Sundance Channel gets on its mark for the 96th Tour de France as it presents the U.S. television premiere of the inspirational cycling documentary Blood, Sweat +Gears: Racing Clean to the Tour de France on June 29th. An original production directed by Nick Davis, Blood, Sweat +Gears: Racing Clean to the Tour de France follows the journey of an American cycling team seeking to compete in its first Tour de France, the epic French bicycle race that covers over 3,500 kilometers in 22 grueling days. The 2009 Tour de France runs from July 4-July 26. Blood, Sweat +Gears: Racing Clean to the Tour de France premieres on Sundance Channel on Monday, June 29 at 10:30pm et/pt.

Blood, Sweat +Gears: Racing Clean to the Tour de France chronicles the journey of Team Slipstream-Chipotle, now Team Garmin-Slipstream, a young Colorado-based professional cycling team founded and managed by Jonathan “JV” Vaughters. The team, dedicated to creating the next generation of cycling champions, entered the spotlight when it pioneered the most progressive anti-doping system in all of professional sports. As the film begins, the riders are beginning to train for the 2008 season, which they hope will lead to the team’s first invitation to the Tour de France and a title sponsor.

Blood, Sweat +Gears: Racing Clean to the Tour de France takes us on a fascinating ride as the team travels from the mountains of Colorado; to the first major race of the 2008 season in Doha, Qatar; and on to key competitions throughout the U.S. and Europe, including the Tour of California and Paris-Roubaix. The film also tells the stories of several riders, including Magnus Backstedt, a serene Swede and Paris-Roubaix; Mike Friedman, an affable young American rebounding from a life-threatening health incident; the newly-installed team leader, David Millar, who returned to the sport determined to change it after serving a two-year ban; and Christian Vande Velde, who for the first time in his career finds himself as the team leader at the Tour de France and ends up in fourth place.