No two worlds are the same - every person, every family, every group of people, whatever their profession, has its own world with its own rules and morals, challenges and successes - its own machinery at work. But whatever the sphere, behind it all are human emotions, behaviours, dreams, hopes, fears of failure. A 1000 Worlds takes a deep dive into a unique world - and then zooms out. To reveal the universal themes that drive that universe - and to make them relatable and tangible to every viewer.
Each season will feature a completely different world. Season 1 dives into the world of the next generation of professional cyclists and all the forces that push and pull them in different directions. It's an anatomy of the cycling world in very moving years, with riders being forced to turn pro at younger and younger ages, having to sacrifice their formative years as human beings if they want to "make it" - whatever that means to an individual.
Young talent is the lifeblood of motorsports teams - and it's more in demand than ever. "A 1000 Circuits" dives into uncharted territory, offering an intimate look at the making and breaking of the next generation of motorsport superstars. Combining elements of "Last Chance U," "Cheer," and "Drive to Survive," this series explores an unexplored subject with many fresh faces and big stories of hopes and dreams in the world's most demanding racing arenas.
NOTE: This trailer only shows only the Belgian aspect of the Series.
"A 1000 Circuits" delves deep into the quest for the next motorsport superstar, exploring every angle: from racing teams with their specific needs, to talent scouts who can make or break a young driver's career, from parents navigating their child's jungle of offers and promises, to the young drivers striving to stand out while dealing with the challenges of growing up at hyperspeed.
Over the course of six episodes, we present this world as comprehensively as possible. By carefully selecting protagonists and entities, we paint a complete picture of all the forces at play, ensuring that everyone is connected to at least one other. Whether opposing or agreeing, empathizing and supporting, or driven by their own ambitions and goals, we capture the essence of the motorsport universe.
NOTE: The episodes are rough drafts.
Father Tim, an ex-professional himself, touches the lives of many young riders every day as a talent scout for the Bora-Hansgrohe men's cycling team.
One person he can't scout is his daughter Anna, 14. As a multiple Belgian junior champion, her name is already underlined on the lists of other talent scouts. She is confronted with the precursors of professional cycling, even though she is only at the beginning of puberty.
Anna's mother, Elien, is at her side in this conflict - she wants to support her passion, but she is also afraid: That Anna will be sucked into the professional whirlwind too soon, that she won't have time to develop as an independent person. And, of course, that she will get hurt or worse.
Anna understands these parental concerns, but she has her own: she notices the jealous looks on the faces of her teammates because it is she who is approached by scouts after winning another race. Scouts like her father. Who cannot be with her because he is on the road all the time, searching for new talents in the remotest corners of the world. From afar, however, he influences his daughter's career: he wants to see Anna succeed - and this often puts him at odds with Elien.
On the rare occasions when the family are all together, they try to sort out the conflicts and make the big decisions together - an extremely tricky business with the storm raging around them.
Time is of the essence, as scouting in cycling has become more important than ever as young riders increasingly skip the formative under-23 years to pursue a professional career at 18. While scouts are contributing to this trend, they also have some regrets about the rapid transition.
As the search for fresh talent is a rat race, cycling team scouting departments have to look in more directions than ever before: targeting younger kids, diving into uncharted territories in all corners of the globe, trying to get people from other endurance sports to cross over. So talent seekers like Tim Meussen from BORA-hansgrohe, Boris Zimine (?) from Tudor and YZ from Canyon SRAM are doing everything they can to get an edge on the other teams.
They go to races like the Tour de l'Avenir, the world's biggest junior race. Tim goes there with a very specific plan: to see Mohamed de Suave, the young Bolivian rider he discovered a few weeks ago, one last time before signing a contract with him. He has already spoken to the boy and his parents and is pretty sure that no one else has him on their list: Unfortunately, Tim's instincts are too good, de Suave surprisingly wins the race and suddenly appears on everyone's radar. Will Tim still be able to get the boy into the team? Or will teams with more financial resources make de Suave an offer he can't refuse?
YZ, scout for the German women's cycling team Canyon SRAM, has a very unique scouting strategy. As well as using traditional methods, the team has developed its own edge: By using platforms like Strava, the team gets access to riders that other teams don't. But just because someone can pedal hard in their basement does not mean they will be a good teammate and know how to ride wheel to wheel in a peloton of over 100 riders. After picking out a few promising talents, the team invites these basement riders for a big week of testing. This means testing their physical and sporting potential, but more importantly to see what kind of people they will have to deal with. What development can they see? How many compromises is the team prepared to make?
Boris Zimine, head of development at Swiss racing outfit Tudor, has a very important date in his diary this year: The Swiss National Championships. Although he knows some of the talent, because that is his job and he does it well, he is always open to surprises. He's hoping to find potential riders for his Tudor development team. But then he has to get them on board, which means convincing the riders, the parents, the current team, maybe even the managers. Will he be able to get the fresh talent he wants for the team?
All the drama between coming of age and leaving a legacy.