A Sunday In Hell

8 January 2009

Phillip Wood from Citizen Citizen turned me onto this film a few of days ago. A 1976 documentary by Danish filmmaker Jorgen Leth chronicles the Paris-Roubaix bicycle race which is largely considered one of the most grueling of the “cycling classics.” The “Hell” in the title refers to the terrain…”Much of the latter portion of the race takes place over “pave”: narrow, cobbled tracks that become choked with dust on dry days and treacherously slick and muddy on rainy days. For the riders it’s a challenge simply to keep going without puncturing a tire or crashing on the difficult cobbled roads.” Roger de Vlaeminck won the race four times topping both Eddy Merckx and Francsesco Moser who each have three.

More clips from the film can also be found here.