Much more earthbound than its title suggests, this tale of rival cycling siblings competing in a Rocky Mountains endurance race is complicated by David Grant's antagonism towards his sports doctor older brother, Kevin Costner. Other distractions in the plot are an anti-Soviet diversion and a terminal illness that Grant may be suffering from. Writer Steve Tesich achieved better results with his more successful Breaking Away, also on the cycling theme, for which he won an Oscar.

When Dr. Marcus Sommers realizes that he and his troubled, estranged brother David may be prone a fatal brain disease that runs in their family, he decides to make peace with his sibling, and invites him on a trip to the Rockies. There, the brothers bond over their shared enthusiasm for cycling and decide to enter a grueling bike race through the mountains. However, Marcus' health soon begins to fail, and David must compete without his brother at his side.