“How long have we got?”
These words were uttered by the unflappable Gary Imlach at the end of a montage, his mic hot, two minutes into ITV4’s live coverage of the Tour’s final stage before the enigmatic presenter seamlessly transitioned back into his monologue about the Champs-Élysées on which he stood.
Sitting at home in front of my TV, about 10 minutes before stage 21's neutral rollout, I smiled at the accidental profundity of Imlach’s question to his producer. Not nearly long enough, Gary.
This weekend British cycling fans heard the ‘Beat Route’ ITV Tour de France theme for the last time on free-to-air television as ITV finally lost its clammy grip on the Tour coverage, now exclusively in the clutches of Warner Bros. Discovery and its ominously named TNT Sports.
Imlach has fronted ITV’s Tour coverage since the channel bought the rights from Channel 4 in 2001, but it wasn’t until 2016 that Ned Boulting, who had been reporting from the ground for ITV since 2003, and former pro David Millar debuted as the channel's very own commentary duo. For three weeks every July, Imlach has appeared on British screens poised and solid at the start and finish of every broadcast, seemingly squinting directly into our innumerable living rooms, like a teacher relying only on his enigmatic presence to muffle a hall of children before opening his mouth to speak. Then after a couple of carefully edited montages and segments to camera, he’s handed over to the double act that has guided a generation through France and its greatest bike race.
Phil Long
Sometimes hyperbole has its use, and this is just such a time; not just British fans but the British public are losing an institution.
There will and have always been other routes into cycling as a fan or even future pro, but a key pipeline has dried up. Many British pros, pundits and enthusiasts alike have spoken in golden tones of ITV’s coverage ever since the news broke last year, including Tom Pidcock who grew up watching the highlights shows, and Jake Stewart, one of the 11 British riders at this year’s Tour (tying with 2024’s record high).
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