The scene where the peloton crashes and all cyclists fall down on the last day of the Irish leg of the Tour de France was a real accident, it had not been rehearsed. It happened during shooting in Ireland, the actor playing Stefano Drago (Timo Wagner) stayed in the hospital 24 hours, before getting back on the scene with real scars.
The Racer was due to have its world premiere at SXSW 2020 in the Narritive Spotlight section. However the entire festival was canceled due to fears about Covid 19.
In 2018, a film centering around the 1998 Tour de France, titled The Domestique and to be directed by Kieron J. Walsh and written by Ciaran Cassidy, was announced. Production was taken over by Blinder Films, with the movie receiving EUR800,000 funding through Screen Ireland, the Irish state development agency. The film has since been renamed The Racer (2020) and secured funding from Screen Flanders, the Film Fund Luxembourg, Eurimages, the BAI Sound & Vision Fund, and RTÉ.
The Racer (2020) is a 2020 sports drama film. The film stars Louis Talpe, Matteo Simoni, Tara Lee, Iain Glen and Karel Roden.
PROLOGUE: "In 1998 the first three stages of the Tour de France were held in Ireland. That race would become the lowest point in the history of the Tour due to a series of doping scandals."
"The following is a fictional story set during those notorious Irish stages before the Tour limped back to France."
"The race is one by the writer who can suffer the most"- Eddy Merckx"
"The following is a fictional story set during those notorious Irish stages before the Tour limped back to France."
"The race is one by the writer who can suffer the most"- Eddy Merckx"