Tyler Hamilton 'Wired to Win'
Wired to win is an IMAX movie that explores the constant development, wiring and rewiring of the human brain using the 2003 tour de france as a backdrop. The movie was originally to be based on Tyler Hamilton, however after having been found guilty of illegal blood doping, the producers of the movie decided to drop all reference to him from the film.
This is an absolute disgrace. Yes Hamilton is a cheat, and worse a liar, for he has yet to admit to his offence despite somewhat overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
(see http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=features/2006/hamilton_appeal.)
However what Hamilton did in the 2003 Tour is worthy of a movie whether or not he is a cheat (In fact there is no evidence or suggestion that he cheated in the 2003 tour). In one of the early stages he crashed and broke his collarbone. He was forced to ride twenty stages in a sling, through pain that cannot possibly be imagined. He could barely climb out of the saddle, and on every climb you could see the anguish on his face as he pulled against the handlebars. Then after two weeks of riding in constant pain, he made a solo 180km breakaway on the stage into Pau, winning the stage.
Hamilton showed true will power and determination in the 2003 Tour. What's more, he showed the world what is beautiful about professional cycling- courage, suffering, incredible strength and endurance. Now we cannot see the IMAX footage of his struggle because he has subsequently been found to be a cheat. I'm not in favour of cheating, but neither am I in favour of the zero tolerance culture surrounding drugs in sport. It lacks consideration for the frailty of human nature, and ignores the fact that everybody makes mistakes, especially when faced with highly stressful circumstances.
Censorship has ruined a potentially great movie.
This is an absolute disgrace. Yes Hamilton is a cheat, and worse a liar, for he has yet to admit to his offence despite somewhat overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
(see http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=features/2006/hamilton_appeal.)
However what Hamilton did in the 2003 Tour is worthy of a movie whether or not he is a cheat (In fact there is no evidence or suggestion that he cheated in the 2003 tour). In one of the early stages he crashed and broke his collarbone. He was forced to ride twenty stages in a sling, through pain that cannot possibly be imagined. He could barely climb out of the saddle, and on every climb you could see the anguish on his face as he pulled against the handlebars. Then after two weeks of riding in constant pain, he made a solo 180km breakaway on the stage into Pau, winning the stage.
Hamilton showed true will power and determination in the 2003 Tour. What's more, he showed the world what is beautiful about professional cycling- courage, suffering, incredible strength and endurance. Now we cannot see the IMAX footage of his struggle because he has subsequently been found to be a cheat. I'm not in favour of cheating, but neither am I in favour of the zero tolerance culture surrounding drugs in sport. It lacks consideration for the frailty of human nature, and ignores the fact that everybody makes mistakes, especially when faced with highly stressful circumstances.
Censorship has ruined a potentially great movie.
posted by timboy at 7:18 PM
1 Comments:
It was always going to be a crap movie, it needed to be given the best "danish cycle doco" treatment, not a middle-school science class tv production.
Risible effort.
The only worthwhile virtue is seeing how well the sponsors colours create a rainbow pastiche effect of the peloton. I did a double take, and a triple take, and thought every scene was staged for the first 10 minutes of cycling footage because of the colours and the look of the IMAX film. I remember Hollentour was brilliantly vivid and that was 35 mm I think? And the IMAX are different and greater enhanced, think there is only 5 minutes of stock in an IMAX film cannister.
Anyway, if they can every transfer film developed immediately or get high def DVD to the same standard and can show the Tour live, they will get a whole new audience.
Casper and Cooke, what a joke. Jimmy Casper, ever seen a more drawn and haggard 27 year old. Cookie's talented enough to win Flanders and Roubaix, but not when everyone is playing the game the Quickstep way, with Lefeveres institutional inhouse doping progam. And he misses Mcgee's leadouts.
Casper and Cooke come back together this year with reverse fortunes. Cooke had another poor season by his talented standards, Casper won the Queen sprinters stage at the tour. Got very lucky might add.
Cooke is still in two minds about his specialisation, classics or sprints. Tells Belgie journos he is committed to being a classics rider, whereas he is still flirting with his sprint form. Unlike most sprinters, he rarely trains his kick.
Renshaw is from the Cookie school of not training your sprint too. They are both trying to do two things at once.
Post a Comment
<< Home