M.|date=July 3, 2005|title=For Tour Viewers, a Familiar Cycle|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/tv/2005/07/03/for-tour-viewers-a-familiar-cycle/814c8af3-03c6-45bd-8a89-40c43b5f5dba/|newspaper=The Washington Post|location= |access-date=}} of the tour. CBS however, devoted {{frac|3|1|2}} hours to the final stage of the tour on CBS Sports Spectacular. In total, the arrangement with OLN and CBS was worth approximately $3.3 million.{{cite book |last=Albergotti, O'Connell|first=Reed, Vanessa|author-link= |date=July 2014|title=Wheelmen: Lance Armstrong, the Tour de France, and the Greatest Sports ...|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aPAKDAAAQBAJ&dq=2004+tour+de+france+cbs+oln&pg=PA299|location= |publisher= Penguin|page=299|isbn=9781592408887}}

CBS employed the services of commentators Armen Keteyian,{{cite news |last=Penner|first=Mike|date=June 30, 2001|title=CBS Leaves U.S. Viewers With an Unguided Tour|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-jul-30-sp-28241-story.html|work=Los Angeles Times|location= |access-date=}} Phil Liggett,{{cite news |last=Conley|first=Cecil|date=July 19, 2005|title=Liggett sees best team around Armstrong|url=https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2005/07/19/liggett-sees-best-team-around-armstrong/|work=East Bay Times|location= |access-date=}} and Paul Sherwen. In 2006, Bob Neumeier{{cite news |last= |first= |date=July 19, 2006|title=CBS SPORTS RIDES INTO PARIS WITH FINAL STAGES OF "TOUR DE FRANCE" ON SUNDAY, JULY 23|url=https://www.viacomcbspressexpress.com/cbs-sports/releases/view?id=13000|work=ViacomCBS Press Express|location= |access-date=}} succeeded Armen Keteyian{{cite news |last=Sandomir|first=Richard|date=July 22, 2007|title=Doping Scandal Puts Dark Cloud Over Coverage of Tour de France|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/22/sports/othersports/22tv.html|work=The New York Times|location= |access-date=}} as the host. The following year, Craig Hummer{{cite news |last= |first= |date= |title=CBS SPORTS PEDALS INTO PARIS WITH FINAL STAGES OF "TOUR DE FRANCE" ON SUNDAY, JULY 29|url=https://www.viacomcbspressexpress.com/cbs-sports/releases/print?id=16433|work=ViacomCBS Press Express|location= |access-date=}} succeeded Neumeier in the hosting role{{cite news |last= |first= |date=July 27, 2010|title=CBS SPORTS BULLETIN BOARD -- CBS SPORTS AIRS ARMSTRONG'S AU REVOIR TO TOUR DE FRANCE|url=https://www.viacomcbspressexpress.com/cbs-sports/shows/cbs-sports/releases/view?id=25602|work=ViacomCBS Press Express|location= |access-date=}} for CBS.

In 2008, Greg Amsinger hosted the Tour de France for CBS.{{cite web|url=http://www.mlb.com/network/personalities/?id=3728771|title=On-Air Personalities: Greg Amsinger|publisher=MLB Network|access-date=August 9, 2009}}

CBS' involvement with the Tour de France once again ended when NBC{{cite news |last=Berenz|first=Ryan|date=June 30, 2011|title=2011 Tour de France TV coverage on Versus and NBC|url=https://www.channelguidemag.com/tv-news/2011/06/30/2011-tour-de-france-tv-coverage-on-versus-and-nbc/|work=Channel Guide Magazine|location= |access-date=}} took over the American broadcast television network rights in 2011.

=Tour of America=

In 1983, CBS teamed with World Tour Cycling to devote at least 27 minutes to the Tour of America,{{cite web |url=http://www.cyclingarchives.com/ritfiche.php?ritid=16188|title=Tour of America 1983|last= |first= |date= |website=Cycling Archives|publisher= |access-date= |quote=}} which was a 130 km race from Williamsburg, Virginia to Richmond, Virginia.{{cite web |url=https://richmond.com/from-the-archives/the-1983-tour-of-america/image_2ea7462c-4a9f-11e5-ac23-bb4eb8f1ead7.html|title=The 1983 Tour of America|last= |first= |date=September 27, 2015|website=Richmond Times-Dispatch|publisher= |access-date= |quote=}}

=Paris–Roubaix=

CBS began covering Paris–Roubaix in 1984 and continued on through 1988, when the coverage like with the Tour de France moved over to ABC. Theo de Rooij, a Dutchman, had been in a promising position to win the 1985 race but had then crashed, losing his chance of winning. Covered in mud, he offered his thoughts on the race to John Tesh after the race:

"It's a bollocks, this race!” said de Rooij. "You're working like an animal, you don't have time to piss, you wet your pants. You're riding in mud like this, you're slipping ... it’s a pile of shit".

When then asked if he would start the race again, de Rooij replied:

"Sure, it's the most beautiful race in the world!”{{cite web

|title=The Explainer: Daily life in the peloton

|author=Charles Pelkey

|publisher=VeloNews

|date=2009-03-11

|url=http://www.velonews.com/article/89156

|access-date=2009-06-18

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090517002922/http://velonews.com/article/89156

|archive-date=17 May 2009

|url-status=dead}}

=Tour DuPont=

In 1991,{{cite news |last=Connolly|first=Steve|date=February 6, 1991|title=POCONOS SEE PAYOFF FROM TOUR DU PONT|url=https://www.mcall.com/news/mc-xpm-1991-02-06-2786792-story.html|work=The Morning Call|location= |access-date=}} CBS succeeded NBC in providing broadcast network coverage of the Tour DuPont.{{cite news |last=Leffler|first=Pete|date=February 27, 1992|title=TOUR DU PONT RACERS TO CROSS THE POCONOS|url=https://www.mcall.com/news/mc-xpm-1992-02-27-2839656-story.html|work=The Morning Call|location= |access-date=}} While ESPN would provide daily, 30-minute long recaps each weeknight, CBS would provide their coverage on May 12 and May 19 as part of CBS Sports Sunday. The following year, CBS again provided two weeks worth of coverage, this time on May 10 and May 17 on 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Eastern time respectively. Jim Gray anchored the broadcasts alongside Phil Liggett and James Brown.{{cite news |last=Hasen|first=Jeff|date=May 17, 1991|title=Broadcast Column: Sportscast|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1991/05/17/Broadcast-Column-Sportscast/4550674452800/|work=UPI|location= |access-date=}} By 1994, when CBS Sports Sunday was now branded as Eye on Sports,{{cite news |last= |first= |date=March 9, 1994|title=CBS to Offer 'Eye on Sports' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/09/sports/cbs-to-offer-eye-on-sports.html|work=The New York Times|location= |access-date=}} CBS{{cite news |last=Steadman|first=Tom|date=May 3, 1994|title=CYCLISTS HIT THE HIGHWAY|url=https://greensboro.com/cyclists-hit-the-highway/article_62787f56-ab87-5d92-af12-14ff9e57d366.html|work=Greensboro News & Record|location= |access-date=}} devoted at least two hours to the finale on May 15. James Brown{{cite news |last=Dearth|first=Sonny|date=May 13, 1994|title=LISTENERS HEAR EXCITING FINISHES|url=http://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-xpm-19940513-1994-05-13-9405130013-story.html|work=The Daily Press|location= |access-date=}} once again helped anchor the coverage.

Commentators

Greg Amsinger
Tim Brant
James Brown
John Dockery{{cite web |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/john-dockery/|title=John Dockery|last= |first= |date=February 19, 1999|website=CBS News|publisher= |access-date= |quote=}}
Jim Gray
Eric Heiden{{cite news |last=Hildenbrand|first=Brian|date= |title=ERIC HEIDEN: MEMORIES OF THE TOUR|url=https://pelotonmagazine.com/features/eric-heiden-memories-of-the-tour/|work=Peloton Magazine|location= |access-date=}}
Craig Hummer
Armen Keteyian
Bob Neumeier
Phil Liggett{{cite web|url=http://www.outdoorsinc.com/pages/joe-royer-sits-down-with-phil-liggett |title=Outdoors Inc |publisher=Outdoors Inc. |access-date=1 July 2012}}
Tim Ryan{{cite book |last=Lawrence|first=Kelli|author-link= |date= 10 January 2014|title=Skating on Air: The Broadcast History of an Olympic Marquee Sport|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7qSiLyFZy1YC&dq=tim+ryan+tour+de+france+cbs&pg=PA93|location= |publisher= McFarland|page= |isbn=9780786485444}}
Paul Sherwen
John Tesh{{cite web |url=https://www.blacktie-colorado.com/photos/photodetail.cfm?id=6212|title=Denver's Paramount Teshed by an Angel|last= |first= |date=February 16, 2002|website=Blacktie Colorado|publisher= |access-date= |quote=}}{{cite book |last=Tesh|first=John|author-link= |date= 25 February 2020|title=Relentless: Unleashing a Life of Purpose, Grit, and Faith|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HDVQDwAAQBAJ&dq=1982+tour+de+france+cbs&pg=PA91|location= |publisher= Thomas Nelson|page=91|isbn=9781400208739}}{{cite news |last=Workmon|first=Bob|date=October 5, 2010|title=John Tesh says being expelled from N.C. State was turning point in his life|url=https://www.starnewsonline.com/article/NC/20101005/news/605065374/WM|work=Star News Online|location= |access-date=}}