It’s no secret that there has been disappointment over coverage from mountain biking at the Tokyo Olympics. From helicopter noises to cutting footage at the end of races. There has also been a lot of dissatisfaction surrounding the commentary at the races.
This is bound to be the case, as mountain bikers we only want the sport to be shown in its best light. We will also stand in defence of other professionals to say that their knowledge is most often broad rather than specialised. But should this be the case? Shouldn’t every sport have experts to elevate the coverage? This argument is a lot deeper than it seems on the surface, of course, it is rarely ever simple.
Following a Twitter post from Channel 5 News in which fellow Olympian, Jade Johnson calls Tom Pidcock, “a bit jammy,” there has been some backlash about the comment that suggests he has only been “doing it a few months.”
Although Channel 5 are at fault here. We can forgive if it’s not Jade’s area of expertise, but perhaps more research could have been done in order for the presenter to direct the conversation. There’s also no harm in saying you don’t know something. Time is often short when finding people who can come on to give comment, as it is during the broadcast, so there will often be gaps in people’s knowledge.
Tom’s Gold Medal
In comparison, Rob Warner gets interviewed on BBC Radio 5 Live, and of course, given his knowledge and experience, gives a great insight into who Tom Pidcock is.
With that in mind, who would be your pick for commentating at future Olympic mountain bike events? And who would you bring in as an expert to discuss athletes?
Related Content:
Mathieu van der Poel Olympic Crash: He Didn’t Know Ramp Had Been Removed
Did Tom Pidcock win the Men’s Olympic XC? Or Did Nino Schurter? Spoilers!
Singletrack Merch
Beate Kubitz Classic Ride Print #122 The Border Of The Borderlands
A classic picture, from our Classic Ride feature, mounted and ready to be framed. Sometimes watercolours bend to your will and every splash satisfyingly runs, just enough, into its neighbour to convey the lushness of foliage and the glimmer of light on the glade. It’s magic when it happens, just…
Singletrack Sponsored Features
A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood | Part 5 – The Commuter Edition
This article was brought to you in association with Ortlieb. Missed any of the earlier issues of this feature series? Catch up here. Article sections Cast your mind back into the not so distant past and perhaps reflect on what used to be your commute. I suspect that like pretty…
Featured Premier Partner
Atlas Ride Co
The Mountain Bike Holiday Company. #ONEPEDALAHEAD since 2012 Enduro and Downhill Mountain Bike Holidays how they should be! Established in 2012 and operating across some of the best riding destinations in the world. These include Finale Ligure, Morzine, the Aosta valley, Scotland and many more. Atlas Ride Co know exactly…
