What’s that coming over the hill? (July 14, 2006)

Published on DerailedUK, July 14 2006.

We’ve been betting on which TV channel would be the first to use the Automatic’s Monster in a mountain stage’s highlights since we first heard the song. Yesterday, ITV consumated our anticipation, much to our utter delight. In actual fact, we probably wouldn’t have warmed to this act of gross predictibility if that thing that came over the hill, one Floyd Landis, didn’t look quite so much like the monster to which the song refers.

Has ITV shown its hand and attacked too early? How can Eurosport react to ITV’s impressive “apt music” early breakaway? If the skeletal Mickael Rasmussen wins a stage, Inger Lorre’s Haunted Hill may well be enough, but otherwise we can’t think of many suitable Tour songs. At a push, Jeff Buckley’s Dream Brother could be used over footage of Tyler Hamilton, but even we know that a dream brother isn’t the same thing as a phantom twin.

Any readers who are in bands should take heed: it’s time to start cashing in on the Tour de France in a big way. Kraftwerk have been doing so for years, and they’ve almost got the monopoly on cycling background music. Something cycling-related that’s a little less German and a lot less pretentious could make you millionaires in a couple of seasons, we absolutely promise.

Whilst we’re waiting for the onslaught of cycling-themed music to arrive (along with the royalty cheques we deserve for giving you all the idea), there must be some other apt songs that can be used in cycling coverage. Suggest some to the usual e-mail address and we’ll definitely give you something really, really good as a reward.