Death On The Mountain
Wed 19 Oct, 11:20 pm - 12:20 am 60mins
The Story of Tom Simpson
With eyewitness accounts from former British team-mates and top stars of continental cycling, the documentary recounts the dramatic events of 13th July, during the 13th stage of the 1967 Tour de France, when Britain's greatest cyclist, Tom Simpson, died trying to climb the notorious Mont Ventoux in southern France.
Interwoven into this story of Simpson's controversial death is the remarkable tale of how the miner's son from Nottinghamshire conquered continental cycling during the 1960s. Simpson became the first British rider to wear the coveted Yellow Jersey of the Tour de France, was road-race world champion and won Europe's top one-day races.
But behind Simpson's genius and courage, there was also his reliance on illegal drugs in the pursuit of sporting success. This film highlights the peaks of his cycling career but also chronicles the frustrated ambition to win the
ultimate challenge in cycling: the Tour de France. The desire for sporting immortality cost Tom Simpson his life. [s]
Death On The Mountain - WED 23:20 BBC2
TOTW/F/M Award(s): 1
