A small, dark passage led into the Mugar Omni Theater itself, so there was quite a bit of confusion as everyone in the crowd pushed forward in their excitement. However, it was impossible to not stop for a moment when finally in the Omni Theater, because the high-ceiling and softly lit dome that surrounded me was incredible, even though I have been in it quite a few times before. As I made my way up the tiers of seats with the other Tripp students, there were many gasps and chattering about how “cool” it was in here. Sitting back in the comfy, cushioned seats, we waited for the film that was our whole purpose of being here.

The lights went down and the movie started, the opening scenes of a small boy learning how to ride a bike. Eventually, he manages to get going by himself, proud of his accomplishments. Next, the huge Omni Theater screen shows a mountainside, and as we descend, a long train of bikers and a caravan of vehicles is depicted on a steep mountain road.

I guess you could call Jimmy Casper and Baden Cooke, teammates and Tour de France cyclists, the “main characters” in the film. Jimmy is injured during a major crash during the race, and must be taken to a hospital to make sure that his brain is okay. Fortunately it is, because the brain is a key part in the Tour. Cyclists must overcome exhaustion, pain, and all sorts of weather conditions to survive in the race, and being strong mentally is just as important as being strong physically. Even though Jimmy tries to put “mind over matter” and stay in the Tour as long as possible, he must eventually drop out. Baden, on the other hand, wins the first sprint finish of the Tour and finishes to win the green jersey that marks him as the best sprinter.

Before I saw Wired to Win, I just assumed that you didn’t need brain power to be a good athlete. Now, though, I see that people like Lance Armstrong and Baden Cooke needed their brains to do as well as they did. The title of the movie is part of this. As a cycling team trains together or as that little boy sped down the street on his tiny bicycle, their brains were “wiring” themselves and learning to do these actions without hesitation. Those Tour de France cyclists simply must be wired to win.