A quick heads up for cycling film buffs in London. Safety In Numbers, a 70-minute documentary by Nick Mason about the Fireflies is showing at the ICA tonight, for a special Monday-night price of £5.
The Fireflies is a group of mainly British amateur cyclists who, each year for the past nine years, have ridden 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) across the French Alps from Geneva to Cannes to raise money for leukaemia research.
Though they take on the classic climbs of the Tour de France – more than 20 in eight days, including Colombière, Télégraphe, Galibier, Izoard, Alpe d’Huez and Madeleine – they’re far from pros. I’ve ridden with them once, and can pay testament to the inspirational determination and team spirit that gets everybody safely through some of the most awesome mountains in the world.
From what I’ve seen, the film, shot in full HD, captures the amazing vistas, and the personal stories, beautifully, and there’s a sneak peek posted on the Fireflies website.
2010 will be the ride’s 10th year and the organisers hope to break the £1 million ($1.5 million) mark for cumulative funds raised for this lifesaving charity. As the ride’s motto goes: ‘For those who suffer, we ride’.
