INCREASED USE OF VIDEO MARKS BICYCLING'S COVERAGE OF TOUR DE FRANCE
For fans of the Tour de France – the biggest cycling event of the year – Bicyling magazine has ramped up its online coverage of the competition taking place now through July 24. What’s especially noteworthy of the coverage is the magazine’s increased use of video, including exclusive daily video contributions provided by U.S. star Chris Horner (right), one of the top U.S. hopefuls in this year’s race. MPA wanted to learn more about why Bicycling decided to use video, and how the editors executed on their vision, so we engaged in the following email interview with editor-in-chief Peter Flax (left).
MPA: Why did you decide to focus so heavily on Horner for the video commentary?
Flax: Horner is probably the most well-liked American cyclist right now, and I think our readers really relate to the idea of a middle-aged guy (Chris is 39) finally getting a chance to win at the highest level. And unlike most professional athletes, who keep their personality and true opinions in check with the media, Chris is a guy who speaks his mind. Anyway, with some guy named Lance not in this year's Tour, it makes sense for us to focus on a couple interesting English-speaking personalities that our readers can get to know and see the Tour de France through their eyes. But I should note that we are now also focusing on two athletes with our video commentary-- Horner and this German cyclist named Jens Voigt, a throwback tough-guy who was raised in East Germany, and has six kids and a sly sense of humor.
MPA: What type of video coverage will you be providing? Will this be Jersey Shore on two wheels...or even wilder?
Flax: Hey, in the sprint finishes at the end of a Tour stage, the fights are a lot more authentic looking than the Jersey Shore. And we want our coverage to be as entertaining as it is informative, but it's hard to turn the world's biggest bike race into a guilty pleasure. If all goes well, we'll produce more than 100 videos during the three-week race. We hired Frankie Andreu, a former teammate of Lance Armstrong's and a longtime commentator on Versus' TV coverage of the Tour, to be our on-camera commentator for much of our analysis, and so far that's going great.
MPA: Explain the nuts and bolts of capturing the video commentary. Did you send your staff to France for six weeks armed with Platinum Amex cards and the latest Sony HD gear? Or did you place an ad in Le Monde for an unpaid intern who could just push the "on" button on a Flip camcorder?
Flax: Honestly, one of the scariest parts of managing this kind of ambitious coverage of the Tour de France is waiting for the expenses to filter back. I mean, if you're a cycling journalist, this is your best chance to try and bury a bottle of Chateau Margaux in an expense report. We have a rotating team of about ten staffers, and at least three or four people covering the race at any given time. We have a dedicated two-person video crew, but everyone there is empowered and equipped to put together some video content if they can chase down a story.
MPA: Who edits the footage? Is it sent raw to Rodale HQ or is the whole thing put together on location?
Flax: The on-site video crew edits some of the footage right there in shabby hotels all around France. Other videos, like all the stage previews we filmed with Chris Horner a few weeks ago, are being edited right here in Rodale HQ. Because of the time difference and the pressure to get content up as quickly as possible, the editing can often take place in the middle of the night. When the Tour finally ends, the online team needs to take a couple days off to regain their sanity from the 24/7 effort.
MPA: How did you convince Horner to offer video commentary? We imagine that it's slightly easier than negotiating an on-camera interview with Tiger Woods. Did you have to throw in free running lessons from David Willey?
Flax: I hadn't thought of running lessons with David--do you mind if I claim that idea as my own? Seriously, cyclists inhabit a different kind of celebrity than Tiger Woods or LeBron James, which is a good thing for fans and the media. In Chris' case, he's a guy who may be nearing the end of his professional career and who likely has a future either as a coach or commentator; plus, he's organized a big ride out in his hometown (Bend, Oregon) that has the potential to turn into a business. All this to say that it's in Chris' interest to be familiar and well-liked by the readers of the world's largest cycling magazine. So far the relationship is going great.
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