Skiing | The TV broadcast of the final climb of the Tour de Ski received harsh criticism – Viaplay's expert was frustrated

in Sweden let's update how difficult it was to watch the final ascent of the Tour de Ski skied on Sunday on TV. It was challenging for the viewer to stay on top of the Tour's overall situation, as the results graphics on the international television broadcast reported incorrect information, reports a Swedish newspaper Expressen.

Following the final climb would have required precision even without the whimsical graphics, because the climb was skied again this year as a joint start. In the early days of the tour, Alpe Cermis was a pain in the chase, when it was easier to follow: the winner of the overall race crossed the finish line first.

Now TV viewers would have needed real-time factual information about who is skiing in which place in the overall race and how big or small the differences are.

However, according to Expressen, the results of the overall race shown on the TV images were wrong on several occasions, so Viaplay's Swedish commentator Per Forsberg had to constantly remind the viewers that there is no reason to trust the rankings displayed on the screen.

“The information shown on television must be correct, otherwise there's no point in publishing it,” Forsberg said and, according to Expressen, was shaking his head in frustration.

“I had to tell the viewers many times on the air to forget that information, it's not true. It confuses the viewers.”

Forsberg's accusing finger points in the direction of a company called Swiss Timing, which produces graphics for international skiing broadcasts.

Also a Swedish skier Moa Ilar was frustrated by the statistical errors in the TV broadcast.

“If the virtual broadcast doesn't work, it doesn't make sense to compete as a joint start,” Ilar said.

Major some of the skiers are of the opinion that skiing the final ascent as a joint start is downright stupid.

“Almost all the coaches are of the opinion that it is not good to start together. There is such a narrow groove on the transition route to Alpe Cermis that it is only suitable to go as a single tube. If you are left behind before the ski slope, getting up from there is an impossible task”, Finland's head coach Teemu Pasanen said earlier.

Perttu Hyvärin too was of the opinion that the chase would be a better format for the final climb.

“The start is really rough. On the 2.5 kilometer run around the stadium at the beginning, you are only looking for places, and when you move to Alpe Cermis, you can't overtake at all. If someone overtakes, you get
feedback pretty quickly. You just have to keep your skis and poles intact,” Hyvärinen stated.