Yes, they were about 40 minutes late coming through as they'd been taking it easy after yesterday's hard stage.  The start of today's stage was all up hill to Ronda, driving the car up to Ronda tires me out let alone cycling up that long, long hill to get there!

Here's a link to a useful map that not only shows the course profile but also where they are on the route.
https://racecenter.lavuelta.es/#/stageprofile/

And by the way, held up a NGF sign as they went past, hope someone spots it on TV. 

Can only get highlights on ITV4 for an hour each night and they don't name any village/town they go through so, sorry, I didn't see your town or your sign

Spanish television coverage is abysmal.   They don't start live coverage until about 15.15 so the cyclists had long passed. It looked as if they were all out for a Sunday afternoon ride. At the moment it's not a spectator event. Maybe it will improve.

Quote from: Newportnobby on August 27, 2018, 08:28:24 PM
Can only get highlights on ITV4 for an hour each night and they don't name any village/town they go through so, sorry, I didn't see your town or your sign

I happened to switch to ITV4 just as they were approaching our village, showed them entering the narrow section through the traffic lights and then they cut to them the other side of the village passing the plaza de toros (bull ring) going down hill towards Arroyo de la Miel so had skipped the bit of them going through the pueblo.      

Maybe the TV signal wasn't good going through the village as it's narrow and close walls.

I was watching the stage live as it passed through your town.  I commented to my wife that a member of the Forum lives in this town (Benalmadena) and may have an NGF banner on display.  We were both looking out for it, but we didn't spot it sadly.  Good video though.

Quote from: Mito on August 27, 2018, 08:36:47 PM
Spanish television coverage is abysmal.   They don't start live coverage until about 15.15 so the cyclists had long passed. It looked as if they were all out for a Sunday afternoon ride. At the moment it's not a spectator event. Maybe it will improve.

The best coverage appears to be on Eurosport 1, the main Spanish station is a pay channel so limited availability but will have a look at tomorrow morning's repeat on Eurosport to see if I can spot our sign.

They went passed us at 1743 (1643 UK time) about 40 minutes late as they'd all been taking it easy for most of the day especially on the down hill run.   

It was still quite exciting as all the people were cheering and clapping, was a great atmosphere and the village was packed, glad we wandered in to watch there.

I was surprised at how fast they were going

@Caz . I'm assuming where you were, was not long after the Buddist temple.  I recorded the eurosport coverage and just went through it slowly, but sadly didn't spot you and your banner,  I was keeping an eye out for the bar you were stood opposite but that wasn't shown.  Never mind, keep your banner for next year. Thanks for your updates.

Quote from: TrevL on August 28, 2018, 12:08:15 PM
I'm assuming where you were, was not long after the Buddist temple.  I recorded the eurosport coverage and just went through it slowly, but sadly didn't spot you and your banner,  I was keeping an eye out for the bar you were stood opposite but that wasn't shown.  Never mind, keep your banner for next year. Thanks for your updates.

Hi Trev,

Yes we were there and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I looked at the Eurosport re-run today and they did exactly as ITV4 did last night, showed the race entering the top of the village (bit like a Christmas type tree at the road junction) and then they cut back to the race after they had gone through the village and were passing the Plaza de Toros on their way out of the village.   :'(    :'(    :'(

Thanks for looking, all I can think is that the helicopter lost the camera radio feeds because I did notice the commentators commented on the "chocolate box castle" (a folly built by an English guy some years ago) filmed from the helicopter so perhaps it was a filler.

I don't normally follow cycling but I watched a bit more of the race today on TV and can't believe these guys will do this every day for three weeks, my God, they must be fit.

Unless I'm mistaken I think that both ITV4 and Eurosport take their pictures from the Spanish broadcasters and add their own commentary. Eurosport also have access to race radio and their commentators are sited at the stage finish each day.

I watch via a stand alone monthly subscription to Eurosport which currently costs me £7.99 a month.For this I get all three Grand Tours, all the Monuments and other big one day races and most of the minor stage races worldwide throughout the year. There is also a good selection of other sports [no cricket, alas] some of which I watch and the rest I give a miss. The Vuelta has an option to watch without the advert breaks which is much appreciated.

And just to go off on a tangerine, the Tour of Britain starts this Sunday

Well that'll take a day up 

Someone confiscate his passport please. In the meantime, I'll have a word with Immigration to ensure he doesn't get in

 

Tour of Britain has what are probably guest appearances by Thomas and Froome for Team Sky