Now that Lance Armstrong has won a record-breaking six Tours de France, cycling has gotten a (deservedly) higher profile in the United States, but at the same time, the actual day-to-day life of the professional rider remains largely in the shadows. Viewers may have a decent idea about the training and competitive schedule of a basketball or football player, but what about a cyclist? Documentary filmmaker Jamie Paolinetti's second feature-film outing, Pro, steps in to shine a light on that very question, illuminating the fascinating world of professional cycling in the United States.

Although it's a totally independent, stand-alone film, Pro can be considered in some ways as a thematic sequel to Paolinetti's earlier film, The Hard Road, which introduced us to the neo-pros on small, minimally funded teams who are striving to "make it" to the next level. To a small team like NetZero from The Hard Road, just getting some of their riders to the USPRO Championship in Philadelphia was the climax of a full season. Pro takes the next step, and concentrates fully on the Championship, using this race as a microcosm of the elite level of the domestic racing scene.

The US national championship is quite an interesting race. First of all, it's the crown jewel in the US racing calendar, and riders who can make their mark in this one-day race have a good chance of moving up to the really elite level, to race on the international circuit. It's also unique in that it's the only national championship road race in the world that's open to riders from all over the world. As a result, the championship race is really two races bundled up in one: there's the race for first place, with its attendant $40,000 in prize money, and there's the race to be the first US rider to cross the finish line. That US rider – whether he comes in first, fourth, or tenth – becomes the new US National Champion, and earns the honor of wearing the "stars and stripes" championship jersey for a full year.

Through its interviews with the riders, Pro shows us how this odd duality in the race generates some conflicting feelings in the US riders. On the one hand, it's a great honor to win the championship jersey... but the riders know that the real prestige comes from being both the first US rider and the winner of the overall race. There's no denying, though, that the presence of riders from all over the world makes the USPRO Championship a more thrilling one, for riders and viewers alike.

Pro isn't just about the nature of the race, though: far from it. The film centers on the experiences of the riders, as they get ready to take on the race that's the capstone of their season. The film actually picks up the action in the week before the championship road race, as there are several days of smaller races that take place as part of the overall USPRO event. We see how the riders use these events to scope out the condition of the other teams, test their own fitness, and plan out their strategies for the "big day." Thanks to the comprehensive nature of the film, we get to sit in on team strategy meetings, ride along in the team cars as they keep pace with the race, and in general get an inside look into these intense few days.

Pro's focus on a single race, rather than one team in many races, provides an interesting perspective: the USPRO Championship is, essentially, a slice of cycle racing life. The film offers a broad view of the field, as we meet riders from a handful of different teams, with different goals, plans, and potential for victory. Some riders are experienced veterans with a solid chance at winning the overall race; others are lower-profile riders who are here to support their teammates. One of the things that Pro drives home to great effect, in many of the interviews with the riders, is that cycle racing is truly a team sport. While only one rider can cross the finish line in first place, if he's there, it's probably thanks to the efforts of his teammates who used themselves up unselfishly to support him.

Pro is nicely structured; segments that focus on the events of the race itself alternate with segments that take a behind-the-scenes look at the riders' preparations. Thanks to the many candid interviews that make up a substantial part of the film, we really get to know the different riders, which in turn makes the race portions of the film more compelling. The voiceover narration by Tom Simmons is well done, helping to weave the different sections of the film into a coherent whole. Pro runs just shy of two hours, and is well paced enough that it feels like just the right length.

The DVD

Video

Pro appears in its original, correct aspect ratio of 1.33:1. All in all, the image quality is respectable, considering that this isn't material that could have been filmed in a studio: it's all live footage from the races, or "on the spot" interviews and behind-the-scenes material. The general look of the image is clean and bright, with no contrast or noise problems, though not surprisingly, it's not the sharpest image you've ever seen. The race footage, with its fast-moving images, does look slightly choppy; this effect might be the result of the type of cameras used, or it might be a deliberate stylistic choice to heighten the effect of speed and chaos in the race. In any case, it's not a big deal, and overall Pro delivers a quite satisfactory viewing experience.

Audio

The Dolby 2.0 soundtrack is clear and clean, and handles the material quite competently. The narrative voiceover always sounds pleasingly crisp and robust, and even the on-the-spot interviews (captured outdoors in less than ideal circumstances) are all nicely clear and easy to understand.

Extras

We're talking seriously bare-bones here. There's not even a menu, as the DVD jumps right to playing the film.

Final thoughts

If you're at all interested in the world of professional bicycle racing, Pro is sure to be of interest. It's quite accessible to viewers who are relative newcomers to following cycle racing, and those viewers will find Pro to be full of interesting insights about the pro racing scene. At the same time, Pro also has a lot to offer hard-core cycle racing fans, with its detailed look at the USPRO Championships and its candid interviews with a variety of racers, including well-known riders like Bobby Julich. Highly recommended.