German broadcasters mull airing Tour de France
After three years without live Tour de France coverage, German TV considers the possibility of broadcasting the race again
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BERLIN — German state broadcaster ARD is considering screening stages of the Tour de France again after refusing to show live coverage since 2012 due to doping scandals in cycling.
A decision will be made at the end of the year, ARD chairman Lutz Marmor said on Wednesday at a press conference in Hanover, Germany.
Two years ago, both main German broadcasters ARD and ZDF pulled the plug on screening the world’s top cycling race in Germany after repeated doping scandals rocked the sport.
But ARD’s program director Volker Herre says they feel the sport has made significant progress in the fight against doping in recent years.
Recently, German sprint star Marcel Kittel has ben unparalleled in the Tour’s flat stages, spurring renewed interest in German cyclists. He even hinted that he’ll aim for the sprinter’s green jersey at some point in his career.
“Everyone can be proud of it, it’s great to see so many German riders here,” Kittel said after the Tour. “It shows German cycling is part of the top of the cycling world and that’s awesome.”