In an ambitious and visually compelling new release, Netflix has launched a documentary that defies traditional genre boundaries. Time Trial: Cycling, Chanel, and Time explores the fascinating overlap between professional time trial cycling, the world of high fashion, and the deeper philosophical questions surrounding our perception of time.
The film, helmed by avant-garde director Alix Delacroix, is not simply a sports documentary or a fashion exposé. Instead, it serves as a richly layered narrative that connects the intensity of elite time trial cycling with the meticulous artistry found within the iconic house of Chanel. Woven through this is a philosophical exploration of time itself—how it is experienced, measured, and even fought against.
At the heart of Time Trial are the stories of elite cyclists preparing for the UCI World Time Trial Championships. Their lives are shown in sharp detail—every moment, every second counts as they push the limits of human performance in a sport that demands absolute precision. Delacroix captures this with sweeping drone shots, close-up helmet cams, and heart-pounding sequences that convey the pressure, solitude, and mental fortitude required of riders racing against the clock.
Intercut with this narrative is a parallel story taking place in a completely different world: inside the Parisian ateliers of Chanel. Here, time is approached differently. Instead of being something to beat or conquer, it is embraced—each garment is crafted with patience, detail, and a reverence for tradition. Through interviews with Chanel’s creative director Virginie Viard and behind-the-scenes footage of couture craftsmanship, the documentary highlights how haute couture treats time as both a luxury and a tool of legacy.
What makes Time Trial truly stand out is the way it intertwines these seemingly disconnected domains. Cycling and fashion, on the surface, may appear unrelated. Yet through Delacroix’s lens, they become two sides of the same coin. Both demand discipline, focus, and a relationship with time that is far from ordinary. Whether it’s a cyclist striving for a podium finish or a designer perfecting the cut of a jacket, both are chasing a fleeting, often abstract goal: perfection.
Adding further depth to the film is the inclusion of philosopher Jean-Marie Dufort, whose commentary threads throughout the documentary. Dufort muses on the philosophical aspects of time—how it governs human behavior, how it can be both oppressive and liberating, and how our understanding of it shapes our lives. His insights provide a grounding narrative that bridges the emotional intensity of cycling and the artistic finesse of fashion with universal themes of time and mortality.
Notably, the film also features insights from Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard, who speaks candidly about the mental demands of racing against the clock. His reflections, paired with sequences of solo time trial efforts, underscore the internal battle every athlete faces—one that is as much about self-discipline as it is about speed.
The documentary debuted to critical acclaim at its premiere in Amsterdam, where audiences praised its bold style and intellectual ambition. Critics have lauded it as “a rare cinematic fusion of beauty and grit” and “a poetic examination of how time shapes ambition.”
Now available for streaming on Netflix, Time Trial invites viewers into a story that is as exhilarating as it is reflective. It’s a celebration of human determination, artistry, and the enduring mystery of time itself.
