The DVD Train

While the craziest snowstorm in a few years is hitting the Maritimes, I thought it would be a good time to review some cycling videos I've been watching while my brains fall out of my ears on the trainer.

PRO

A documentary following the US Pro circuit in the states. It has interviews with a few of the main players in the US racing scene. Some are high paid, others are the lowly domestiques. I first saw in it '04 or '05 and its interesting to see what these riders are doing now. Its a great look into the lowly life of a racing cyclist in the US. I find it pretty crazy that I may be doing some of the races this year featured in the video.

The narrator has an interesting touch as he sounds like some sort of gay phone-sex dominatrix guy.....you know what I mean if you watch it.

A Sunday in Hell

Probably the best cycling documentary of all time. It profiles the 1976 Harris Roubaix following many top European Pros of the era including Eddy Merckx. If you get any cycling DVD, get this one.

Its interesting on many levels. Not only does it chronicle the race itself, but its also a snapshot into history. Its interesting because of this, and also you can see the differences between racing a bike then, compared to now. Suttle things have changed since then as well. Such as what riders use to eat before a huge race. Usually most sthletes eat pancakes, oatmeal or pasta, but it shows these hardmen eating huge steaks at 7am thinking it was optimal. Yeesh.

2007 TdeF DVD

When the Tour is on mid summer, the past few years I haven't been able to watch it. Usually because I'm off somewhere without a TV. That year, the only way I was able to see some stages was to sit in a Cowboy bar and sip on a $4 lemonade for 3 hours at a time. Needless to say I missed most of it. The 2007 Tour was pretty crazy, and for me it's great to see a play by play of the most important moments of this scandal ridden race.

Road to Paris

I've been stealing this one off of YouTube. A great way to see Lance's preparation leading up to the Tour de France. It follows him while he puts in his big miles climbing the Alps in March and some of his kooky training practices. Its both a documentary and a journal. Anyone who races a bike should watch the movie as its fascinating.

Hell on Wheels

Probably the Best modern day documentary of contemporary cycling. It follows Eric Zabel and Rolf Aldag in the 2003 Tour de France. It gives an amazingly intimate view into their lives while they ride the incredibly hard race. It is very entertaining watching the interactions of these guys while they suffer together. It shows their strong points of the race, and also their insecurities as they suffer for 3 weeks straight. Probably the best put together DVD of them all.

Erik speaks of his views of the peleton, which is a perspective most would never see. Its funny as he says he will never be a great rider compared to Jan Ullrich, even though hes had some great victories and a very fruitful career compared to any other cycling great.