In July 2004, trade news site BikeBiz.com reported that the producer of ‘Seabiscuit’ was at the Tour de France that year scoping background for a possible film about Lance Armstrong. It was reported that Matt Damon had been signed to play the part of the hero. Now that Armstrong’s cycling career has ended, the rumour mill about the Lance biopic is going into overdrive and Bike Biz followed up the story today…

The Guardian newspaper and websites around the world are reporting that Damon is getting into shape for a role as Lance Armstrong. The biopic will be based on Armstrong’s autobiography, It’s Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life and produced by Frank Marshall, producer of one of 2004’s top films, The Bourne Supremacy, starring Matt Damon.

Damon will be put through a punishing training regime to play the cancer survivor and cycling superstar. Will Damon ride up the Col de la Madone in France? In the rain? Probably, but he’ll

But it’s not the only cycle-star biopic likely to be on offer in the next couple of years. Filming has again started on the ‘The Flying Scotsman’, a £3.3m biopic about Graeme Obree, the equally talented yet troubled cycling star. Trainspotting-star Jonny Lee Miller, Steven Berkoff and Bob Hoskins were due to start filming the pro-bike Scot-flick in the autumn of 2002 but just days before the cameras started rolling the American co-producer keeled over and died, leaving a hole in the movie’s budget, killing it. Details as to when this will be released as soon as we can find out…

So will it be Hollywood drivel versus gritty British film noir?