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Cycling’s defining contest, the Tour de France, is caught in all its grueling glory in this gripping documentary from Academy Award-winning director Pepe Danquart. Top riders reveal their fears, hopes and dedication as they compete in the annual event that attracts millions of fans and viewers worldwide. Amid the high drama of the race, Danquart also goes beyond the spectacle to shed light on those who support the athletes behind the scenes.
– Hell on Wheels

This is an amazing documentary that follows the T-Mobile team during the 2003 Tour de France. It follows closely Eric Zabel and Rolf Aldag with various interviews and commentary. While it seems that you can’t mention the Tour de France without mentioning Lance Armstrong, this films main focus is on T-Mobile, with small, small bits on Armstrong, Ullrich, and Hamilton (this is the year he rode with his broken collarbone).

This movie puts the camera in a completely different place than what you’d find with typical race coverage (think OLN). You’re in the team bus, with the mechanics cleaning the bikes, beside Zabel as he’s getting a massage, or at the breakfast table watching the team eat a mountain of food. I suppose you could say it is fairly similar to the “Lance Chronicles”, however I’d go a step further to say that Hell on Wheels had something more. It was more real. It doesn’t have that “is this just marketing hype” feel at all.

Wrapping this all together is a great soundtrack, and stunning cinematography. If you’re into cycling or documentaries, you’ll want to add this one to your queue.