While Italy is preparing for the start of the Giro d'Italia, France is about to roll out the red carpet for the world's most important film festival, which this year will also feature a piece of cycling, or rather, of the "Cannibal" Eddy Merckx. The 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival will take place from Tuesday, May 13th to Saturday, May 24th in the namesake town on the French Riviera, coinciding with the pink race and will attract artists from all over the world ready to present their works.

The 22 films in the official selection will compete for the most coveted prize, the Palme d'Or, which will be awarded by a jury chaired by French actress Juliette Binoche, but many other works will also be presented on the Croisette. There will be the out-of-competition category, immersive works, Cannes Premiere, the "un certain regard" category, to name a few, and the "Classic" section. Considered by many as second only to the competition, the section dedicated to classic films was introduced over the years with the intent of celebrating cinema history and bringing back to the big screen carefully restored works or documentaries dedicated to professions related to the seventh art. This year, in this particular section, the restored "La Course en tete" featuring Eddy Merckx will be presented, the Belgian champion who will turn eighty on June 17th.

A documentary from 1974, "La Course en Tete" was made by French director Joel Santoni who in his career has directed various films including "Sogni grandi, questi piccoli" with Catherine Deneuve. The documentary follows the Cannibal Eddy Merckx during training and races, but above all shows his private life, thus providing an incredible portrait of the champion. The title refers to the Belgian's always attacking style of racing, shown among fans, journalists, and even with his children. Various moments of his career are captured, from victories in grand tours to classics, up to the hour record, a true celebratory document of a great champion's life that is considered one of the most important cycling documentaries.

Among many stars, glitter, and sequins, this year the Cannes Film Festival accredited will be able to enjoy a new version of the Eddy Merckx documentary, which should be re-proposed by the end of the year in French and Belgian cinemas. For now, no guest from the cycling world has been announced, but never say never, as they say - the Croisette stage is famous for delivering great surprises.