I was too busy watching the Tour and living life to get around to making a post about the Tour finish. What were your impressions about this years Tour? Exciting? Boring? Predicable? The USA Pro Cycling Challenge starts August 19th see the broadcast schedule below.
NBC Announces Live Daily Coverage
Featuring unprecedented network coverage for the event, the USA Pro Challenge’s newly announced broadcast partnership with NBC Sports Network and NBC will include 29 hours of race coverage over seven days beginning Monday, August 20. New for 2012, coverage on NBC has been extended to include two hours on Saturday, August 25 and Sunday, August 26, more than any other domestic cycling event.
“The NBC Sports Group’s extended partnership with USA Pro Challenge demonstrates how much we believe in the sport,” said Jon Miller, president of programming for NBC Sports and NBC Sports Network. “The USA Pro Challenge is a major event in the U.S. and we are excited to once again air daily live coverage on NBC Sports Network in addition to the four hours on NBC.”
Coverage of the seven-day race begins on NBC Sports Network on Monday, August 20, at 4 p.m. ET, with the final stage in downtown Denver set to air live for two hours on NBC Sports Network and two hours on NBC on Sunday, August 26, beginning at 2 p.m. ET.
In addition, Universal Sports will re-air NBC’s coverage of Stages 6 & 7 on August 27 and August 28 at 6 p.m. ET, respectively.
Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen, the undisputed voices of cycling will be on site in Colorado to provide observations and insight for each day of NBC’s and NBC Sports Network’s coverage. Former cyclist Bob Roll will serve as the in-race reporter.
“We want to make the USA Pro Challenge accessible to as many people around the world as possible,” said Shawn Hunter, CEO of the USA Pro Challenge. “With the added live coverage on both Saturday and Sunday—two hours each day on NBC Sports Network and two on NBC – and the repeat coverage on Universal Sports, we are able to reach fans around the country that aren’t able to make it to Colorado, as well as new audiences.”
Providing coverage in several different formats and at different times of day, fans will have multiple opportunities to catch the action.
- The day before the race starts (Sunday, Aug. 19), NBC Sports Network will air a one-hour preview show at 3:30 p.m. ET, featuring in-depth profiles of the race’s top riders.
- Prior to the race each day, with the exception of Sunday, NBC Sports Network will give cycling fans an up-close look into the daily lives of their favorite riders with a 30-minute pre-show. The documentary-style shows, airing at 3:30 p.m. ET, will offer inside access to the riders and their preparations for the race.
- NBC Sports Network will provide live daily HD coverage of the seven stages of the competition.
- Highlights of the stages will be featured each night at 11 p.m. ET.
- Universal Sports will re-air NBC’s coverage of Stages 6 & 7 on August 27 and August 28, respectively.
NBC Sports Group’s broadcasts of the USA Pro Challenge will give viewers the best cycling coverage possible with features including: cameras on many of the teams’ cars; a pointer feature which will easily identify and focus on one rider in the peloton; exclusive, in-depth profiles and features on teams and riders; and advanced on-screen statistics/biometrics to illustrate the intensity at which the riders are competing.
NBCSports.com will offer cycling fans up-to-the-minute news throughout the entire race with daily standings and results; video recaps of each stage, exclusive fan videos and interviews from some of the best riders in the world. The website also features videos from the Pro Challenge Spotlight series, which takes a look into the lives behind some of America’s top riders.
Broadcast schedule for live coverage of the 2012 USA Pro Challenge
(all times ET and subject to change)
- Stage 1: Monday, August 20 – Durango to Telluride – 4 p.m. (NBC Sports Network)
- Stage 2: Tuesday, August 21 –Montrose to Crested Butte/Mt. Crested Butte – 4 p.m. (NBC Sports Network)
- Stage 3: Wednesday, August 22 – Gunnison to Aspen – 4 p.m. (NBC Sports Network)
- Stage 4: Thursday, August 23 – Aspen to Beaver Creek/Vail Village – 4 p.m. (NBC Sports Network)
- Stage 5: Friday, August 24–Breckenridge to Colorado Springs – 4 p.m. (NBC Sports Network)
- Stage 6: Saturday, August 25 – Golden to Boulder – 2-4 p.m. (NBC); 4-6 p.m. (NBC Sports Network)
- Stage 7: Sunday, August 26 –Denver Individual Time Trial – 2-4 p.m. (NBC Sports Network); 4-6 p.m. (NBC)
- Stage 6 Re-air: Monday, August 27 – 6-8 p.m. ET (Universal Sports)
- Stage 7 Re-air: Tuesday, August 28 – 6-8 p.m. ET (Universal Sports)
