Best cycling films?

[perico]

Shay Elliott - Cycle of Betrayal
A heartbreaking documentary about Irelands first great cyclist.
Paul Kimmages rough rider is a sort of behind the scenes of LA confidential and its aftermath

I’ve wanted to see that Shay Elliott one. It was hard to find on video back in the day (haven’t seen it show up on digital).

 

[perico]

I’m not very fluent in Spanish and it doesn’t have subtitles but I would love to see the one Movistar produced about Delgado and the Contador one. Both are in Spanish only as far as I know.

 

[42x16ss]

I really enjoyed "The Least Expected Day". This wasn't a united, whitewashed, feelgood, sanitised "documentary" it had some grit to it.

It didn't shy away from Carapaz signing with Ineos, Quintana and Landas's rivalry, Valverde's occasional frustration with his teammates and fatigue with the rainbow jersey, Soler's ambitions, I found it very refreshing.

Seeing that happy, united squad at the Giro and then comparing it with the Vuelta team, there's a stark contrast.

And it's beautifully shot and produced to boot.

 

[Breezy1985]

I’ve wanted to see that Shay Elliott one. It was hard to find on video back in the day (haven’t seen it show up on digital).

Saw it once on TV but cant find it digital either. I will try see if I can find it in one of my local cycling shops

 

[Parker]

The Flying Scotsman is half decent. About Graeme Obree starring Johnny Lee Millar, Brian Cox and one of the hobbits from LOTR. I don't know if it really made it out of the UK.

But Breaking Away is by far the best English language dramatic film.

 

[Pantani_lives]

A funny French/Belgian movie is Le Vélo de Ghislain Lambert (2001), with Benoît Poelvoorde as an untalented regional cyclist who wants to do whatever it takes to become a champion.

The Day I Became a Woman (2000) is an Iranian movie with a bicycle race for women, which has a political meaning.

 

[Breezy1985]

I just finished watching the BTS Rinse videos and loved them. If you watch them all it becomes like a TV drama with recurring characters and in jokes returning each year

 

[jaylew]

I just finished watching the BTS Rinse videos and loved them. If you watch them all it becomes like a TV drama with recurring characters and in jokes returning each year

I give up. Searches for BTS Rinse, BTS Rinse Cycling, BTS Rinse Video etc...yielded nothing.

 

[movingtarget]

Ghislain Lambert's Bicycle (2001) was a funny movie. I also liked 23 Days In July, a documentary about Phil Anderson riding the 1983 Tour De France.

 

[Breezy1985]

I give up. Searches for BTS Rinse, BTS Rinse Cycling, BTS Rinse Video etc...yielded nothing.

Don't know what my phone was up to there. That should have been BtS Ronde as in behind the scenes Ronde.
There's one for each year from the 100 Ronde to now

 

[jaylew]

Ok, that makes sense. Yeah, I've seen those and they're terrific.

 

[Escarabajo]

Breaking Away

 

[Andy262]

Don't think anyone's mentioned The High Life, a TV documentary on one of my earliest cycling heros Robert Millar. It can be found on youtube..

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6FM3koJ6HIA

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

Don't think I have more suggestions than already mentioned here. Instead I'll suggest a book:
"The Land of Second Chances" by Tim Lewis.
Completely blew my legs away under me.

Oh yes a movie:
"The Impossible Hour" by Jorgen Leth who also made "Stars and Water Carriers" and "A Sunday in Hell". All mandatory classics.

 

[macbindle]

Don't think anyone's mentioned The High Life, a TV documentary on one of my earliest cycling heros Robert Millar. It can be found on youtube..

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6FM3koJ6HIA

It's a great documentary. That scene of him sitting on the bumper of the team car with a towel after a race. No team bus. No fussing around him. Different era.

Some of the cycling films, like the CSC one, are now hilarious in the light of what we now know about the doping.

Still my favourite is the comedy 'Le vélo de Ghislain Lambert'. Not a documentary, but could be.

 

[DJ Sprtsch]

I enjoyed The Triplets of Belleville, an animated feature about an old woman looking for his grandson, who went missing during a Tour de France stage.

Yeah, that's a good one.

 

[woodburn]

I enjoyed 'Overcoming'. It covers the 2004 Tour de France alongside Team CSC, managed by Bjarne Riis. Some other very interesting characters are Ivan Basso, Jens Voigt, Bobby Julich and Carlos Sastre.

'The Road Uphill' covers Team Radioshack Leopard's 2011 Tour. Main characters are the Schleck bros. Every Andy-nostalgic should watch this one, although it's quite painful.

Just watched the Road Uphill. Really good insight. Was a bit surprised that it didn't reflect on Schleck's decision to follow Contador on the Alpe stage. That essentially threw away any possibility of gaining time. The time lost on Manse was a big factor, but they don't let him have such a gap on the Galibier if he hadn't shed so much time.

Heartbreaking to see him reflect on the time trial loss. It would be the only day of his career in yellow. The fact that the doc ends with him having just turned 26 and his career was basically over.

Crazy to think he still is only 35! Same age as Nibali. Can see he didn't have that killer mentality needed to overcome his TT limitations. But today he seems fairly content without the stress of racing.

 

[richwallone]

Road to Paris (2001) documentary has some nice footage of the Paris-Roubaix 2001 epic race (starts around 20:00)

View: https://youtu.be/rRYEz8KqYZE

 

[richwallone]

I highly recommend the behind the scenes films of the Ronde van Vlaanderen from 2016-19. I binge watched all of them in one sitting a couple of months ago and loved every minute of it.

De Ronde 100 - Behind the scenes

^^^ This has the incredible production value... What a documentary!!! You really feel like you are there, the music, the commentary, the people, the noise, the cars, OMG!!! Absolutely STUNNING!!! Just watched the one where Sagan won and Cancellara raced his final Ronde... What a SHOW!!! No wonder Flanders and Roubaix are the best Monuments!!!

Those crazy Belgians

 

[BlueRoads]

I did not see it mentioned here, has anyone seen "To the Fore"?

 

[md1975]

True stories or just movies?

American Fliers

Breaking Away

2 very good ones.

 

[bob.a.feet]

Does anyone know where I could watch/stream Le Vélo de Ghislain Lambert? I can't find it anywhere online.

 

[Mayomaniac]

I really enjoyed "The Least Expected Day". This wasn't a united, whitewashed, feelgood, sanitised "documentary" it had some grit to it.

It didn't shy away from Carapaz signing with Ineos, Quintana and Landas's rivalry, Valverde's occasional frustration with his teammates and fatigue with the rainbow jersey, Soler's ambitions, I found it very refreshing.

Seeing that happy, united squad at the Giro and then comparing it with the Vuelta team, there's a stark contrast.

And it's beautifully shot and produced to boot.

Landa cheering on Carapaz on the radio during the Courmayeur stage of the Giro was a highlight for me, the Giro team had great chemistry. Overall a great documentary.

 

[richwallone]

Most of them listed here were mentioned already but some of them I didn't see...

The best cycling documentaries

Cycling documentaries, there are tonnes of them. Some excellent, some good, some average, some bad, some atrocious. But the key thing

www.cyclist.co.uk

 

[Max Rockatansky]

Höllentour or Hell on Wheels.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUu0AoIDHkc