CLIENT: CANYON
TITLE: OUT IN FRONT / TDFF ‘22
DIRECTORS: SAM ANDRE, FLO OJEDA, MARCO FREUDENREICH
DOP: MARCO FREUDENREICH
PRODUCTION: OFF TOPIC + CANYON

ABSTRACT

The film takes you on a wild ride of bravery, connection, and adrenaline-fuelled exhilaration. You’re steered by Emily Chappell, who stirs compassion as she skilfully narrates. Former competitors such as Denise Kelly and Marilyn Trout (former pro cyclists for Team Canada), Maria Canins (two-time winner of the Tour de France Femmes for Team Italy), plus CANYON//SRAM Racing’s Elise Chabbey, Kasia Nieuwiadoma, Pauliena Rooijakkers, and Ronny Lauke all weave a thought-provoking storyline together.

As the title suggests, Out in Front is about riders who have the strength and courage to break away from convention. This is encapsulated in CANYON//SRAM Racing’s success in the 2022 Tour de France Femme (where they topped the Teams Classification, and placed Kasia Nieuwiadoma 3rd on the overall podium in the process) and through the recollections of Kelly, Trout and Canins as they look back on their experiences of women’s cycling in the 1980s.

It becomes clear that ‘where women belong’ in cycling has changed for good. The 2022 Tour de France Femmes was the first official race after a hiatus of more than 30 years, marking a seminal moment for gender equality in cycling. In the creation of this film, as well as in sponsoring female teams, ambassadors, and a host of initiatives to inspire women to jump on the saddle, we are explicitly committing to long-term investment in women’s cycling. This way, the ongoing efforts of female athletes both on and off the bike, are acknowledged, promoted, and celebrated, showing the younger generation of women that there’s a place for them in cycling.