FanPost

RAI announce their coverage of the Giro

RAI held a news conference today to release details of how when and where they will cover this year's Giro. First of all the infrastructure: they will have 150 staff and 26 assorted vehicles on hand, including mobile editing suites and the like. The details you want to hear:

22 cameras available around the course
4 cameras on motorbikes
4 helicopters, 2 filming and 2 relaying pictures back to
1 plane high overhead to complete the relay for transmission
2 TV reporters on motorbikes (Andrea De Luca and Paolo Savoldelli - at least they didn't stick with Bettini who was a bit rubbish at it)
2 radio reporters on motorbikes

Their expected daily schedule (and don't try to set your watch by this) is:

9.00 - Tg Sport - RaiSport Più
12.25 - Si Gira - RaiSport Più e RaiTre
13.45 - Anteprima Giro - RaiSport Più
15.15 - Diretta della tappa - RaiSport Più e RaiTre
17.00 - Processo alla Tappa - RaiSport Più e RaiTre
20.00 - TGiro - RaiSport Più
1.00 - Giro notte - RaiTre




TGSport is the regular morning sports news programme on RaiSport Più, so will have a couple of minutes beside football and other sports coverage.

Si Gira comes from the start, although not usually live. In the past there have been lots of Alessandra De Stefano's interviews with riders at the signing on, plus interviews with others involved in the organisation, including the ardoisiers and the guy who counts down the start at the time trials, and a few items about the start town. It's not all about podium girls, you know. This year it will be presented by Marino Bartoletti, who's done it for a few years, and Arianna Secondini who is new. I hope that they have her on the ground and not in the big sterile studio back in Rome that they have been using this year.

Anteprima Giro is usually just a replay of the day before's stage.

Diretta della tappa is the live coverage of the stage, with Francesco Pancani and Davide Cassani as commentators. Pancani's taking a while to warm up to the job, and he doesn't convey the excitement as well as Bulbarelli did. Well that's my view, anyway.

Processo alla Tappa is the after stage show, live from a mobile studio right beside the main podium. HOt and sweaty riders, their DS's assorted ex-riders, a few journalists and lots of heckling make this the model that every after race show should follow. Andrea Fusca has been given the boot, and the show will now be presented by Alessandra De Stefano. I like her but I used to like him too, so I hope that they don't change too much.

TGiro is an odd little beast, seemingly filled with the bits that didn't make it into the other shows. In the past they've had some nice interviews with the riders over dinner at their hotels, padded out with some really pointless rubbish. Which sprinter can autograph the most photos of himself in a minute was one. If presenters Alessandro Fabretti and Davide Cassani have had a chance to reflect on what happened that day and want to go into detail on something they didn't have time to during the live commentary then it's a great show. Zomegnan asked today if TGiro could be broadcast internationally over the web for fans everywhere (he also mentioned that a certain A Contador will be riding the Giro in 2011).

Giro notte. If you missed the live coverage and can't catch tomorrow's replay then this is the show for you. Probably cheaper than showing old Nino Pagot cartoons. Actually it's probably cheaper than showing the test card too.

Rai will also be reopening their dedicated Giro d'Italia web site too. They will be streaming the live coverage plus Processo alla Tappa, but no mentions yet of what georestrictions will be in force. And this year you will also be able to follow specifically the helicopter feeds or the moto-coverage, rather than being stuck with the camera view that the director has chosen. Enjoy that third helicopter trip around the babe sunbathing topless on the beach next to her married boyfriend. Plus select moments including Si Gira and Giro Notte will be available for on demand viewing.

Is there anything that they've forgotten?