follows a first year professional
cycling team through an entire season, documenting their struggle to pursue a
dream at any cost. While the canvas of the film is the gritty subculture of
American professional bike racing, what arises are issues of loyalty, integrity,
commitment, and self-knowledge in a singularly self- sufficient world in which
justice is meted out by the sport itself. Follow the riders into their homes and
hotel rooms; along in the van and behind the scenes of the races for an inside
look at their camaraderie and triumphs, as well as their disappointments,
hardship and sacrifices. Two grizzled veterans mentor six rookies, as they try
to break into the ultra-elite hierarchy that is pro cycling. For the team,
financial reward, a certain future and social normalcy are some of the things
that must be sacrificed in exchange for a soul-deep engagement with something
essential in themselves.
If you love bike racing, you’ll love The Hard
Road, but the best thing about the film is that there’s much more in it than
bike racing.
www.thehardroad.com