Product Description

1 x 80:00 min 1 x 40:00 min The Tour De France has thrown up many legends over the years, but none more iconic to the French themselves than the legendary pair of Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault. This programme features an in depth look at these two legendary cyclists and also includes highlights from the Tour's early heroes - Maurice Garin, Eugene Christophe, Rene Vietto and Louison Bobet, as well as the 'eternal second', Raymond Poulidor.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #22505 in DVD
• Released on: 2007-03-05
• Rating: Exempt
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 105 minutes

Synopsis
Programme profiling some of the superstars of French cycling.

Customer Reviews

Could have been much better
I bought this really wanting it to be good. I had enjoyed watching the Eddy Merckx DVD in the same series which was excellent (and included plenty of race footage which really got the adreneline pumping as well as insightful background and interviews). Unfortunately the French Legends version is not nearly as good, unless perhaps your French is very fluent.

The focus on Hinault and Anquetil was a good idea as was the briefer coverage of a number of early French greats. Having Phil Liggett as the narrator was another plus. The big downside to this production however was the quality of race coverage used. For Anquetil the coverage was very poor - mainly just clips of the aftermath of races when he was being besieged by cameramen, etc. with commentary in rapid French - but very little action at all. I didn't expect great coverage of his races given how long ago they took place but there must be better footage than that used. For Hinault there was more action but not enough and that too was with French commentary. If your French is fluent then you may enjoy it more than I did and I do appreciate that this is the Tour de FRANCE. However this is an English language production - and I know English language commentary does exist for a number of the Tours covered (by Phil Liggett himself) but it wasn't used. I also know better action footage exists that too wasn't used. Overall this could have been a lot better by splashing out a bit more for better footage with better commentary. Given the dearth of good footage I would also have thought that covering Laurent Fignon in a little more that a few short minutes would have been an option worth taking up too. There are subtitles but they are difficult to read at the same time as watching the 'action' as the French is very rapid.

One final moan is that the coverage is slightly sycophantic.

All this said however it still does contain some interesting historical insights and relatively rare footage. The interview with Hinault itself was quite a treat.

So overall not that bad but could have been much better.