FYI Cycling Movie on Netflix

[bthornt]

If this information has been given out already, I apologize.

The movie "Clean Spirit" is available for viewing on Netflix. It is about the Argos-Shimano cycling team at the 100th Tour de France.

[scrubadub]

Cool, thanks for the heads up. Added to my list.

[TurboNate]

I'll add this to my que, thanks.

[oldpotatoe]

If this information has been given out already, I apologize.

The movie "Clean Spirit" is available for viewing on Netflix. It is about the Argos-Shimano cycling team at the 100th Tour de France.

It was, don't apologize tho..worth a re mention cuz it's a good movie.

[tumbler]

Thanks for sharing. I'm overhauling a bike for my sister-in-law today so this will be perfect background noise.

[Veloo]

You should watch it Tumbler. I did that and had to rewatch it cuz I missed out on a lot of stuff.

Thanks for sharing. I'm overhauling a bike for my sister-in-law today so this will be perfect background noise.

[Avincent52]

Thanks for the heads up

[bikerboy337]

Thanks!


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[firerescuefin]

Watched it today...Thoroughly enjoyed.

[stephenmarklay]

I watched some this morning and will finish it. I like to see the personal side of the pro cyclists.

[pmac]

Good movie. Interesting not to have the focus on winning the mountain stages, and to see them suffering on those.

[Don49]

Did something change with Netflix streaming? I wanted to add "Clean Spirit" to my streaming queue, or "My List" as they call it now, but there's no longer an option to do that. My only choices are "Play" now or "Save" which puts it into the DVD queue but not into "My List". What's up with this?

[Dirtdiggler]

Thanks for the info. Just finished watching. Great movie.

[carpediemracing]

Thanks. Watched it. I wasn't as much a fan before but this helped immensely. It puts a human element to the racers. Obviously they're human but this kind of flick makes them seem more real.

[oldpotatoe]

Riis and CSC..somewhat filtered now because of doping revelations but still interesting. IMHO.

[Dirtdiggler]

Topic of the movie coca cola and caffeine pills.

[eBAUMANN]

watched is last night and really enjoyed it, thanks for the recommendation.

my take-aways:

renewed love for degenkolb, dude is funny
cav is kinda a dick(not really news), maybe a little too type-A for his own good
sheisseberg = sh*t mountain, not "dumb mountain" as the subtitles so delicately put it, I found their climbing-commentary hilarious.
makes me wonder how many pro-tour teams bring documentary crews along with them to le tour...because it seems awfully coincidental that a documentary of this quality just happen to be produced during the teams debut season, during a tour which really could not have possibly gone better for them.

[Dead Man]

Thanks for sharing. I'm overhauling a bike for my sister-in-law today so this will be perfect background noise.

Bad news.... it's mostly subtitles. :p

---

It's always a mix of feelings and thoughts when I watch inside-look type things on cycling. On one hand, I kind of wish I didn't watch, just like I hate reading bad press about athletes and other "heroes" of our age - to me, I just appreciate the entertainment they provide.. and especially for athletes (thinking back to when I was a young person admiring the hell out of Lance), the inspiration is crazy motivational. What's with the journalistic compulsion to expose the defects of heroes and taint our fantasies with reality?

On the other hand - these days, and for most of my adult life (and I'm sure due to what I just wrote above), I have such a jaded, apathetic, sardonic attitude toward famous people. It's been my observation that money and fame corrupt without exception, so there's never any real surprise when famous people, especially young famous people, act like retards.

Kittel was/is young, and has a lot of time to grow and learn to handle limelight better. Hopefully he gets it, and doesn't end up a f'ing prick like Cavendish. I couldn't believe he didn't back up his teammate - "I don't think it was on purpose, you should call him and say it's OK" that had to have cut to the quick to hear Kittel say that. I wouldn't want to work for that prick anymore either.

[Rebel_Biker]

Enjoyed the movie

Shocked at the amount of coke they drank during stages


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[Dead Man]

Enjoyed the movie

Shocked at the amount of coke they drank during stages


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Dewd... I've recently discovered Coke for a cycling beverage... it's freaking awesome. Sugar, caffeine, water.... everything you need!

I literally never drink sodapop, off the bike, and don't condone its use any other time

[many_styles]

Next time, try a Mexican Coke (MexiCoke). It's in a real glass bottle and uses real sugar.

[Dirtdiggler]

"Kittel was/is young, and has a lot of time to grow and learn to handle limelight better. Hopefully he gets it, and doesn't end up a f'ing prick like Cavendish. I couldn't believe he didn't back up his teammate - "I don't think it was on purpose, you should call him and say it's OK" that had to have cut to the quick to hear Kittel say that. I wouldn't want to work for that prick anymore either. "

After that dinner, you could see the dissapointment on his team mates face (Veeler)and the fail during the race.

[Ray]

Enjoyed the movie

Shocked at the amount of coke they drank during stages


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Back in the '60s and '70s, a flat Coke was the preferred cure for racers to hold off a bonk. Flat because you don't want a lot of carbonation causing belching or worse during hard efforts, but sugar, water, caffeine is a great combination when you're just hanging on...

I've read that in a number of places...

-Ray

[goonster]

Kittel was/is young, and has a lot of time to grow and learn to handle limelight better. Hopefully he gets it, and doesn't end up a f'ing prick like Cavendish. I couldn't believe he didn't back up his teammate - "I don't think it was on purpose, you should call him and say it's OK" that had to have cut to the quick to hear Kittel say that.

I had the same reaction, but on further reflection I thought that:

a) Kittel stops short of defending Cav
b) As team leader, Kittel was seeking conflict resolution and compromise
c) The whole team, Veelers included, was very passive in this deal. Wait for a jury decision, don't contradict anyone publicly, wait for an in-person apology from Cav. There is no Plan B (e.g. "if he doesn't show tomorrow, we blast him in the press"), and when things don't go their way, the opportunity has passed. In hindsight, they could have done better.

Cav still doesn't think it was his fault. He wasn't fined or relegated, and on the day Kittel went out of his way to say in public that "I can't imagine he would have done it on purpose", although privately we see he thought it was intentional. The next day, in the ITT, Cav was sprayed with pee, and earlier this year said he still "can't stand" Veelers. He feels like he got a raw deal out of the whole thing.

When you are winning the sprints, it's fine that you're a Type-A douche, but when the wins are not there any more, you just look like a tool. Slipping off the top step like that must be hard. Petacchi faded from view graciously, McEwen less so.

[Ray]

Did something change with Netflix streaming? I wanted to add "Clean Spirit" to my streaming queue, or "My List" as they call it now, but there's no longer an option to do that. My only choices are "Play" now or "Save" which puts it into the DVD queue but not into "My List". What's up with this?

I just put it on my list - no problems. It varies by interface (desktop, ipad, TV, etc) and can be harder to find on some interfaces than others, but it's in there somewhere...

-Ray

[Don49]

Did something change with Netflix streaming? I wanted to add "Clean Spirit" to my streaming queue, or "My List" as they call it now, but there's no longer an option to do that. My only choices are "Play" now or "Save" which puts it into the DVD queue but not into "My List". What's up with this?

I just put it on my list - no problems. It varies by interface (desktop, ipad, TV, etc) and can be harder to find on some interfaces than others, but it's in there somewhere...

-Ray

I got impatient and called Netflix. They were able to fix the problem from their end and the missing link reappeared. She explained that Netflix randomly selects accounts to view beta versions of the Netflix website with variations in the user interface. My account was reportedly one of those accounts. Sounds a little like BS but indeed the issue was corrected.

Also, "Slaying the Badger" is another recommended cycling movie from Netflix streaming.

[victoryfactory]

I had the same reaction, but on further reflection I thought that:

a) Kittel stops short of defending Cav
b) As team leader, Kittel was seeking conflict resolution and compromise
c) The whole team, Veelers included, was very passive in this deal. Wait for a jury decision, don't contradict anyone publicly, wait for an in-person apology from Cav. There is no Plan B (e.g. "if he doesn't show tomorrow, we blast him in the press"), and when things don't go their way, the opportunity has passed. In hindsight, they could have done better.

Cav still doesn't think it was his fault. He wasn't fined or relegated, and on the day Kittel went out of his way to say in public that "I can't imagine he would have done it on purpose", although privately we see he thought it was intentional. The next day, in the ITT, Cav was sprayed with pee, and earlier this year said he still "can't stand" Veelers. He feels like he got a raw deal out of the whole thing.

When you are winning the sprints, it's fine that you're a Type-A douche, but when the wins are not there any more, you just look like a tool. Slipping off the top step like that must be hard. Petacchi faded from view graciously, McEwen less so.

I agree mostly with Goonster...
Kittel shows maturity, leadership and honesty in his assessment of the Cav situation. Cav is what he is, There are few "nice guy" bigtime winning sprinters unless they are faking it. That phone apology is the best you'll get from him because its his job to be a bully in the sprints and a personal apology was too much of a concession in his mind and the photogs would make a story about it which would really piss Cav off. He probably feels that the private approach is the pro way to go and I think I agree. Veelers, whose job was done did go the wrong way and Cav did lean in. That's sprinting.
It was a terrible crash but how do you prevent them in bike racing?

Thanks for the heads up, interesting film.
VF

[humboldt]

Thanks for the tip. Watched Clean Spirit last night and really enjoyed it. Even more respect for Kittel, Degenkolb and the rest after watching.

[mg2ride]

I very, very much enjoyed it and plan to watch it again so I can focus more on the scenes than trying to read the subtitles. Maybe I'm just old or just out of practice, but the subtitle thing threw me off at times. Second time around I think I will know what is happening so my pitifully slow mind won't struggle.

My main takeaway is that cycling was/is made up of some low down, dirty A$$ SOB's! It seems to be a culture of crookedness and they are knowingly shortening the lives of these young men! Made me think of FIFA and wonder if all big time Euro sports are like this.

I would bet big money that the Argos-Shimano sprint win after Cav took out Veeler was a gift and the price to allow Cav to remain in the race. All the big sprinter teams were part of it. This is also why Kittel was just shy of backing Cav and why Cav refused to make an apology other than a phone call. Argo gets compensated, Cav get's punished and we get the drama!

I was surprised by how open they were regarding the handing out of pills and special color "energy bars". They were all still doped to the gills!

I was very intrigued by Kittel's comment that there is always a price to be paid by the team when he wins. Almost as if he is implying he made a deal with the devil.

Some of those massages looked painful as HeIl!

It was interesting that other than Argos wearing yellow at the beginning, the show never discussed or even showed who was winning the tour that year.

[Dead Man]

I agree mostly with Goonster...
Kittel shows maturity, leadership and honesty in his assessment of the Cav situation. Cav is what he is, There are few "nice guy" bigtime winning sprinters unless they are faking it. That phone apology is the best you'll get from him because its his job to be a bully in the sprints and a personal apology was too much of a concession in his mind and the photogs would make a story about it which would really piss Cav off. He probably feels that the private approach is the pro way to go and I think I agree. Veelers, whose job was done did go the wrong way and Cav did lean in. That's sprinting.
It was a terrible crash but how do you prevent them in bike racing?

Thanks for the heads up, interesting film.
VF

Totally disagree with all of this.

What was mature or honest about changing his position on a deliberate, malicious, injurious, unprovoked attack, which was likely at least half retaliatory toward the team for Kittel's win?

Everyone with eyes can see it was deliberate, unprovoked, and malicious only. Veeler veers and corrects himself before Cavendish even gets up to him, then deliberately dives right into him - that's a spoiled child move by a person with a bad record to begin with. How do you avoid a crash like that? By not deliberately causing it. REALLY EASY. But Cavendish was pissed and tried to seize an opportunity to take out his anger cowardly.. too bad for him, the whole world saw it clear as day.

Everyone acknowledges it was an attack. The only thing Veeler wants is a fricken apology - I would have wanted his head, but all Veeler wants is an apology. THEN, after a private chitchat with Cavendish, Kittel reverses his position and tells the guy who took his hit for him "I think it wasn't intentional. You should call him and tell him it's OK."

There was a hundred ways he could have been transparent and diplomatic about trying to put the whole thing to bed. He could have been diplomatic while still backing up his wronged teammate. But in his immaturity, he tried this BS "I think it wasn't intentional" crap, and in front of the rest of the team. And by doing so, alienated his worker and put off the rest of his team. "I'm shocked to hear you say this," someone says as everyone is muttering disbelief at Kittel's comment. That's not good leadership. That's actually the opposite of it.

:fight:

[russ46]

Wife and I watched it last night. We both enjoyed it. We saw another tour "behind the scenes" documentary a couple of years ago, that we got through Netflix, which was also good. This one really gave a good understanding on how damn difficult it must be to navigate a team car during the stages.

[stansarch]

Thanks for the post on this, was very enjoyable to watch the various scenes from the team car, wish there was even more :)

[msl819]

I checked this out last night too. What a brutal three weeks. I can only imagine how their bodies must feel after that amount of riding. The slant from Argos Shimano was that they really felt that cycling was mostly clean.

[rwsaunders]

Thanks for the heads up...

[sloanfiske]

Really well done. Made interesting editing choices by focusing on the guys and how hard that team is working together and not the tour.