# Tiny Tom Voeckler



## KenS (Jan 28, 2004)

Phil and Paul (mainly Phil) keep making references to the small stature of Voeckler such as "this little man from France" is a strong animator, etc. What gives? He doesn't look especially petite. Wikipedia lists his height as 5' 9.5", weight as 150, and he looks very muscular (as opposed to the skinny Schlecks).

Is this description left over from the 2004 TdF run?


----------



## jswilson64 (May 20, 2008)

One of them (Phil?) also said, as TV was sticking his tongue out, that he has the longest tongue in the peloton. I never knew they kept that stat...


----------



## tron (Jul 18, 2004)

KenS said:


> Phil and Paul (mainly Phil) keep making references to the small stature of Voeckler such as "this little man from France" is a strong animator, etc. What gives? He doesn't look especially petite. Wikipedia lists his height as 5' 9.5", weight as 150, and he looks very muscular (as opposed to the skinny Schlecks).
> 
> Is this description left over from the 2004 TdF run?



They also said that someone's heartrate was 200w. They both lost it a long time ago, they refuse to have any dead air so they just yammer on.


----------



## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

Have you seen pics of the Schlecks in the swimming pool? Those guys are so skinny it's creepy. Next to them Tommy is like Arnold!
Eurosport commentary rules. Sean Kelly has insight that only someone with his experience can.


----------



## rubbersoul (Mar 1, 2010)

Cinelli 82220 said:


> Have you seen pics of the Schlecks in the swimming pool? Those guys are so skinny it's creepy. Next to them Tommy is like Arnold!
> Eurosport commentary rules. Sean Kelly has insight that only someone with his experience can.



+1, the Eurosport coverage rules.


----------



## desurfer (Feb 13, 2006)

Cinelli 82220 said:


> Have you seen pics of the Schlecks in the swimming pool? Those guys are so skinny it's creepy. Next to them Tommy is like Arnold!
> Eurosport commentary rules. Sean Kelly has insight that only someone with his experience can.


I am the same height as Andy and easily have 40lb on the guy; I'm no "Chicken" but am nowhere near a fattie. Maybe it's common to find 24Wx34L jeans in Luxembourg?


----------



## V3T (May 19, 2011)

Yes, they like to float numbers and statistics. I have been noticing this more this year than I have in the past. For example: I head someone say the other day that the sprinters racing to the line were doing a hundred miles per hour. I routinely hear Phil or Paul say the riders are averaging over 30mph, but on the screen a blip shows the average speed as 24mph. I have also heard one of them say the riders are currently doing 60kph, but at the same time on TV is a vehicles speedometer showing 52kph. I guess they are just trying to make it more exciting.

The shortest guy in the peloton is Samuel Dumoulin, who reportedly stands 5'2.5.


----------



## allison (Apr 19, 2006)

They've always referred to him as "little Tommy Voeckler". But yeah 5'9 seems average at best!


----------



## MattSoutherden (Jun 24, 2009)

rubbersoul said:


> +1, the Eurosport coverage rules.


Apart from Carlton Kirby - Who seemingly rivals The Voice in ability to waffle inane rubbish.


----------



## danahs (May 24, 2008)

tron said:


> They also said that someone's heartrate was 200w. They both lost it a long time ago, they refuse to have any dead air so they just yammer on.


+1 so tired of paul/phil. almost unlistenable at the moment.

in contrast, anyone of the guys over at cycling tv are worlds better. I love when they have commentary with actual riders assisting (like when magnus backstedt is there etc)

there are so many interesting things they COULD be talking about (technical, nutritional, tactics?) yet they just keep saying the same OLD things over and over again.


----------



## serpico7 (Jul 11, 2006)

danahs said:


> +1 so tired of paul/phil. almost unlistenable at the moment.
> 
> in contrast, anyone of the guys over at cycling tv are worlds better. I love when they have commentary with actual riders assisting (like when magnus backstedt is there etc)
> 
> there are so many interesting things they COULD be talking about (technical, nutritional, tactics?) yet they just keep saying the same OLD things over and over again.


I can only surmise that Paul and Phil are used because their employer feels the need to dumb things down for the American audience.

But the thing I don't get about that is . . . the average person who tunes in to watch a 5hr stage, most of which isn't terribly exciting, already knows quite a bit about the sport. The guys who need Paul and Phil to aid their viewing simply aren't watching.


----------



## penn_rider (Jul 11, 2009)

Well,, let me jump in and say that I like them..

I don't care about the mess ups, all the commentators do that; I have just become accustomed to their voices over the race. They are like an old blanket that you pull out when you need comforting..


----------



## asciibaron (Aug 11, 2006)

would you know about the suitcase of courage without the many other isms?


----------



## ragweed (Jan 2, 2009)

allison said:


> They've always referred to him as "little Tommy Voeckler". But yeah 5'9 seems average at best!


On the Colnago forum nicensleazy published a link to his blog that showed Ernesto supervising the painting of Tommy V's yellow bike. That link finished with what I assumed were the dimensions of his bike and I was surprised by how small it appears to be. Seems kind of tight for a guy that's 5' 9" but of course pro's do like squeezing into the smallest frame possible.


----------



## RUFUSPHOTO (Oct 14, 2010)

Who is the commentator for the beginning of the NBC tour tracker all access video? I like listening to him especially since he is by himself and still doesn't have a dull moment. I still really like watching a race with Phil and Paul in the background.


----------



## bnoojin (Mar 24, 2002)

penn_rider said:


> Well,, let me jump in and say that I like them..
> 
> I don't care about the mess ups, all the commentators do that; I have just become accustomed to their voices over the race. They are like an old blanket that you pull out when you need comforting..


same here, +1.


----------



## Kram (Jan 28, 2004)

penn_rider said:


> Well,, let me jump in and say that I like them..
> 
> I don't care about the mess ups, all the commentators do that; I have just become accustomed to their voices over the race. They are like an old blanket that you pull out when you need comforting..


^^THis^^. It just ain'tthe same without Phil and Paul (and of course, Bobke). The new Liam guy doesn't piss me off too much. He doen't pretend to know much so he doesn't try.


----------



## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 2001)

He's not 5'9" and a half. That sounds like marketing even if it is in wikipedia.

The podium girls are taller than him even standing on the lower steps.

fc


----------



## KenS (Jan 28, 2004)

francois said:


> He's not 5'9" and a half. That sounds like marketing even if it is in wikipedia.
> 
> fc


http://en.teameuropcar.com/cyclisme/teamcenter_tea6076.shtml

If you go to the team picture, he looks to be about as tall as Yohann Gène, who is listed as being 1.75 m tall.

So I still don't see him as tiny.


----------



## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 2001)

KenS said:


> http://en.teameuropcar.com/cyclisme/teamcenter_tea6076.shtml
> 
> If you go to the team picture, he looks to be about as tall as Yohann Gène, who is listed as being 1.75 m tall.
> 
> So I still don't see him as tiny.



He's definitely not tiny. He does seem look leaner every year.

Man that team looks like a college team as they look like juniors. What an uninspired team kit too.

Looks like Europcar is a rental car company.

fc


----------



## KenS (Jan 28, 2004)

francois said:


> He's definitely not tiny. He does seem look leaner every year.
> 
> Looks like Europcar is a rental car company.
> 
> fc


I wonder how long Europcar will be around as a sponsor. The whole sponsorship scene for pro-cycling seems to be pretty fragile at present.


----------



## MattSoutherden (Jun 24, 2009)

They signed up for a 3 year title sponsor deal in October 2010


----------



## ph0enix (Aug 12, 2009)

penn_rider said:


> Well,, let me jump in and say that I like them..
> 
> I don't care about the mess ups, all the commentators do that; I have just become accustomed to their voices over the race. They are like an old blanket that you pull out when you need comforting..


I agree. I can't stand watching races where Paul and Phil are not the commentators. I like Bob Roll but having to hear him speak makes me cringe.


----------



## J24 (Oct 8, 2003)

When Phil and Paul describe him as "little Tommy Voeckler" I think they're commenting on his character not his height.


----------



## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

Tiny Tom comes through again. All you haters can keep hating, but TTV has guts. Finished only 7 seconds back of tour-favorite Contador and 50 seconds behind stage-winner Sanchez on the toughest stage of the TDF.


----------



## pedalruns (Dec 18, 2002)

Let me add..... I love me some...Phil and Paul!! 

I didn't have Versus last year and I'm glad to have them back! 

I think the 'little Tommy Voeckler' comes from back in 2004... when everyone was little compared to the the 'big' man in the peloton... LA.


----------



## BunnV (Sep 7, 2005)

ragweed said:


> On the Colnago forum nicensleazy published a link to his blog that showed Ernesto supervising the painting of Tommy V's yellow bike. That link finished with what I assumed were the dimensions of his bike and I was surprised by how small it appears to be. Seems kind of tight for a guy that's 5' 9" but of course pro's do like squeezing into the smallest frame possible.


Maybe the "C59" model designation is a reference to Voeckler's height 

(just kidding...)


----------



## Pelon2 (Dec 25, 2005)

*Character tiny ?*

Seriously?


----------



## stevesbike (Jun 3, 2002)

rule for Paul and Phil: whatever they say, the opposite is true.


----------



## bruce_wayne (Apr 30, 2010)

IMO...
Magnus gives the best view from the riders' perspective, "inside the peloton"
Sean Kelly provides the best detail on team strategy and race tactics

Phil has the best one-liners for this year's tour:
"I won't think the cow will appreciate very much the steak on the platter"
"All of those bandages look like a very good audition for The Invisible Man"


----------

