Pantani: the accidental death of a cyclist

[Sods_Laur]

Has anyone seen it? I was in town today and saw it in the new releases section of Hmv. It seemed like a pretty good stab but there's a lot of unanswered questions about the latter part of his career. I understand it is based on the book by Matt Rendell (which I haven't read) but there's some cracking race footage on it.

I wouldn't say I knew a lot about the guy before I saw it, is pretty clear the allegations had a devastating effect on his self esteem, it's a sad story in the end.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Some comments here:
http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/rapha-and-marco-pantini.155310/page-4

 

[Sods_Laur]

Some comments here:
http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/rapha-and-marco-pantini.155310/page-4

Damn! I did a search but I was looking by the thread title.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Damn! I did a search but I was looking by the thread title.

No worries, might be good to have a thread about the movie itself rather than it being embedded in a more general thread.

 

[MattMM]

Saw it on iTunes a coupla nights back - fantastic documentary. Although I wasn't into cycling when he was at his peak, the 98 Giro and Tour stuff is incredible. Just found it incredibly sad that such an inspirational character was destroyed.

 

[ufkacbln]

Given that one of the "revelations" from Mark Rendell was that Pantani was a "bully" that "doped throughout his career" why are we not simply condemning another cheat and rider who brought the sport into disrepute

 

[Sods_Laur]

To be fair, there's none of that in the film, which is what I meant really about unanswered questions.

 

[sazzaa]

Have just watched the film and there are loads of unanswered questions! It makes him out to be a legend more than a cheat...

 

[333]

I watched him at what I like to remember as the peak of his career in the age of Indurain when Indurain was winning tour after tour and destroying everybody in the time trials, Pantani was destroying and riding away from everybody in the mountains, he was an incredible climber and a joy to watch, it was a time when Armstrong didn't have much affect on the tour - shame really, it would have been nice to have seen Indurain, Armstrong and Pantani go head to head. If you take the drug enhancement out of the equation for a minute imagine watching all three of those guys going for it at the pinnacle of their careers, Indurain would be undefeatable in the time trials but I think Armstrong may have given him problems in the mountains.

 

[sazzaa]

Hard to take the cheating out of the equation for me.

How was his death accidental? Surely if you fark with your blood then start hoofing coke then you're kinda asking for it?

 

[333]

But what is the difference between them all doing it and nobody doing it?

 

[sazzaa]

But what is the difference between them all doing it and nobody doing it?

Really?

I think for me, I can't appreciate watching someone perform when I know it's not all their own effort. I like to think that humans can push themselves to the limit, but not with drugs/doping, makes the whole thing pointless to me, completely takes the shine off and I'm left unimpressed.

 

[User6179]

Good documentary , well worth watching

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

I've just watched this. In reply to @sazzaa, his death was as a result of his crushing depression. And if the film is factual and accurate, his depression was a direct result of his fall from grace.

In other words, the governing body wanted to destroy him as he was threatening the financial side of the sport. I don't think for one minute they thought their actions would result in his death.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

It's just a shame that all we remember is his drug taking - not the inspirational effort to even get back on a bike, let alone race.

Same as Lance I suppose - good stuff buried under too much bad stuff.