Seasoned ‘Super-domestique’, Dom Chabol, experiences the most dramatic three days of his life as he faces the end of his time with his team, the end of his career, and even the end of his life, at the opening Irish stages of the notorious 1998 Tour de France.
Summer 1998 - the opening stages of Le Tour de France are relocated to Ireland. Belgian rider Dom Chabol (late 30s) has been one of the best “Domestiques” (support riders) on the Tour for the last 20 years. It’s a sacrificial role – setting pace, blocking wind, and providing support to enable the team’s sprinter to victory - winning is not an option. But Dom secretly harbours a desire to wear the yellow jersey - just once before his career is over.
At the start of what will likely be his last Tour, Dom is unceremoniously dropped from the Team he has dedicated his life to. His best mate Sonny, the team masseur, fails to reassure him about his future. But a chance liaison with Lynn, a young Irish doctor, softens the blow, and Dom starts to accept - and even enjoy - the idea of civilian life. But as he gears up to go home and to face his estranged sister, a massive doping error knocks another teammate off the Tour and Dom is thrown back in the saddle…
Director's Statement
The story opens in Dublin where our hero’s journey begins. Hundreds of the finest
cyclists in the world descend upon Dublin along with the world’s press for three
days of
historic racing. The eyes of the world are on these Gods of cycling. Ironically, the
reality is a band of wildly ambitious men holed up in cheap hotel rooms across
Ireland
taking copious amounts of performance enhancing drugs. The film will question how
far
these guys will go to keep on competing and what happens to sportsmen when they are
too
old to compete?
For me THE RACER encapsulates all that is captivating in cinema – a man obsessed,
dark
comedy, exhilarating action and a little romance. It is the story of a proud man who
finds himself at a crossroads in his life - the fascinating character study of a
seasoned cyclist who has worked for all his life as a ‘Domestique’. Cycling isn’t
just
his livelihood, it’s all he knows. It’s his ‘family’, his life, his ‘raison d’être’
-
no wife, no kids, no savings, and with a strained relationship with his family he
has no
place to call home...he will be lost without cycling not knowing what to do when he
retires.
THE RACER explores the delusions and fears of this proud giant of cycling as he
attempts
to deal with his predicament. Dom Chabol is a tormented soul, striving to behave
with
grace under immense pressure as the tour begins. Into his world enters the force of
nature that is Lynn Brennan - a smart, Irish medical graduate. Because of her
independent spirit Dom’s eyes are opened to a possible alternative to the world of
cycling. He re-evaluates his life and weigh up his future prospects – if they indeed
exist.
- Kieron J. Walsh
Screening Room
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