Cycling films: long live the tour! While we have to do without the Tour de France for the time being in July due to the corona virus, we can console ourselves a little with two films. We present you today Live the Tour and LeRide .
Live the Tour you can see it for free on YouTube.
Live the Tour: 18 minutes of the 1962 Tour de France
Even if Live the Tour Extremely short at just 18 minutes, there is so much packed into this little masterpiece. The spectators don't just look at the pros who are struggling with the weather conditions, technical problems, supplies, injuries and doping. The view also goes to the side of the road to the many fans who have gathered in all towns and villages for a big party. We recognize that even if many things differ from today's cycling, some things have remained the same. According to the New York Times, filmmaker Louis Malle succeeded "Ebullience, whimsy, jet black humor, awe and unspeakable tragedy". The newspaper further described the depiction with the words "a worshipful documentary of a sport made by a man who knew it intimately and loved it."
Also recommended: LeRide
Also in LeRide is all about the Tour de France. This time, however, we can't really go back to the original images, as this film recreates the 1928 Tour of France. The focus is on the four-man Australasian team around Harry Watson. He was the first New Zealander to tackle the Grand Boucle. The Australians Hubert Opperman, Percy Osborn and Ernie Bainbridge drove alongside him. Together they formed the first English-speaking team in a Tour de France. And they chose one of the toughest tours in history. Of 161 starters only 41 reached the finish line. A total of 5.376 kilometers had to be covered. With 22 stages, this results in over 240 kilometers per day.
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