Jun
2
By Stephen Harrison
The Victoria International Cycling Festival runs from May to June "to promote bicycling culture in Victoria." The Royal BC Museum's IMAX is lending its support to the festivities by bringing back the 2005 film Wired to Win: Surviving the Tour de France. It's hard to miss the fact that Victoria has an avid bicycling population. Cycling is a part of life for many Victorians, and participating in events like bike to work week or taking in a game of bike polo are good ways to ensure that the region remains bike-friendly.
The Victoria International Cycling Festival is designed "to showcase the Victoria Region as the Cycling Capital of Canada" through a series of cycling events and activities. This includes the recent "Tour de Victoria," a 90 or 140 km. race around the Greater Victoria region. The distances were designed for both entry-level riders and "enthusiasts," respectively, with a much shorter option offered for families and beginners.
Ryder Hesjedal, a professional cyclist from Victoria and a Tour de France participant, also took part in the Tour de Victoria. Herein lies a direct connection with Wired to Win, which follows two Australian cyclists attempting to conquer the grueling race in 2003. The film puts the French countryside of the 3,400 km. race to good use, but it is more interested in how the workings of the human brain help these athletes function.
Our brains are "wired" through repetition and experience, and the filmmakers advance this thesis by frequently cutting away to CGI depictions of the brain's inner workings. Despite their best efforts, the low-angle shots of cyclists descending mountain roads at 100 km/hr and the sweeping overhead views of the race are still a better use of the IMAX format. The stories of "sprinters" Baden Cook and Jimmy Casper are also gripping: Cook battles for the coveted green jersey, and Casper attempts to work through a neck injury. On the whole, Wired to Win delivers on its promise of putting the experience of the Tour de France on an IMAX screen. Supporting cycling culture in Victoria is a worthwhile endeavour, and a variety of festival events are taking place throughout the month of June. Check for details.