We’ve rounded up the best cycling documentaries out there and put together this list to inspire your viewing for when you fancy a cosy night in.
We hope you find a few documentaries you haven’t come across before, so that even if you can’t be riding your bike, you can at least be watching bicycles and learning more about cycling, the best sport in the world!
Notes: Our list of best cycling documentaries is ordered from the most recent to the oldest.
We’ve included details of where you can watch them (as at the time of writing), as well as a link to a website that compares the cost on different streaming services (if the film is listed on the website – it doesn’t list them all).
If you’re after a movie rather than a documentary, you’ll want to take a look at this round up of our favourite cycling movies.
1. Tour de France Unchained (2023)
- Main subject: Le Tour 2022
- Best for: Fans of the classic, challenging, month-long Grand Tour
- Where to watch: Netflix
The long-awaited Tour de France: Unchained is a Netflix exclusive covering the trials and tribulations of the world’s most famous bike race. The wait was worth it. This absolutely excellent fly on the wall documentary series follows teams and riders in the peloton through the highs and lows of the planet’s most challenging race.
The documentary covers the 109th edition of Le Tour, held in 2022. Eight teams are featured during the eight episodes, and you can experience every moment of their sacrifice and suffering as they vie for cycling’s most prestigious trophy.
If you’ve ever wanted to know what it feels like to compete for the white, yellow, green and red spotted jerseys, then this is about as close as you’re going to get. Unless you’re actually down to compete in the next edition of the French Grand Tour, that is.
2. Movistar cycling documentary (2022, 2021 and 2019)
Season one was added to Netflix in March 2020, and you’ll struggle not to binge-watch this captivating six-part series in which Movistar provides exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of Spain’s Movistar Team as they compete in the 2019 cycling season.
This is one of the best cycling documentaries on Netflix. It’s beautifully produced and feels quite raw and honest, giving a real feeling for the dynamics and tensions between the big name leaders within the team. It’s unusual to get such insights on races that are still such recent history.
The only downside to these cycling shows is the sub-titles for non-Spanish speaking viewers.
The second season of this hugely popular cycling documentary on Netflix was added in May 2021: six episodes, each around an hour long, documenting the time between August 2020 and January 2021.
The popular cycling show returned for a third season in March 2022, with four episodes covering the team’s 2021 season and Lopez’s decision to abandon La Vuelta.
3. Sean Conway’s ‘Europe or Bust’ (2020)
In 2019, extreme adventurer Sean Conway set a new world record by cycling unsupported across Europe from Portugal to Russia in just 24 days. This fascinating fly-on-the-wall British cycling documentary sees Conway battle with dangerous roads, strong head winds, a lack of sleep and a shocking diet. A great example of the best bikepacking documentaries, and probably another contender for best cycling documentary overall, this is well worth a watch.
(Note the film above is a prequel taster video, rather than a trailer video of the official film.)
4. De Ronde 100 – Behind the scenes (2020)
A rare insight into the goings on behind one of the most important races on the calendar, the Tour of Flanders, aka De Ronde. It’s part of the Spring Classics, and this documentary focuses on the 2016 race, or the 100th edition.
It’s one of the best cycling documentaries on YouTube as its raw candor gives you an insight into the work that the press and organising staff go through to bring you the pictures you see on your television among other things.
The makers of this bike documentary cover each year of De Ronde, so once you’ve watched the 2016 edition, there are plenty more for you to watch!
5. Lance (2020)
This documentary is a two-part series originally aired by ESPN in 2020 as part of their ’30 for 30′ show. It shows Lance Armstrong being interviewed and being quite open about what he did during his career, and where he is now.
ESPN’s 30 for 30 is a series of documentary films that highlights sporting stories past and present. The series has also included such sports stars as Michael Jordan and the infamous OJ Simpson.
It takes into account interviews from people close to him and his enemies, both in the media and in cycling. It’s an interesting watch and possibly the best Lance Armstrong documentary, and feels like it closes the chapter of Lance in cycling quite well. However, as with anything involving Mr Armstrong, it’s bound to stoke opinions!
6. Iron Cowboy (2018)
This epic movie is the true story of triathlete James Lawrence (aka the Iron Cowboy) and his journey to complete an incredible 50 Ironman races in 50 days, across 50 US states. Certainly one of the more raw cycling movies on Netflix, and one of the better Amazon Prime cycling documentary options too.
If you’ve ever completed a triathlon or Ironman event, you’ll be one step closer to appreciating what’s involved in this feat. In this must-watch documentary you’ll see how the human body can be pushed to its limits.
7. Mamil (2017)
MAMILs are Middle-Aged Men in Lycra. This amusing feature-length road cycling documentary follows several groups of blokes on bikes including British dads, gay couples in New York and a team of overweight cyclists in Australia. This cyclist documentary showcases the life of amateur road cyclists who are just like many of us, but a bit different.
8. All for One (2017)
The All For One biking documentary tells the story of GreenEDGE, Australia’s first ProTour cycling team.
If you’ve seen the Backstage Pass series on YouTube, then you’ll be familiar with most of the content of the All For One movie and this pro cycling documentary has the same humorous tone. It’s one to watch for a positive depiction of pro cycling.
9. Icarus (2017)
Icarus is an American documentary on cycling that begins with Bryan Fogel’s investigation into doping in amateur cycling. He sets out to see if he could dope while preparing for the Haute Route, and get away with it.
This Netflix cycling documentary culminates in the discovery of Russia’s state-sponsored Olympic doping program. It details the events that led to Russian athletes being stripped of 47 Olympic medals and, in 2019, the World Anti-Doping Agency banning Russia from all major sporting events for the next four years.
If you’re after a cycling doping documentary, this is the one to watch.
10. Tour de Pharmacy (2017)
This mockumentary chronicles the prevalence of doping in professional cycling. With an all-star cast featuring Orlando Bloom, Andy Samberg and Kevin Bacon, the movie also features cameo appearances from Lance Armstrong and Mike Tyson, who play themselves.
The setting is the 1982 Tour de France, and while not a true cycle documentary., the movie is entertaining – poking fun at the level playing field created when virtually every professional cyclist was doping.
11. Personal Gold: an underdog story (2015)
Personal Gold documents the inspirational tale of four American women and their quest to win gold medals for cycling in the London 2012 Olympics.
As the men’s team are banned for doping in the wake of the Lance Armstrong drug scandal, these underdog women cyclists become the USA’s only hope in winning track cycling medals.
12. Stop at Nothing: The Lance Armstrong Story (2014)
You think you know the story of Lance Armstrong? This BBC cycling documentary says otherwise. It’s one of the few Netflix cycling documentaries, as most seem to just on YouTube or Amazon Prime after being shown on live TV.
Focusing on the cheating, bullying and lies involved in Armstrong’s pursuit of money, fame and success, this gritty documentary details the cycling star’s fall from grace.
13. Thereabouts (2014)
Thereabouts is a cycling documentary that aims to bring back the magic and wonder of cycling by focusing not on medals, points and scandal, but instead on showcasing Australia by road bike.
This cycling documentary documents the journey by two pro cyclist brothers, Lachlan and Gus Morton, as they ride from their home in Port Macquarie to Uluru. It’s a journey of 2,500km over 12 days, into deepest Australia.
It provides real insight into the pressures experienced by professional road cyclists as well as fantastic Australian landscapes.
14. Pantani: The accidental death of a cyclist (2014)
This gripping documentary tells the tragic story of Marco Pantani, 1998 winner of both the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia. Just six years after his triumph, he was found dead in a hotel room after a cocaine overdose.
Pantani is one of those figures that is hugely relatable and his story is one that explores wasted talent, the prevalence of doping in cycling, victimisation and depression. If you’re looking for an interesting film to watch with your non-cyclist other half, this could be the one.
15. My Italian Secret: The Forgotten Heroes (2014)
Set in WWII, this movie recounts the true story of how Tour de France champion Gino Bartali and other fellow Italians worked with Jewish leaders to defy the Nazis and save the lives of thousands of Jewish people in Italy.
This incredible tale was never published in Bartali’s lifetime and gives a fascinating insight into war-time cycling.
16. Bradley Wiggins: A Year in Yellow (2012)
When Bradley Wiggins won the Tour de France in 2012, he became the first British man to do so in the history of the race. First shown on Sky Atlantic in 2012, Bradley Wiggins: A Year In Yellow is sort of a Tour de France documentary that follows his journey from Team Sky leader to eventual winner of the hardest cycling race on earth.
It features interviews with his nearest and dearest, and provides a background to one of the most decorated male British cyclists. There aren’t many full cycling documentaries YouTube has to watch but this is a great one.
17. The Flying Scotsman (2006)
The Flying Scotsman cycling film tells the incredible true story of Graeme Obree, the Scottish amateur cyclist who broke the World Hour Record in 1993 on a bicycle he built himself from bits of old washing machines.
What’s even more incredible is how bi-polar sufferer Obree struggled with intense bouts of depression yet still managed to smash records without anti-depressants or performance enhancing drugs. You also get a real feeling for his love-hate relationship with the hour record.
18. Hell on Wheels (2004)
The Hell on Wheels cycling film explores the pain and suffering of those who devote their lives to competing in the Tour de France.
It’s a cycling documentary about the Tour de France’s 100th anniversary in 2003 and is shot from the perspective of Team Telekom. It features behind-the-scenes footage and finish-line interviews, showing the less-than-glamorous side of the professional cycling world.
19. A Sunday in Hell (1976)
Acclaimed as one of the best cycling films ever made, A Sunday in Hell is a chronology of the 1976 Paris-Roubaix bike race from the perspective of cyclists, event organisers, spectators and even a group of protestors who stopped the race at one stage. You get to see legendary names such as Eddy Merckx, Roger De Vlademinck, Francesco Moser and Freddy Maertens.
This classic cycling documentary shows the ups and downs of the most dramatic race of the spring classics. It’s particularly impressive when you consider that the whole documentary was shot in one day using more than 20 cameras along the route and footage from a helicopter – these kinds of techniques were groundbreaking at that time.
20. La Course en Tete (1974)
This classic bicycle documentary features the famed cyclist Eddy Merckx, winner of eleven Grand Tours.
One of the best cycling films on YouTube, the camera follows Merckx through the 1973 and 1974 seasons and allows you to appreciate what a truly great cyclist he really was.
21. The Stars and the Water Carriers (1974)
This is another classic documentary about cycling from Jorgan Leth, who also directed A Sunday in Hell. The Stars and the Water Carriers features the 1973 Giro d’Italia, focusing on the winner Eddy Merckx and his challengers, both on the road and behind the scenes.
If you’re disappointed that the 2020 Giro d’Italia may not go ahead, watch this instead.
Honourable mentions
If you’re willing to go old-school and buy a DVD, check out these three films! They are only not on our list of best bike documentaries because you can’t currently get them online.
What do you think of our list of road cycling documentaries?
Have we missed your favourite, or are there new cycling documentaries we’ve not covered yet?! Let us know your thoughts on the best cycling series or one-off special in the comments below.
What’s next?
If you fancy a bit of non-fiction, check out our pick of the best road cycling films.
Also check out our favourite road cycling books. We reckon these are the ones every proper roadie should have read!
And finally, this article shares our favourite cycling apps (other than Netflix!).
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Clare Dewey is a cyclist with a passion for travel. She set up epicroadrides.com in 2018 to help make it easy for cyclists to explore the world by bike. Today her mission is still inspiring cyclists to discover new places on two wheels – and doing what she can to make sure they have the best possible time while they’re there. Clare has visited 50+ destinations around the world, many of them by bike.
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Great list – cheers
Not at all – glad you like it!
Rising from Ashes is incredibly inspiring, I don’t remember how I watched it years ago, but it looks like now you can only buy it on vimeo https://vimeo.com/ondemand/risingfromashes
Thanks for this! Looks like a great watch, what an inspiring story! https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2088883/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dod7harhgJ8
Hi Jethro, thanks for this. That link doesn’t seem to work but I think you’re talking about this: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8493156/
Looks awesome; I’ll have a watch, thanks for suggesting it! Clare
Half the Road https://halftheroad.com/
The Hard Road https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1841876/
Pro https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1841798/?ref_=tt_mv_close
Thanks for the suggestions!
Like!! I blog quite often and I genuinely thank you for your information. The article has truly peaked my interest.