Mark Cavendish: in corsa contro il tempo

Mark Cavendish is a legendary cyclist and his story is a compelling one. The ups and downs of his career are extraordinary by any measure, and they are viscerally presented in this documentary.

Where the documentary truly succeeds is in not over-romanticizing Cavendish's character. He's a biking god, and his setbacks arouse real sympathy, but he's also a bit of an a-hole (a favorite coach's evaluation) and the movie is comfortable presenting come unvarnished truths about this sports "hero."

The real star here may well be the Tour de France bike race, and its importance as a great iconic event is artfully established here. The camera work is particularly compelling when the racers are racing and all in all the film is a good ride.

One last thing, every third word in the dialogue is the f-word so be advised if that sort of thing is in any way offensive to you.