Tommy Godwin: The Hardest Year

Tommy Godwin: The Hardest Year 2023

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In 1939, driven by a desire for fame and fortune English amateur Tommy Godwin cycled a world record 75,065 miles in one year setting out from home each day through bitter winters and the blackouts of World War Two. He became the fastest person to cycle 100,000 miles in just 500 days. After this epic feat of endurance, Tommy had to learn to walk again and uncurl his hands! The madcap record has only been attempted by a handful of determined souls and Tommy’s record stood for 76 years making it one of the greatest, but also most overlooked sporting achievements. Ultra endurance athlete and round the world cycling record holder Mark Beaumont is on a mission to shine a light on Tommy’s ride. He delves deeper into Tommy’s story and finds out if he has the physical and mental stamina to take on Godwin’s record.

2023

1903: Relived: Stage 1 Of The First Tour

1903: Relived: Stage 1 Of The First Tour 2020

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On the 19th of July 1903 60 cyclists left Paris for the maiden stage of the very first Tour de France, racing 467km through the night to the line in Lyon. 116 years later, two modern-day riders attempted to recreate the feat of endurance using bikes and equipment from the early 20th century to fully experience the highs and lows of the early Tour pioneers. Endurance cyclist Mark Beaumont and GCN presenter James Lowsley-Williams are pushed to the limits of their physical and mental ability, struggling with the midsummer heat, bikes borrowed from museums and a lack of sleep. How did they compare to the Tour’s first heroes?

2020

Giro 88

Giro 88 2023

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It created one of the most memorable days in grand tour history. Riders such as Andy Hampsten and Franco Chioccioli share their extraordinary experience of a day they'll never forget.

2023

24HRS - How Far Can You Ride A Bike In 24Hrs?

24HRS - How Far Can You Ride A Bike In 24Hrs? 2020

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Just how far can you ride a bike In 24 hours? Ultra-endurance cyclist Mark Beaumont is joined by GCN Presenter James Lowsley-Williams on an overnight expedition from Somerset to Scotland through gruelling winter conditions. Along the way they are tested by a team of top academics to monitor the effect of the demanding challenge is having on their cognitive function and long term physical ability. Battling fatigue and the ever-changing weather conditions, how far can they make it?

2020

The King and Beers - A Gravel Epic in Vermont

The King and Beers - A Gravel Epic in Vermont 2021

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Ex-pro cyclist, Ted King has a lot of love for his home state of Vermont. With its rolling landscapes, rugged gravel roads and its fantastic craft beer scene, he was never unhappy to return home after his time spent in pelotons around the world. As beer and bike enthusiasts, Ted and elite road and CX racer Regina Legge, are taking their gravel bikes down the road less travelled, touring brewery to brewery and learning what puts Vermont’s craft beer ahead of the bunch. As they head north to south, we'll take in some of Vermont's challenging climbs and learn a thing or two about beer along the way.

2021

1969 - Following Merckx

1969 - Following Merckx 2022

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1969. July the 15th. Stage 17 of the Tour de France. A brutal stage from Luchon to Mourenx covering four of the toughest mountains in the Pyrenees. On this fateful day, Eddy Merckx catapulted himself into the history books with one of the greatest solo breakaways the sport has ever seen. Fast forward over half a century, and GCN’s Simon Richardson is in the Pyrenees to pay tribute to The Cannibal by recreating his ride. To make the 220km epic even more challenging, Si will do it aboard his 1969 spec Faema team bike and wearing their iconic red and white jersey. Eddy Merckx made this ride look easy, but will Si even make it to the finish line?

2022

Himalayas

Himalayas 2023

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Simon Richardson and James Lowsley-Williams head to the Himalayas on a quest to discover Nepal’s mysterious ‘Forbidden Kingdom’, the remote mountaintop city of Lo Manthang. Breath-taking views, lung-busting climbs, and incredible encounters with locals; Si and James are in for an unmissable gravel bike adventure! Their once-in-a-lifetime expedition begins in the chaotic streets of Kathmandu before embarking on a gruelling five-day ride up the ancient trade route that forges a path between Nepal and Tibet. Their epic ride sees them dicing with kamikaze trucks, enduring freezing rainstorms, taking a 228m bungee jump, and even a heroic attempt to beat a Himalayan KOM.

2023

How To Survive a Grand Tour

How To Survive a Grand Tour 2023

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Riding a stage of a Grand Tour is tough, but riding 21 stages over Europe’s most brutal climbs is the absolute pinnacle of human endurance… Join Conor Dunne, survivor of two Grand Tours, as he heads to the 2023 Giro d’Italia to reveal how pro riders complete this monumental feat of physical endurance. Conor follows sprinters Pascal Ackermann and Davide Cimolai, plus rookies Derek Gee and Charlie Quarterman as they take on the epic Italian stage race. He also meets the sports directors, nutritionists, and medics that work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure the riders remain fit and focused throughout the three weeks. Follow these riders as they embark on the 2023 Giro – Will they reach Rome? What state will they be in when they get there?

2023

Stelvio

Stelvio 2022

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Standing proudly amongst the pantheon of cycling’s most revered mountains, the Stelvio boasts some of the longest and most challenging climbs in bike racing. Relentless switchbacks over impossible gradients beneath extremes of weather. It is on the relentless, technical, and often treacherous slopes of the Stelvio where the most famous and revered battles have decided the fate of the Giro d’Italia’s coveted Maglia Rosa. Jon Shubert explores the history and legends of the Stelvio and the surrounding regions, meeting people whose lives have been shaped by the mountain, and ex-professional Adam Hansen joins him as he makes his own attempt to conquer the coveted mountain.

2022

Behind the Lens: Giro d’Italia

Behind the Lens: Giro d’Italia 2023

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Witness cycling’s top photographers in action at the world’s most beautiful bike race, as we go behind the lens with Ashley and Jered Gruber, Luca Bettini, and Zac Williams at the 2023 Giro d’Italia. Filmed during the race’s three epic final stages, learn how the photographers chase the action, doing their best to capture the pain and glory of the riders, and document the beauty of the mountains and towns across Italy. This is a thrill-a-minute, front row seat to the stunning finale of a race that will live long in the memory – and in the photographers’ beautiful imagery.

2023

WW1 - War on Two Wheels

WW1 - War on Two Wheels 2021

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A fascinating insight into the role of the bicycle in the First World War - from reconnaissance to transporting ammunition, historian and cycling enthusiast Jeremy Banning explores stories from the battlefield. Ollie Bridgewood discovers the role cycle scouts played in the Army Cycling Corp and rides the original bikes used in the conflict. Mark Beaumont meets the grandson of a WW1 soldier who rode for the Highland Cyclist Battalion and survived brutal combat on the front line.

2021

Breaking Through: The Rise of African Cycling

Breaking Through: The Rise of African Cycling 2023

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Biniam Girmay’s recent successes have shown that African cycling is on the up, ready at last to follow athletics and football into the big time. But why has it taken so long, and what’s needed to take it all the way? Set against the beauty and battles of the Tour du Rwanda, we explore the past, present and future of riders from Eritrea, South Africa, Rwanda and more, meeting Girmay and the rising stars hot on his heels, as well as the people passionate about giving these riders the opportunities they deserve. This is the story of the next great continent in cycling - Africa.

2023

Great Outback Beer Run

Great Outback Beer Run 2023

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After a decade in Europe racing in the pro peloton, Mitch Docker has moved back to his Australian homeland. Mitch and his old mate Alby Iacuone head out to explore Down Under’s wild interior combining their two great loves; bikes and beer! Retracing the steps of Victorian explorers on fully loaded gravel bikes, Mitch and Alby ride through some of Australia’s most remote regions stopping off at iconic bush pubs. They’ll be meeting locals whose lives centre around these classic boozers, encountering exotic wildlife, and exploring the outback in all its raw, untouched beauty. ‌ Their goal is to reach the very heart of Australia where the great states of New South Wales, Queensland, and South Australia meet. Can they make it through nearly 500km of dirt paths and gnarly trails through unforgiving desert in just four days?

2023

BMX: Turning Dirt To Gold

BMX: Turning Dirt To Gold 2021

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GCN's James Lowsley-Williams and GMBN's Blake Samson are trading in their usual bikes for ones with much smaller wheels, as they try their hand at two variations of the incredibly varied sport of bicycle motocross. We'll explore the history of BMX to learn about the rise, fall and rebirth of one of cycling's most explosive forms. From racing on the track to landing tricks in skate bowls, what does it take to make it to the top level of BMX?

2021

Trial by Giro

Trial by Giro 2023

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Canyon//SRAM racing takes on one of the biggest races on the women’s calendar: the Giro Donne. The GCN+ cameras go behind-the-scenes to capture every single moment. With exclusive access to the team, including established stars and rising talents like Chloé Dygert, Tiffany Cromwell, and Antonia Niedermaier, this fly-on-the-wall documentary pulls back the curtain on how one of the best teams in the business navigates the emotional and physical rollercoaster of a truly dramatic race. With ex-pros Magnus Bäckstedt and Dani Christmas in the team car, expectations are for big performances and big wins. But, with treacherous conditions and big crashes across nine brutal stages, how does the team stay ahead of the competition and deliver results?

2023

The Fast Lane

The Fast Lane 2023

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Tulsa Tough is one of the hardest, fastest, most prestigious criterium races in the United States of America. This high-octane, action packed film follows the Miami Blazers, and hears from sprinter and fast rising talent Dante Young, as they go toe-to-toe with the likes of L39ION OF LOS ANGELES on the downtown streets of Tulsa. It’s NASCAR meets bike racing as we see the best criterium racers in the world battle for supremacy.

2023

The Weight of The Peloton

The Weight of The Peloton 2022

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Does the pro peloton have a problem with food? Are cyclists eating enough to be healthy? Former pro cyclist and GCN presenter Conor Dunne investigates how the pursuit of low weight has been the fixation of professional riders for generations. He finds out if his own weight loss programme has caused lasting damage, and asks if pro teams are now changing their approach to weight management Conor heads to Italy to meet former teammate Davide Cimolai to hear how his weight obsession ruined his early years. He also hears from Gabz Cullaigh whose recent experience at the top of the sport presents evidence that despite advances in coaching and science-led meal plans, under-eating is still a problem.

2022

Paris-Brest-Paris

Paris-Brest-Paris 2023

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Paris-Brest-Paris is a cycling spectacle like no other. Once every 4 years, over 7,000 cyclists from across the globe head to France’s capital to take on this gruelling 1200 km. Thousands of spectators flock to the roadsides of North-West France to support the riders; some of whom will be attempting to finish first, riding non-stop for over 48 hours, whilst others are just trying to make it back to Paris before the 90 hour cut off time. We follow British amateur riders Jack Thurston and Amy Hudson as they tackle this monumental challenge for the first time, along with veteran French rider Dominique Lamouller, racing Paris-Brest-Paris for the13th time, along with his son, ex-pro road racer Loïc Lamouller. A gruelling course, intense heat, and sleep deprivation, will our riders make it back to Paris?

2023

Ultimate 1000

Ultimate 1000 2023

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Oliver Bridgewood is taking on the biggest cycling challenge of his life. The Ultimate 1000: a 1000 km bike ride through the stunning Swiss Alps. With almost 27,000 m of climbing over 26 classified climbs, the only way Ollie will find out if he can complete the ride…is to just go for it.

2023

Alpe d’Huez

Alpe d’Huez 2023

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A mountain so legendary it’s known simply as “The Alpe”, with its unmistakable 21 hairpins it’s cycling’s most famous climb. Not the steepest, or the hardest, but when the Tour de France hits Alpe d’Huez, drama is guaranteed. It’s featured more than thirty times and is eagerly awaited by hordes of fans lining the route. Crowds are estimated to have swelled to over a million and on one of the sport’s most recognisable bends all of Holland seems to camp out; the iconic Dutch Corner. Conor is joined by ex-pro Fränk Schleck who won on the mountain in 2006. His victory cemented his place at cycling’s top table, and Fränk’s name is now immortalised on hairpin eighteen, alongside double stage winner, Hennie Kuiper, who also shares his memories of the mythical mountain.

2023