Tim Krabbé

Riding

Branded content, documentary, 2014

Riding Is an intimate portrait of Dutch writer and cyclist Tim Krabbé (Amsterdam, 1943)

Riding was inspired by Tim’s participation in the Tour of Flanders 2014 cyclo-tourist ride of 245 km. At the age of 71, Tim is still an active cyclist.  His novel, The Rider, first published in 1978 and translated into English in 2002, is considered to be “the best writing on the subjective experience of cycle-racing”.

In this short documentary, we interweave Tim’s moving story with historical photos from his ‘first cycling life’ and his participation in the Tour of Flanders, which symbolizes his ‘second cycling life’.

I take my stuff from the car and put my bike together. Tourist and locals are watching from sidewalk cafés. Non-racers.

The emptiness of those lives shock me.

– Tim