Race Streaming Services

So we’re off and into the spring classics and I just wanted to vent for a second on how @#$% I am at the state of streaming services at the moment for pro cycling…at least in the USA.

I’ve happily paid my monthly sub to GCN+ for awhile now, both for the fairly exhaustive race coverage and for their other content, which I often sub in for SYSTM inspiration rides, etc. But once you get into the heart of the pro calendar, all bets are off. Apparently this year, to get my spring classics, the US rights were bought by “flobikes.com” who I’ve not heard of and whose interface looks on par with some bootleg services I’ve seen in the past.

Oh, but not for Paris Roubaix, which has apparently entered the consciousness of enough Americans that NBC purchased the rights for their “Peacock Premium” service, ditto for the major tours coming up this summer. And then, frankly, most of the US-based commentators they get are…meh. Maybe Bob Roll in the big tours, but most others not so much.

So basically to get any content, I just need to hemmorhage money for these subscriptions? The rub is, most of these US licenses ONLY offer the big race content, and are MORE expensive than GCN+, so I’m basically doling out ONLY for the big events (which I’m probably going to do, sigh…still cheaper than a movie ticket). I still get way more content overall by sticking with GCN+. But man, I feel like Cash Register, but going in the wrong direction.

As my Commonwealth friends would say, BOLLOCKS.

Rant over.

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/begin agree_reply_rant
Totally agree with you. Why the heck do we have an option in this day and age that looks like it was coded for IE and wot, no smart TV app??? No, no, no. :exploding_head: You have to shell out for their service then use multiple connections or devices to get it on a bigger screen :-1:t3: As for Peacock+, I’m paying the month or two just so we can watch PR Femme in a couple weeks. I’m looking at what options there will be to watch TDF Femme too but how much will it cost me???
/end agree_reply_rant

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Mostly agree, but at least with Peacock there is plenty of other non cycling content. Flobikes is just overpriced and bad. They have actually aired many women’s races with absolutely no commentary (last year and this year) - and they charge more than anyone else. I do hope since GCN+ is still fairly new, that they will get the flobikes races once their contract ends.
As far as Peacock, they have had a deal with ASO for years which runs the Tour de France, Paris-Nice, Paris-Roubaix, etc… which is why they have all of those races. Not sure if GCN would be able to get those at some point.

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Would a VPN subscription be your friend?

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I think a VPN service is just the ticket. Install…change your location to somewhere in Europe and voila!

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Without getting into a “my VPN is better than your VPN” discussion, if you’re only using from time to time Windscribe have a pretty generous 10GB/Month free tier.
See: Use for Free - Windscribe

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