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{{Short description|2016 film directed by Philip Keoghan}}
{{use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{use New Zealand English|date=July 2016}}
{{Infobox film
'''''Le Ride''''' is a film which recreates the [[1928 Tour de France]] ride by the four-person Australasian team, and in particular of the New Zealander in their midst, [[Harry Watson (cyclist)|Harry Watson]]. ''[[The Amazing Race]]'' host [[Phil Keoghan]] and his riding partner Ben Cornell completed the {{convert|5600|km}} ride in 22 stages spread over 26 days to the original schedule in 2013. Keoghan's wife Louise Keoghan was the producer for the film, which premiered in Watson's home town [[Christchurch]] in July 2016.
| name = Le Ride
| image = Zoenen_en_bloemen_van_de_tourmiss_-_Kisses_and_flowers_from_the_local_beauty.jpg
| caption = [[Hubert Opperman]] after the 6th stage
| native_name = {{Infobox name module|English|The Ride}}
| director = Philip Keoghan
| starring = Louise Keoghan<br>Philip Keoghan
| studio = No Opportunity Wasted
| distributor = Pink Moon
| released = <!-- {{Film date|df=yes/no|year|month|day|location|ref1=}} -->
| runtime = 90 minutes
| country = United States<br>France<br>New Zealand
| language = English
| gross = $22,658
}}
'''''Le Ride''''' is a film which recreates the [[1928 Tour de France]] ride by the four-person Australasian team, and in particular of the New Zealander in their midst, [[Harry Watson (cyclist)|Harry Watson]]. ''[[The Amazing Race (American TV series)|The Amazing Race]]'' host [[Phil Keoghan]] and his riding partner Ben Cornell completed the {{convert|5600|km|adj=on}} ride in 22 stages spread over 26 days to the original schedule in 2013. Keoghan's wife Louise Keoghan was the producer for the film, which premiered in Watson's home town [[Christchurch]] in July 2016.
 
==Background==
Keoghan was born in [[Lincoln, New Zealand]] and went to school in nearby Christchurch.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/christchurch-earthquake/4709099/Spirits-will-not-be-crushed |title=Spirits 'will not be crushed' |publisher=[[Fairfax New Zealand]] | work=[[Stuff.co.nz]] |date=27 February 2011 |accessdateaccess-date=28 February 2011 |first=David |last=Gadd}}</ref> Despite being a cycling-enthusiast, he had not heard of Christchurch cyclist Harry Watson who was the first New Zealander to compete in the [[Tour de France]]. In 2010, Keoghan learned about Watson by reading his biography, ''Harry Watson: The Mile Eater'', authored by Jonathan Kennett, his partner BrownenBronwen Wall, and cycling historian Ian Gray.<ref name="WP announcement">{{cite news |title=Phil Keoghan's cycling documentary's world premiere set for Christchurch |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/film/81090106/Phil-Keoghans-cycling-documentarys-world-premiere-set-for-Christchurch |accessdateaccess-date=30 July 2016 |work=[[Stuff.co.nz]] |date=16 June 2016}}</ref> "Blown away" by the inspiring biography, Keoghan decided that he would tell Watson's story.<ref name="WP announcement" /> The three Australians ([[Hubert Opperman]], [[Percy Osborn]], and [[Ernest Bainbridge]]) and Watson had most of the necessary funds to go to Europe raised by newspapers (''[[The Herald (Melbourne)|The Melbourne Herald]]'', ''[[The Sporting Globe]]'', and ''The Sun'' in New Zealand).{{sfn|Kennett et al|2006|p=32}} The four were to be complemented in France by six Europeans to make a team of ten, but this failed to eventuate. Competing with such a small team against teams of ten put the Australasians at a significant disadvantage, and the general expectation voiced in the media was that they could consider themselves lucky if they would make it as far as the [[Pyrenees]], i.e. manage to stay in the race for the first eight stages.{{sfn|Kennett et al|2006|p=43}}
 
==Plot==
Keoghan is seeking advice from [[Kennett Bros|Jonathan and Simon Kennett]] about re-enacting Harry Watson's 1928 ride in the Tour de France on period bicycles.<ref name="NZ Herald">{{cite news |last1=Baillie |first1=Russell |title=Why The Amazing Race host Phil Keoghan is acting like it's still 1928 |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11673973 |accessdateaccess-date=30 July 2016 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=14 July 2016}}</ref> Jonathan Kennett's advice to Keoghan is:
 
<blockquote>I don't think that you know what you are letting yourself in for, and if you did, you wouldn't do it.</blockquote>
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Keoghan proceeds regardless and talks Ben Cornell into being his riding partner. They procure racing bikes from the era, and Keoghan researches the original route and drives it. The day after the [[2013 Tour de France]] arrives in Paris, Keoghan and Cornell set off; not as planned early in the morning but late in the afternoon after Cornell's bike was temporarily lost by an airline. Sticking to the original schedule for every stage, day 1 finished in the middle of the night; one of many night time finishes.
 
Keoghan and Cornell's experiences are interlaced with historic footage, showing the drama of the day. The 1928 race was designed to eliminate as many riders as possible, and of the 164<ref>{{YouTube|go1iV7bZbZs}}</ref> riders who started (other sources show slightly different numbers<ref>{{cite book |title=The Story of the Tour De France Volume 1: 1903–1964 |last=McGann |first=Bill |authorlink= |author2=Mcgann, Carol |year= 2006|publisher=Dog Ear Publishing |location= |isbn=1-59858-180-5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jxq20JskqMUC&pg=PA87 |accessdateaccess-date=24 September 2009 | pages=87f}}</ref><ref>{{cite book| title=Harry Watson: the Mile Eater (New Zealand Cycling Legends 02) | date=2006 |publisher=[[Kennett Bros]] | location=Wellington | isbn= 0-9582673-1-6 |first1=Jonathan |last1=Kennett | first2=Bronwen |last2=Wall | first3=Ian |last3=Gray | page=49}}</ref>), only 41 finished the race. Historic footage is narrated in newsreader style by veteran New Zealand newsreader Hewitt Humphrey. French media coverage is conveyed, where the general expectation was for the Australasian team to be eliminated quickly, as they would not be able to keep up with the 10-person teams of European riders.
 
Keoghan and Cornell sometimes get joined by other riders. In the [[Pyrenees]], a local cycle enthusiast and historian mapped out a detailed schedule which saw them start at midnight so that they would get to their destination before nightfall. The three set off together and by 8am, they had already covered {{convert|100|miles}}, equating to half that day's distance. Keoghan wonders why they started so early, not realising that the harder part of the ride was still to come. In the end, Keoghan and Cornell could not keep up with their 65-year old host, who also rode a period bicycle, and they were slower than expected, finishing the day after 23 hours of riding. Keoghan and Cornell had difficulty navigating and on occasions, inadvertently ended up on [[Autoroutes of France|A class roads]] where cycling is prohibited.
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==Production==
Phil Keoghan and Ben Cornell are the main two riders during the 2013 re-enactment; Keoghan also narrates off the bike and directed the movie.<ref name="NZIFF entry">{{cite web |title=Le Ride |url=http://www.nziff.co.nz/im:37278/ |publisher=New Zealand International Film Festival |accessdateaccess-date=30 July 2016}}</ref> Produced as a documentary, much historical footage is shown, both as still photos and movie clips. Keoghan found many of the still photos at the [[National Museum of Australia]] in [[Canberra]] where curators were unaware what exactly the collection of old [[photographic plate]]s showed. Louise Keoghan, Phil Keoghan's wife, was the producer for the movie. Greg Peart was the photo-moto for the team and is often filmed himself.<ref name="NZIFF entry" /> Phil Keoghan's parents John and Beth were support crew, with his father as driver. Scott Shelley was the cameraman, Uri Sharon was the second camera in French and Jess Bushyhead was the editor.<ref name="NZIFF entry" />
 
Keoghan chose Christchurch for the world premiere to give prominence to a forgotten hero. The film first screened at the restored [[Isaac Theatre Royal]] on 29 July 2016 as part of the New Zealand International Film Festival; Keoghan walked past the building every day early in his career on his way to the [[Television New Zealand]] studio in Gloucester Street.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Gates|first1=Charlie|title=Phil Keoghan comes home for premiere of his new documentary about a Chch hero|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/82582859/phil-keoghan-comes-home-for-premiere-of-his-new-documentary-about-a-chch-hero|accessdateaccess-date=30 July 2016|work=[[The Press]]|date=28 July 2016|page=A5}}</ref>
 
==See also==
* [[List of films about bicycles and cycling]]
 
==Notes==
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{{italic title}}
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Le Ride, Le}}
[[Category:2016 films]]
[[Category:2010s biographical films]]
[[Category:English-language films]]
[[Category:Epic films based on actual events]]
[[Category:Films set in 1928]]
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[[Category:Documentary films about cycling]]
[[Category:1928 Tour de France]]
[[Category:Tour de France mass media]]
[[Category:2010s English-language films]]
[[Category:2010s American films]]
[[Category:2010s French films]]
[[Category:English-language documentary films]]
[[Category:English-language biographical films]]