The Big Interview: Gary Imlach

Gary Imlach

At the height of the Tour's popularity with Britain's television audience, on Channel 4 in the 1990s, Gary Imlach was the man who welcomed us back after the ad break with a vignette giving an insight into the cultural side of the race.

While some people were no doubt yelling 'Just show us the action', Imlach's pieces gave British fans a close-up feel of what the Tour was really all about. And, as he showed in 1998 when the Festina affair broke, he used a tough journalistic approach to the story that explained the tumbling scandal succinctly.

Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Sports journalist Lionel Birnie has written professionally for Sunday Times, Procycling and of course Cycling Weekly. He is also an author, publisher, and co-founder of The Cycling Podcast. His first experience covering the Tour de France came in 1999, and he has presented The Cycling Podcast with Richa