Mark Abdon yes Mark, he did have a great voice. He was both BBC's and ITV's cycling commentator and of course covered the Tour De France until his (untimely) death in 1978.. Thanks for your comment :)
Hubrisgoat I watched this documentary more to hear him then watch it...... Im sorry for your loss. I lost my Dad in 78 as well it still hurts....... Thanks again!
From the most passionate cykling fan and journalist of all time, the unforgettably Jørgen leth, which later became one of the most famous commentator of cykling. At least, he is a legende in DK, and far beyond. He has a way to think and see a race, like no others. He kind of tells it as it plays out, in a very delight and passionated way, like reading up from a great novel or poem. He´s just like that in real life too. No compromises, and a deep love for the beauty of races. Peace and love from Denmark
What a fantastic film. I am 89 and have only just discovered it. I was riding, badly, in the 50's and there doesn't seem much change in technology. No helmets, wireless or meters. Just flat out racing.
The man behind this epic documentary, Jørgen Leth, now 78 years old, is still commentator on the danish television, and he covers all the stages in Tour de France and the Paris-Roubaix. It's absolutely fantastic!
Best cycling documentary EVER. Hands down!!! Too bad the producer is not mentioned here, you should pay respect to Jørgen Leth, who produced this stunning documentary, simply a masterpiece of cycling!!!
The part (about 16.32) when the Molteni team are riding to the start is spellbinding. The music, the gliding along by a lake, the light, all of it. Magical.
The old cine film quality, the audio where you can hear the mechanical sound of the bike drive train and wheels, such an amazing time machine to visit that era. Sound track and commentary, a priceless documentary. 👏👏
Thanks for sharing this Classic piece of cycling history. I was a 11 year old juvenile cyclist in South Africa, when this race was run and these guys where my heroes.
This film was created by the famous Danish cycling enthusiast, writer and film maker Jørgen Leth. He is an extraordinary person and film maker. Notably two of his films are for cycling fans (or film fans in general). A Sunday In Hell and Stars And Water Carriers. Both films are true gems. Btw Jørgen Leth is now 86 years old. He lives in Copenhagen and is doing well.
A Wagnerian choir singing L'enfer du Nord - how cool is that!! Great film - it totally captures the epic, biblical atmosphere of the race. I had a taste of this stuff in 1977 when I spent the spring and early summer racing in Flanders. I stayed at Mrs Deene's place in Zomergem - my room mate had a box of needles, glass ampules and pills. I managed to keep my hands out of the pharmaceutical cookie jar and got my ass kicked in most of the races. Apart from that I had a wonderful time!!...L'enfer du Nord!! Thanks for the download Fixie!!
Hi nice story. If you were in contention you HAD to take dope. It was just part of the process. Amazing how people just learned about Pharma help when Lance got crucified ONLY because he was at the top of the sport. Question: In the late 70s up to the late 80s did most riders use 32 or 36 spokes? Straight gauge or double butted? 2x or 3x spoke pattern? I would like to know!
Second time I watch this film. Sometimes we worry too much about having the latest hi-tech bike but the important thing is that we love what we do, be cycling or any other thing. These old bikes still have something special about them, maybe because they were handcrafted. Nice to get familiar with the great riders of that time👏
Just awesome! Every thing about this is so good. The race, the riders, the documentary, the narrating. Absolutely classic. The winner Marc DeMeyer died an early death in 1982, heart attack.
Eric Loder was a domestique for Eddy Merckx in the Seventies, and runs or ran a bike shop in Genève, Suisse. I bought a Bernard Hinault "Lord Mega" from him in November 1997, and still ride it...
I think it's time I said thanks to Mr Fixie, since I've been watching this each year now, as Paris-Roubaix approaches, for I don't know how long. It says above that you posted it 9 years ago, but I'm sure it's been up much longer. Anyway, thank you for making this wonderful piece of film-making available.
Hubrisgoat, Your dad lives on. This is one of the greatest cycling videos of all time. Although you have to give the cyclists of this era the credit, your fathers contribution helps make this video special. I've watched it numerous times. As an American racing in the 80's it was very rare to get a good look at European style bicycle racing, this was the first video I owned and it had a big impact on me.
You should also pay respect to the producer of this fantastic documentary. David Saunders is doing an absolute stunning voice over for this documentary, I simply love it. But people tend to forget the producer, Jørgen Leth, who should also be credited here. I find it sad that he is not even mentioned in the description. :)
Its april 13 2019 and its the evening before Paris-Roubaix. Which means that A Sunday in Hell is on my TV, as it is every year. Im gonna go with my boy Kasper Asgreen to win it all this year! Good luck and good race to all of you
Those were the Days...Most heroic cycling race in the world... All our heroes in this great, epic movie... I was 6 in 1976 but i still honour those Heroes... As a Belgian it was easy...We could pick them out. Eddy Merckx, Roger De Vlaeminck, Freddy Maertens, Walter Godefroot... And Marc Demeyere, the underdog, who wins at the velodrome in Roubaix in 1976... What a great documentary ! That makes Paris-Roubaix o so special and heroic... We all hope that another Belgian will win on Sunday. Wout van Aert would fit as a modest Flemish Paris-Roubaix-winner... But an underdog is also ok...Long live cycling !
Beautiful, captures the very essence of the Paris-Roubaix and our beautiful sport of cycling. Maybe I am wrong, but when I was racing in the 70’s, 80’s, cycling was a much more exotic and a romantic sport than it is today with awesome respect, this superb film certainly shows this.
Thanks very much for uploading the movie! I watched it three years ago before TH-cam took it down and I've been looking for it ever since. Needless to say; An awesome documentary indeed!
The most stylish period for racing cycles. Recent enough for quality engineering and finish, long ago enough to avoid the straighter forks, clipless pedals and indexed gears. Lovely things to ride.
Nice to watch, great piece of cycling history captured for future generations to hopefully appreciate and enjoy. Keep it real with steal, such beautiful bicycles thanks for sharing all the best Andy
Not watched this in years, but after watching stage 9 of the TdF yesterday..on the cobbles, I had to watch it again. Epic stage yesterday, and a win for John Degenkolb!
"It isn't far to 'HELL NOW' and the main field starts to accelerate." Classic commentating, and an awesome picture painted as the break away heads for the cobbles, brilliant commentating shear brilliance.
what an excellent film/ documentary, modern film makers could learn a lot!! find me a modern documentary in english that has lots and lots of unsubtitled french and no music, love it!! :D thank you so much for uploading :)
This makes me wish I still had my 80s Woodrup road bike equipped with Reynolds 531c frame tubes and Campagnolo Nouvo Record throughout. Mind you, the tiny 6 speed freewheel was a killer!
The opening scene of the mechanic preparing Moser's bike is so classic, diesel was the preferred choice of cleaners back then, as it left a film of oil on chains that otherwise may get rusty... The old Record brake blocks, you spit on them and pushed them in from behind the eyeballed the callipers square. Chainrings for Roubaix still are quite close, 44-52 by the looks of the ones there and a straight block on the back. Looked like 36 spoke wheels, many were soldered and tied where they crossed so if a spoke broke, the wheel would stay moderately plus the wheel was more rigid . The bars are yet to be wrapped, the old plastic tape used back them was next to useless, the only option was a cloth tape... Hell of a day out anyway you looked at it..
Mr. Saunders perhaps sets the calm timbre of cycling announcers. By the time this film was released I had ridden all through Europe and traversed the Moroccan Sahara on 1960s Cinelli racing frame. I never bungee jumped never snowboarded, never climbed a wall but I still ride my 1984 Serotta and still fairly crazy about bicycling.
When the cycling bug hits very little else in terms of adventure can truly match cycling. I plan to do much more of Europe on my bikes. Cheers from Oz. 👍
I remember first watching this as a naive teenage racing cyclist in the mid 90's, convinced I would one day ride this race. Reality bit, but to live is to dream.
I also trained wrong.had a training book 4 Rennŕäder,but had a mountain bike and raced mtb CC, than DH.trained tho much Grundlage a 16 year old mtb racer ....
if only we could have seen this so readilly back in the day apart from a snippet of continental races when i as a mad keen amateur ,the odd ten or 15 minutes on world of sport was relished, i would have been left goggle eyed by this amazing spectacle,
So eine gute Rennrad-Dokumentation sieht man selten.Die haben das richtig gut gemacht,weil ich mir diese schon zum 3.Mal anschaue.Ich würde dieses Video nur weiter empfehlen und den ,,Mr.Fixie'' abonnieren.
![A Sunday in Hell [HD remastered] - Paris Roubaix documentary (1976)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/gUDhvIXCtKk/mqdefault.jpg)
![A Sunday in Hell [HD remastered] - Paris Roubaix documentary (1976)](/img/tr.png)
As narrated by my dad, David Saunders. Nice to hear his voice after so long. RIP dad x
***** thank you John, that's nice to hear.
Hubrisgoat What a great voice!!!!
Mark Abdon yes Mark, he did have a great voice. He was both BBC's and ITV's cycling commentator and of course covered the Tour De France until his (untimely) death in 1978.. Thanks for your comment :)
Hubrisgoat I watched this documentary more to hear him then watch it...... Im sorry for your loss. I lost my Dad in 78 as well it still hurts....... Thanks again!
Mark Abdon Well how about that Mark, a strange coincidence. Yep, it still hurts.
i come back every single year in the first days of april to revisit this absolute gem, the perfect warmup for Roubaix
I love how slow and composed these docs are. No unnecessary voice overs, or talking heads,. Just life as it was.
I love this era of bicycle racing. No team radios, no power meters. Great competitors slugging it out. A terrific film.
Armstrong, Ulrich, Pantani for me. Alien like attacks, braking on the climbs just can't beat raw EPO power!
Also no doping and no carbon fiber. This was a golden time.
@@EntropyOCD synthetic amphetamines from the end of ww2 onwards, read a book or two.
@@robertlund5694 completely true….
@@EntropyOCD >No doping. Lol what?
From the most passionate cykling fan and journalist of all time, the unforgettably Jørgen leth, which later became one of the most famous commentator of cykling. At least, he is a legende in DK, and far beyond. He has a way to think and see a race, like no others.
He kind of tells it as it plays out, in a very delight and passionated way, like reading up from a great novel or poem.
He´s just like that in real life too. No compromises, and a deep love for the beauty of races.
Peace and love from Denmark
What a fantastic film. I am 89 and have only just discovered it. I was riding, badly, in the 50's and there doesn't seem much change in technology. No helmets, wireless or meters. Just flat out racing.
The man behind this epic documentary, Jørgen Leth, now 78 years old, is still commentator on the danish television, and he covers all the stages in Tour de France and the Paris-Roubaix. It's absolutely fantastic!
Not anymore, from 2019 he is no longer part of the TdF and spring classic cover by TV2
@@prebenzacho2521 Hes dead
Dave Allen Jørgen Leth is not dead, where did u hear that?
@@OurWorldIsBroken _ He is alive and well. :-)
@@SvendSeegert Yes that is what I wrote, no need to repeat it :)
Best cycling documentary EVER. Hands down!!! Too bad the producer is not mentioned here, you should pay respect to Jørgen Leth, who produced this stunning documentary, simply a masterpiece of cycling!!!
The part (about 16.32) when the Molteni team are riding to the start is spellbinding. The music, the gliding along by a lake, the light, all of it. Magical.
FANTASTIC! Best years for bikes, so nice. Great to see Merckx talking italian so well!
Your fathers narration is part of why this is such an important and iconic film.
The old cine film quality, the audio where you can hear the mechanical sound of the bike drive train and wheels, such an amazing time machine to visit that era. Sound track and commentary, a priceless documentary. 👏👏
Thanks for sharing this Classic piece of cycling history. I was a 11 year old juvenile cyclist in South Africa, when this race was run and these guys where my heroes.
This film was created by the famous Danish cycling enthusiast, writer and film maker Jørgen Leth. He is an extraordinary person and film maker. Notably two of his films are for cycling fans (or film fans in general). A Sunday In Hell and Stars And Water Carriers. Both films are true gems. Btw Jørgen Leth is now 86 years old. He lives in Copenhagen and is doing well.
The most beautiful cycling documentary of all time 😃😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😙😙😗😗😗😘😘😘😘😍
Have you seen the stars and the water carriers? That's an epic cycling film.
By the same director
That was fantastic! My first watch. ❤️
YES!!
A Wagnerian choir singing L'enfer du Nord - how cool is that!! Great film - it totally captures the epic, biblical atmosphere of the race. I had a taste of this stuff in 1977 when I spent the spring and early summer racing in Flanders. I stayed at Mrs Deene's place in Zomergem - my room mate had a box of needles, glass ampules and pills. I managed to keep my hands out of the pharmaceutical cookie jar and got my ass kicked in most of the races. Apart from that I had a wonderful time!!...L'enfer du Nord!! Thanks for the download Fixie!!
Hi nice story. If you were in contention you HAD to take dope. It was just part of the process. Amazing how people just learned about Pharma help when Lance got crucified ONLY because he was at the top of the sport.
Question: In the late 70s up to the late 80s did most riders use 32 or 36 spokes? Straight gauge or double butted? 2x or 3x spoke pattern? I would like to know!
Whenever I’m feeling down the mouth I watch this, one of the greatest documentaries ever:)
Second time I watch this film. Sometimes we worry too much about having the latest hi-tech bike but the important thing is that we love what we do, be cycling or any other thing. These old bikes still have something special about them, maybe because they were handcrafted. Nice to get familiar with the great riders of that time👏
Just awesome! Every thing about this is so good. The race, the riders, the documentary, the narrating. Absolutely classic. The winner Marc DeMeyer died an early death in 1982, heart attack.
What a piece of cycling history! Please keep this jewel forever here!
Eric Loder was a domestique for Eddy Merckx in the Seventies, and runs or ran a bike shop in Genève, Suisse. I bought a Bernard Hinault "Lord Mega" from him in November 1997, and still ride it...
A great film, beautifully mad and narrated. A gem. I love the choir. Now I think I'll go out for a ride!
At 58 years of age I finally discover this movie. Cycling history shown at its best. Hell of a ride. My thanks to the makers and cyclists.
I think it's time I said thanks to Mr Fixie, since I've been watching this each year now, as Paris-Roubaix approaches, for I don't know how long. It says above that you posted it 9 years ago, but I'm sure it's been up much longer. Anyway, thank you for making this wonderful piece of film-making available.
No other TV program, movie, or documentary has motivated me to keep riding and keep fit like this has.
Hubrisgoat, Your dad lives on. This is one of the greatest cycling videos of all time. Although you have to give the cyclists of this era the credit, your fathers contribution helps make this video special. I've watched it numerous times. As an American racing in the 80's it was very rare to get a good look at European style bicycle racing, this was the first video I owned and it had a big impact on me.
+Max Smart Thank you Max, I only just saw your comment, I really appreciate your kind words.
You should also pay respect to the producer of this fantastic documentary. David Saunders is doing an absolute stunning voice over for this documentary, I simply love it. But people tend to forget the producer, Jørgen Leth, who should also be credited here. I find it sad that he is not even mentioned in the description. :)
@@prebenzacho2521 yeah and its a film not a video...copyright :Jørgen Leth
Quite wonderful, captures the real essence of the race...a superb treasure of cycling history.
Its april 13 2019 and its the evening before Paris-Roubaix. Which means that A Sunday in Hell is on my TV, as it is every year. Im gonna go with my boy Kasper Asgreen to win it all this year! Good luck and good race to all of you
Such a romantic video on cycling; one of my favorites. Thx for sharing.
Best cycle racing film ever, from the golden age!
Those were the Days...Most heroic cycling race in the world... All our heroes in this great, epic movie... I was 6 in 1976 but i still honour those Heroes... As a Belgian it was easy...We could pick them out. Eddy Merckx, Roger De Vlaeminck, Freddy Maertens, Walter Godefroot... And Marc Demeyere, the underdog, who wins at the velodrome in Roubaix in 1976... What a great documentary ! That makes Paris-Roubaix o so special and heroic... We all hope that another Belgian will win on Sunday. Wout van Aert would fit as a modest Flemish Paris-Roubaix-winner... But an underdog is also ok...Long live cycling !
A Classic Cycling Film.....I watched it often before a group ride....Very Inspirational ...Excellent narration
Thanks for posting an amazing history of cycling Paris-Roubaix. love the old classic racing.
Beautiful, captures the very essence of the Paris-Roubaix and our beautiful sport of cycling. Maybe I am wrong, but when I was racing in the 70’s, 80’s, cycling was a much more exotic and a romantic sport than it is today with awesome respect, this superb film certainly shows this.
Question: Did most of the riders use 32 or 36 spokes? Straight gauge or double butted? 2x or 3x spoke pattern? 1970s-late 1980s. I would like to know!
Thank you for keeping this epic movie alive. This was a staple of inspiration when I used to race. Thank you!
Roger de Vlaeminck his son plays football with me, so nice to see this!
Such a beautiful film. The opening scenes are so evocative for me - I’ve lost count of the number of times I have watched this!
I Will allways love Jørgen Leth for this movie... love you Jørgen Leth ❤️❤️❤️🇩🇰🇩🇰🇩🇰
#ritterforlife
The guy cleaning the chain at the start is like a young Harvey Keitel! Eddie Merckx is like the Elvis of cycling! Great film! Thanks for posting!
Nah looks like Roman Polankski
@@ricric9521 nah, I didn't see his arms around any preteen girls.
@@ricric9521 Don't tell him that...lol
Thanks very much for uploading the movie!
I watched it three years ago before TH-cam took it down and I've been looking for it ever since.
Needless to say; An awesome documentary indeed!
Merx is hilarious, always adjusting his bike saddle.
That first shot through the town - those riders are motoring! Beautiful film. The year my own cycle racing interest peaked.
I am so not going to wake up for work but this was immensely enjoyable. Thank you for this
The coolest riders and jerseys and the most beautiful bikes.
The most stylish period for racing cycles. Recent enough for quality engineering and finish, long ago enough to avoid the straighter forks, clipless pedals and indexed gears. Lovely things to ride.
Thanks for uploading this fantastic doco Mr Fixie.
That was a brilliant sports documentary! Love the narrator, also love the music.
I was born a decade after this doc was shot but I always come back to it. It’s just an amazing documentary beautifully shot and narrated.
Beautiful film, beautifully narrated.
Mr Fixie - many thanks for this - and if you are the bloke I knew in Farningham hope you are well and still out there!
I haven't seen this in years. Still a classic, thanks for posting!
Nice to watch, great piece of cycling history captured for future generations to hopefully appreciate and enjoy. Keep it real with steal, such beautiful bicycles thanks for sharing all the best Andy
Time to restore a Benotto
David Saunders Made this movie really great Thank you
Jørgen Leth made this movie. Saunders narrated it in English.
Thanks for uploading this! This is one classic cycling film I hadn't seen yet.
Not watched this in years, but after watching stage 9 of the TdF yesterday..on the cobbles, I had to watch it again. Epic stage yesterday, and a win for John Degenkolb!
"It isn't far to 'HELL NOW' and the main field starts to accelerate." Classic commentating, and an awesome picture painted as the break away heads for the cobbles, brilliant commentating shear brilliance.
Love this. Amazing to know that this race remains one "hellvua" race.
In great humble admiration. Thank you riders. :)
Thanks for uploading this film..
how could you dislike this film? awesomeness!
Marc Demeyer bless his soul.
And... good commentary by both yer dad and Adriano De Zan, right at the finish in Roubaix. Bless their souls.
what an excellent film/ documentary, modern film makers could learn a lot!! find me a modern documentary in english that has lots and lots of unsubtitled french and no music, love it!! :D thank you so much for uploading :)
great film this about the paris-Roubaix classic race
1971 summer in New Orleans Betat Bros. Bike Shop I bought a new Puegeot PX-10 and toured the city.Metarie,Long Bridge,City Park, magic
OMG inncredible documentary !!! The best vid that i see after one month at home in quarantine .
This makes me wish I still had my 80s Woodrup road bike equipped with Reynolds 531c frame tubes and Campagnolo Nouvo Record throughout. Mind you, the tiny 6 speed freewheel was a killer!
The opening scene of the mechanic preparing Moser's bike is so classic, diesel was the preferred choice of cleaners back then, as it left a film of oil on chains that otherwise may get rusty... The old Record brake blocks, you spit on them and pushed them in from behind the eyeballed the callipers square. Chainrings for Roubaix still are quite close, 44-52 by the looks of the ones there and a straight block on the back. Looked like 36 spoke wheels, many were soldered and tied where they crossed so if a spoke broke, the wheel would stay moderately plus the wheel was more rigid .
The bars are yet to be wrapped, the old plastic tape used back them was next to useless, the only option was a cloth tape...
Hell of a day out anyway you looked at it..
Love the "slippery Road Ahead" sign, @37:15.
Very Euro!
Lovely listening talking in Italian too.
Such a beautiful language 😮😊
Love this video. I'm a huge snob when it comes to vintage racing chain derailleur driven bicycles. Love them.....
This is great. It is two of my biggest interests, cycling and labor issues
Best bicycle documentary ever..i was 21.....at University......
I'm so glad someone finally put this on TH-cam. Before you had to see it on a strange website that kicked you off after 45 minutes. Thanks!
Eddy and De Vlaemink, badasses!
this movie has always rated up in my top 5 of cycling movies.
Loree McKinney: agree, it is a great movie - wonder what the other 4 movies are
What are the other four?
I love cycling of all times. This in particular were epic.Thank you for share.
Amazing film on professional cycling as it was back in the 70's. Wish I'd kept my Steel racer with the Reynolds 531 frame.
Mr. Saunders perhaps sets the calm timbre of cycling announcers. By the time this film was released I had ridden all through Europe and traversed the Moroccan Sahara on 1960s Cinelli racing frame. I never bungee jumped never snowboarded, never climbed a wall but I still ride my 1984 Serotta and still fairly crazy about bicycling.
When the cycling bug hits very little else in terms of adventure can truly match cycling. I plan to do much more of Europe on my bikes. Cheers from Oz. 👍
Shall we see Paris-Roubaix? That seems great! Let me put on my suit and let's go! XD
Right, time to shave legs, start smoking again, grow massive moustache and polish me toeclips.
the section at about 13:20 is very dreamlike with the early morning mist and the music playing.
I remember first watching this as a naive teenage racing cyclist in the mid 90's, convinced I would one day ride this race. Reality bit, but to live is to dream.
So you formed East17 instead?
I also trained wrong.had a training book 4 Rennŕäder,but had a mountain bike and raced mtb CC, than DH.trained tho much Grundlage a 16 year old mtb racer ....
+JJ JJ 40er ruhepuls, how old was he at this moment?
haha. this movie also inspired me to take up racing. no regrets! never a dull moment.
if only we could have seen this so readilly back in the day apart from a
snippet of continental races when i as a mad keen amateur ,the odd
ten or 15 minutes on world of sport was relished, i would have been
left goggle eyed by this amazing spectacle,
This was a special era, still got my racing machine & the kit from the last team I raced for…
Epic film. Thank You!
An immense film capturing an incredible event.
interesting film...to see how the old races are done...and feels great to see a Gios ridden by one of the favourites...as I ride a Gios compact pro..
This was wonderful. What a great time capsule.
This is an epic movie, I have it on DVD.
So eine gute Rennrad-Dokumentation sieht man selten.Die haben das richtig gut gemacht,weil ich mir diese schon zum 3.Mal anschaue.Ich würde dieses Video nur weiter empfehlen und den ,,Mr.Fixie'' abonnieren.
Such a classic! Beautiful piece of work.
What a epic documentary!
One of the most beautiful films ever produced....
Superb! - I wish i could do a bit of 'time-travel' tourism and go soak this up for real.
Especially the bar at 1:10:00 ;)
the countries still looks the same, same for the roads..
Then I definitely need to visit on my bike. The world has moved on, it is nice to think that maybe this corner of the cycling world has persevered. :)
brilliant, thanks you for putting this up
The wall paper in that cafe though.. 🤔😜
A classic mid seventies design
One bike for all season.. No helmets, goggles or team busses to hide in/behind. Cycling's golden age.
Perhaps a glass of wine French Bordeaux the extent of the doping for this era
@@SheepDog1974 lol
The chainstays in the opening scene.
19:43 Raymond Poulidor, Mathieu van der Poel's late grandfather
Marc Benotto bike .. amazing .. this is amazing .. bikes with real frames .. complete groups like the Campagnolo 😃😃
NICE DOCUMENTARY, THANKS FOR SHARING !!!
Thank you 4 this mtrfk