ESPN Classic

The world’s sporting calendar during June and July is chock-full of truly great events,
 but few are more eagerly anticipated each year than the Tour de France.
 The world-famous cycling event’s best-ever stages, all of which make their debut this month on Classic,
 illustrate precisely why. Featuring career-best performances from the likes of Jan Ullrich, Miguel Indurain
 and Lance Armstrong, these are visions of long-distance cycling action at its very best.

From the very evening that this summer’s World Cup kicks off until its conclusion, ESPN Classic will be cleverly scheduling the FIFA tournament’s greatest-ever games in and around South Africa 2010’s real-life matches. And, in the early stages of July, just as the tournament reaches its quarter and semi-final stages, so Classic also recalls nail-biting matches from those very fixtures; including England v Germany in 1990 and France v Croatia from ’98.

Put together every major sport or competition contested over a 12-month period and which was the most memorable single year in sporting history? That’s the intriguing question – guaranteed to get a few debates started! – which Classic asks, via this especially-commissioned new series. The years under examination during these much-anticipated new programmes are 1980 (Coe v Ovett at the Moscow Olympics), 2004 (Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’) and 1999 (Manchester United’s ‘Treble’).

The Open – it’s only referred to as being ‘The British Open’ outside the UK, by the way – is one of the fixtures of the world’s sporting summer, and this year’s tournament will be made all the more intriguing by the question of whether Tiger Woods will or won’t appear. In the first half of this month, Classic ratchets up the anticipation even further by spotlighting the very greatest moments from the competition’s extensive archive. Watch out, in particular, for ‘The Open’s greatest shots’ and ‘Reflections’ by past Champions.

World Cup Finals have a sometimes undeserved reputation for being a damp squib – more exciting in prospect than in reality. But that’s not always the case, as Classic prove this month by re-showing some all-time greats. Think Italy’s unexpected win over West Germany in ’82, or Brazil’s on-pitch poetry during 1970’s Final. ESPN showcases the great games of tournaments past in and around South Africa 2010’s real-life finale – so you won’t miss a thing...

The DTM is the world's fastest and most spectacular Touring Car series; pitting Mercedes against Audi and flame-spitting Opels, and piloted by big-name drivers. This month, whilst revving up for the new season, ESPN Classic recalls great races of the recent past; spotlighting the cream of the crop at 10pm on weekday evenings during July 26th to 30th. Grand Prix superstars Jean Alesi and Mika Hakkinen pit their wits against emerging talents like Gary Paffett and Bruno Spengler around some of all Europe's finest race-tracks. And, unlike in F1, these cars can actually overtake each other!