Phil Liggett
Encyclopedia
Phil Liggett, MBE
(born 11 August 1943) is a British commentator
and journalist who covers professional cycling
. He currently commentates on the Tour de France
and bike races for Versus
, ITV
and SBS
. He is a former amateur
cyclist and received a professional contract in 1967; instead of turning professional, he saw a future in sports journalism after he wrote a few articles in cycling magazines about races in which he participated.
Liggett initially wrote for Cycling
magazine, and moved on to work freelance for The Guardian
,The Daily Telegraph
and The Observer
. In 1997, he was appointed Cycle Sport magazine's international editor. He has also written books on cycle racing.
Between 1972 and 1993, Liggett was technical director of the Milk Race
. His involvement with organising cycle racing events led to his becoming vice-president of the Association Internationale Organisateurs des Courses Cycliste. In 1973, age 30, Liggett became the youngest ever UCI
international commissaire
.
Liggett has reported on 13 Olympics and 38 Tours. He is usually teamed with Paul Sherwen
. Liggett has covered other sports including triathlon
s and ski jumping
. Combining this other coverage with his Tour de France
work has enabled Liggett to become one of the few sports journalists to work for the American Big Three networks: ABC
, CBS
, and NBC
. He has had a long time association with Australian network SBS
and covers the Tour de France with Sherwen, as well as covering other Australian events such as the Tour Down Under
. He has covered Johannesburg's 94.7 Cycle Challenge for South Africa's SuperSport, an event which attracted 25,000 entrants in 2010.
In 2005, Liggett was awarded an MBE for his voluntary and professional service to cycling.
Liggett is known for colourful expressions about riders or racing conditions with often literary overtones. A collection of these "Liggettisms" was published in 2005. In 2009, he was inducted into the British Cycling Hall of Fame
.
Liggett's home town is Bebington
, Wirral
, though he now lives in Bayford, Hertfordshire
. He spends most of his leisure time in South Africa where he has a house in the Southern Cape and a game farm near the Kruger National Park
. In 2009 he joined the Tour de Munster 4-day charity cycle for the final 2 stages around Kerry and Cork.
For ten years, from around 1997 to January 2007, Liggett was president of the Cyclists' Touring Club
(CTC), Britain's national cyclists' organisation. He was succeeded by Jon Snow
, presenter of Channel 4
news.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 11 August 1943) is a British commentator
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
and journalist who covers professional cycling
Road bicycle racing
Road bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...
. He currently commentates on the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
and bike races for Versus
Versus (TV channel)
Versus is a sports-oriented cable television channel in the United States. It was previously known as Outdoor Life Network and was launched on July 1, 1995, focusing on fishing, hunting, and other outdoor sports...
, ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
and SBS
Special Broadcasting Service
The Special Broadcasting Service is a hybrid-funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television network. The stated purpose of SBS is "to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect...
. He is a former amateur
Amateur
An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training....
cyclist and received a professional contract in 1967; instead of turning professional, he saw a future in sports journalism after he wrote a few articles in cycling magazines about races in which he participated.
Liggett initially wrote for Cycling
Cycling Weekly
Cycling Weekly is a British cycling magazine. It is published by IPC Media and is devoted to the sport and past-time of cycling. It is affectionately referred to by British club cyclists as "The Comic".-History:...
magazine, and moved on to work freelance for The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
,The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
and The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
. In 1997, he was appointed Cycle Sport magazine's international editor. He has also written books on cycle racing.
Between 1972 and 1993, Liggett was technical director of the Milk Race
Tour of Britain
The Tour of Britain is a cycle race, conducted over several stages, in which participants race from place to place across parts of Great Britain....
. His involvement with organising cycle racing events led to his becoming vice-president of the Association Internationale Organisateurs des Courses Cycliste. In 1973, age 30, Liggett became the youngest ever UCI
UCI
UCI usually refers to the Union Cycliste Internationale, the world governing body for the sport of cycling.UCI may also refer to:* United Cinemas International* United Kennel Clubs International...
international commissaire
Commissaire (cycling)
A commissaire is an official in competitive cycling, usually seen with a copy of the racing rules, a stopwatch and a clipboard. Commissaires are similar to judges or referees in other sports — a commissaire is the person in charge of the race and the Chief Commissaire has the power to shut...
.
Liggett has reported on 13 Olympics and 38 Tours. He is usually teamed with Paul Sherwen
Paul Sherwen
Paul Sherwen is an English former professional racing cyclist. He is now a broadcaster on cycling, notably the Tour de France. He raced in seven editions of the Tour, finishing five, and gained a reputation for his ability to suffer over long mountain stages.-Cycling career:Born in Widnes,...
. Liggett has covered other sports including triathlon
Triathlon
A triathlon is a multi-sport event involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance events. While many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances...
s and ski jumping
Ski jumping
Ski jumping is a sport in which skiers go down a take-off ramp, jump and attempt to land as far as possible down the hill below. In addition to the length of the jump, judges give points for style. The skis used for ski jumping are wide and long...
. Combining this other coverage with his Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
work has enabled Liggett to become one of the few sports journalists to work for the American Big Three networks: ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
, CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, and NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
. He has had a long time association with Australian network SBS
Special Broadcasting Service
The Special Broadcasting Service is a hybrid-funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television network. The stated purpose of SBS is "to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect...
and covers the Tour de France with Sherwen, as well as covering other Australian events such as the Tour Down Under
Tour Down Under
The Tour Down Under is a cycling race in Adelaide, South Australia and surrounding area. The race starts on the third Tuesday of January each year and attracts riders from across Australia and the world. In 2005, the Tour Down Under was promoted by the Union Cycliste Internationale to the...
. He has covered Johannesburg's 94.7 Cycle Challenge for South Africa's SuperSport, an event which attracted 25,000 entrants in 2010.
In 2005, Liggett was awarded an MBE for his voluntary and professional service to cycling.
Liggett is known for colourful expressions about riders or racing conditions with often literary overtones. A collection of these "Liggettisms" was published in 2005. In 2009, he was inducted into the British Cycling Hall of Fame
British Cycling Hall of Fame
The British Cycling Hall of Fame was established in 2009 as part of British Cycling's 50th anniversary celebrations.On 17 December 2009, the names of fifty riders to be inducted into the British Cycling Hall of Fame were announced...
.
Liggett's home town is Bebington
Bebington
Bebington is a small town and electoral ward within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, in Merseyside, England. It lies south of Liverpool and west southwest of Manchester, along the River Mersey on the eastern side of the Wirral Peninsula...
, Wirral
Metropolitan Borough of Wirral
The Metropolitan Borough of Wirral is a metropolitan borough of Merseyside, in North West England. It has a population of 311,200, and encompasses of the northern part of the Wirral Peninsula. Major settlements include Birkenhead, Wallasey, Bebington, Heswall, Hoylake and West Kirby. The city of...
, though he now lives in Bayford, Hertfordshire
Bayford, Hertfordshire
Bayford is a village and civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of Hertfordshire, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 435...
. He spends most of his leisure time in South Africa where he has a house in the Southern Cape and a game farm near the Kruger National Park
Kruger National Park
Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers and extends from north to south and from east to west.To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is...
. In 2009 he joined the Tour de Munster 4-day charity cycle for the final 2 stages around Kerry and Cork.
For ten years, from around 1997 to January 2007, Liggett was president of the Cyclists' Touring Club
Cyclists' Touring Club
CTC and the UK's national cyclists' organisation are the trading names of the Cyclists' Touring Club.CTC is the United Kingdom's largest cycling membership organisation. It also has member groups in the Republic of Ireland...
(CTC), Britain's national cyclists' organisation. He was succeeded by Jon Snow
Jon Snow
Jon Snow is an English journalist and presenter, currently employed by ITN. He is best known for presenting Channel 4 News.He was Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University from 2001 to 2008.-Early life:...
, presenter of Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
news.
External links
- Cycle Show – day 1, Witcomb Cycles' blog (includes pictures of Liggett) – 11 October 2007
- Phil Liggett on Twitter
- Phil gets a birthday cake while on a cycle August 2009