S2 E8: What can A Sunday in Hell (1976) tell us about professional cycling in the 1970s?

Tonight is our last episode in the current series. And to mark the occasion we’ll be breaking from the usual format, by discussing a documentary film. This documentary, beloved in cycling circles, is a day in the life of a cycling race. But not just any race: the race is the Paris Roubaix, one of cycling’s most infamous events, a 280 km route across asphalt and cobbles and known variously as the "Hell of the North" and the "Queen of the Classics". And the film is Jørgen Leth’s "A Sunday in Hell", which, through the 1976 Paris-Roubaix, offers a unique glimpse into cycling community and culture. That’s why we’ve chosen A Sunday in Hell to answer today’s question: What can A Sunday in Hell tell us about professional cycling in the 1970s? Answer this question are: Phil Heaton, Host Dr Morris Brodie and Dr Sam Manning, Resident Historians And tonight’s special guest Dr Ryan Mallon, who gained his PhD in history from Queen’s University Belfast, and is now a journalist for Cycling Website Road CC and contributor to the Road CC podcast.