New cycling feature film The Domestique set to go into production next year

In a case of art imitating life, in this of all weeks comes news of a feature film due to enter production next year called The Domestique that explores the bridge between a generation of riders reliant on doping to what is hoped to be a cleaner one entering the sport now.

Billed as a “story of a struggling pro cyclist on a quest to find personal and professional redemption,” the film follows long-time domestique Vince Carter as he looks to restore his relationship with his ex-wife and son, and put his doping past behind him to complete his dream of finishing the Tour de France.

German director Marc Schoelermann has been recruited to take the helm of the project, building on his track record of making big-budget TV ads as well as the 2008 crime thriller, Pathology.

He’s no stranger to directing cycling action either – he was the man behind Skoda’s Tortour ad (below), which gives grounds for hope that the film will present a more authentic depiction of the sport than the wheels* in the project poster suggest.

Mind you, the film, said to be “a sports drama realistic enough to satisfy die-hard cycling fans, but with the broad appeal to engage a wider audience who are not familiar with the intricacies of pro cycling,” also promises commentary from Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen… 

* road.cc tech editor Mat has identified them as Spinergy Rev-X wheels, currently banned by the UCI.