Tour De France: Television commentary

Even if you're not interested in professional bike racing, or think it is filled with performance-enhanced druggies, the Tour De France is still the most compelling of the endurance sports, and part of the reason comes from the announcing team of Paul Sherwen and Paul Liggett. With 145 riders (the race began with 179 riders), and sometimes five hours of time to fill, the Tour De France is one of the more difficult events to call for an announcing team, but Sherwen and Liggett, of Versus, weave stories, explain strategy and keep the riders' names straight as they dart back and forth to the finish line. Without any big names in this year's Tour, which ends Sunday, the event has lacked some panache but Sherwen and Liggett always make it interesting, nonetheless.