Dear Sirs,
While I admit there are ineffably more important things in the world than bicycle races and yellow jerseys, I write to ask why broadcaster ESPN feels it can be so cavalier in its contempt for cycling fans eager to watch arguably the planet's finest sporting event: the three-week Tour de France.
For the first two weeks of this year's tour, ESPN's coverage was acceptable, even if it amounted to only one half-hour highlights programme shown at 6am or 7.30am and repeated at 3pm (facilitating late lunch-hour watching in the office) and 7.30pm. In the third week, however, as the most captivating tour in years - the Landis affair notwithstanding - reached its sinew-straining climax, ESPN chopped and changed its published schedules to the extent of dumping the event entirely on certain days, or showing it at times such as 3.31am.
Not subscribing to ESPN at home, being unable to download any schedule, published or belatedly rehashed, and taking a gamble that highlights would be shown on the final Saturday at 7.30am, I made a pilgrimage to the office television to watch. Surprise, surprise: no show. The programme had been aired at 6.01am. On the final Sunday of the race the highlights were advertised in a 2.35pm slot.
Cue second office visit of the weekend. Once again the normal schedule was abandoned in favour of ... golf.
Some viewers may not understand professional cycling (although it's not that difficult; it's just like riding a bike) and the British Open may be a big event in some quarters. But golf must be the game with the least per-minute action of any televised. (And televised so slavishly, in six-hour stretches.)
