The explosive growth of cable sports networks over the past two decades has helped to bring the predominantly European sport of cycling to more and more Americans, from the fanatics to the casual viewer who may not know a peloton from a derailleur. Just this week, folks with the right television package could spend the morning watching beIN Sports for live coverage of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's three grand tours. Then in the afternoon, they could flip to the NBC Sports Network to watch live coverage of the Tour of California, which has grown over the past 10 years into the marquee U.S.-based stage race. ''It's the sort of thing where someone is tuned into our network or channel-surfing, they'll come across cycling and then we have a chance to convert new fans,'' said Scott Brown, president of Universal Sports Network, which will carry more than 185 hours of live cycling this year. More...