Cycle of Betrayal chronicles the life of Ireland’s first professional cyclist, Shay Elliott,

The documentary includes interviews with fans, friends and legendary team-mates, Andre Darrigade, Rudi Altig & Raymond Poulidor.

With extensive archive footage from the 1950s and 60s the documentary reveals a career distinguished by many firsts. Elliott was the first English speaking cyclist to win stages in the three major Tours, the first English speaking cyclist to finish on the podium in a major Tour, and in his greatest achievement, the first Irishman to wear the coveted Yellow Jersey of race leader in the 1963 Tour De France, 24 years before Stephen Roche’s glorious victory. But it wasn’t all firsts; in 1962 he lost out on the title of World Champion in controversial circumstances, finishing second.

Sadly after a decade as a professional his world fell apart. He returned to Ireland in late 1966 a broken man. Subsequent events in his life would expose some unhappy truths about professional cycling – a world of heroic effort often tainted by the shadow of bribery and doping.