Yellow jersey for ITV4
- Published: 29 July 2008 17:18
- Author: Jon Rogers
- More by this Author
- Last Updated: 29 July 2008 17:18
- Reader Responses
ITV4's annual coverage of the Tour de France proved to be a big draw for the viewers with its highlights package at 7pm averaging a strong 314,000 (1.98%) over 22 days.
The channel's coverage of the race, which was eventually won by the Spanish rider Carlos Sastre for the CSC/Saxo Bank team, was up by 68% on the channel's slot average for the year so far of 187,000 (1.04%) in multichannel homes. In 2007, the male-skewing channel averaged 165,000 (0.99%) in that time slot.
The sporting event's best performance attracted 466,000 (3.21%) on 24 July, the show's best ever audience since it was shown on ITV4.
Across the coverage, six editions of the programme broke the 400,000 mark. Interest in this year's race was boosted by the strong performance of the British rider Mark Cavendish who won a record-breaking four stages but eventually pulled out due to forthcoming Olympic commitments.
The channel's highlights coverage of the race last year averaged 295,000 (1.99%) when it aired in a similar 7pm slot for an hour. Only one edition broke the 400,000 mark with 448,000 watching on 23 July.
This year's cycling race was a huge attraction for upmarket viewers with ABC1 viewers making up 69.2% of the audience. Upmarket male viewers – the channel's target audience were also impressed, accounting for 41.9% of the audience, with male viewers making up 62.4% of the entire audience.
Younger viewers weren't particularly impressed though, making up just 10.8% of the audience.
