Not to the Swiftest: A Brutal Joy

Young manual worker, Mick seizes the bicycle as a way to transcend his industrial life and to escape to one of beauty and joy; and which, in turn, offers him the opportunity to compete - to become a road-racing cyclist. His ambitious yet modest talent, carries him far, but not far enough. To compensate for his shortcomings, his mentor, Jack - an old ex-professional rider - takes him in hand. Unfortunately Jack`s methods may not be quite legal. Jack helps Mick to overcome his vulnerability to infection; but such help brings prosecution by the cycling authority, the Federation. Some of the issues of what are legitimate methods for competition are dramatized during a tribunal. Compromises are reached, and Mick is allowed to participate in a forthcoming international race. During the event Mick comes to realize that he isn`t good enough to compete at the top level, and after having received illegal assistance from his mentor Jack, is banned from racing. Sometime later, at the World Cycling Championship, in France, Mick, now working as a minor assistant for the Federation, comes across his old coach - Jack is riding in the Veteran category of the championship and, growing old and irrelevant, wishes to have one final attempt at competition. Mick sees an opportunity to repay his friend. Turn by turn, the realities and brutality of road racing - along with its joys - bring both reward and condemnation; and Mick and Jack are happy to help each other to succeed, and fail, in their different ways; culminating in an apparent place on the podium at the World Cycling Championship - but not quite.