Released at Interbike last year, ?PRO? is the follow up to Jamie Paolinetti?s highly acclaimed first movie, The Hard Road.  Following a Division 3 team throughout the season, The Hard Road told the story of a small team of riders, experienced and neo-pro?s, trying to make their mark on the highly competitive US pro race circuit, struggling to pursue their dream.  Whilst this movie was a break through in terms of cycling films, the end product was left a little un-polished and left us, the fans, wanting more.

Two years later and PRO sticks to a tighter agenda, focusing on one week of the year, and primarily, one race, Philly and the 2004 US Pro Championship.  Beginning at the start of the Wachovia week, film director Jamie Paolinetti and his crew infiltrate a host of the top US teams and riders.  Exclusive and often candid interviews with the Health Net, Jelly Belly and Colavita teams take you right into the heart of the beast as the riders prepare for their assault on the most coveted award on the calendar.  Henk Vogels, Bobby Julich, Chris Horner and Fred Rodriquez, to name but a few, invite the cameras into their personal world to discuss pro cycling and their place in it; the ups, the downs, the elation and the pain.  It is not just the US teams in the action either; making the trip from Europe are the US Postal team, CSC, Saeco, Prodir (Saunier Duval) and Aqua Sapone.

Lap by lap, the action in Philly is relayed back to your armchair. Exclusive footage and insight commentary all contribute to a DVD offering an almost real time experience.  In fact, I defy anybody who watches this movie, bike fan or not, to sit still in their chair whilst watching the riders wrestle their bikes up the Manayunk wall.  You legs will be twitching, heart beat thumping and legs stomping every bit as much as if you were right there in the peloton.

Not being an American myself, I was eager to watch this movie and to see what I thought of it as, rightly or wrongly, the US Pro scene is still seen as the poorer relation to European racing.  This is not a film about a race.  It is about the personalities and teams that make the race and that make the sport of cycling what it is.  It highlights the human struggle that is professional cycling away from the top echelon of riders such as Armstrong, Cunego, etc.  It is about Fred finding his harmony, Henk?s return, Bobby J and his head, the Health Net ?Team? and Eric Saunders ?closing the door?.  Bike fans the world over will love this movie and the opportunity it presents them with to get right in there with the riders.

Almost 2 hours of action, interviews and insights certainly make PRO: The Movie a worthy addition to any bicycle racing enthusiast?s film collection.  For more information about the movie, log on to www.prothemovie.com.