On 10 Apr 2007 20:18:29 -0700, PiledHigher wrote:

How is this unexpected? The race was being run 50 years before TV was
invented...

It doesn't make much sense. It sounds like SBS sport managed to get a bit
more of budget with the increase in ad revenue and decide to try and buy
the rights to the PR.

It's ridiculous that anybody would turn down money for a cycling event.
Once coverage exists it is a trival matter to put it on a satellite or
cable these days. Deals for major sporting events have been decided in a
matter of hours when there is enough money involved.

Personally I don't care much for the PR. I don't really get the idea of
trying to ride a mountain bike course on a road bike just to see who can
avoid falling over and breaking their collar bone by chance (or the
manufacturing quality of their . Macadam was invented invented around 1820
and a tar coating added to eliminate dust during the 20th Century -- some
day the French will catch up.

dewatf.