laurence
Veteran
- Location
- in the aeroplane over the sea
just finished Paris-Roubaix the Inside Story... which, much like the race, was a hard slog. very disjointed writing and hard to follow most of the time.
Cycling books: recommendation and avoid - Racing only
- Thread starter Noodley
- Start date
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For additional entertainment, I just finished reading 'We Were Young and Carefree', 'Rough Ride' and 'Slaying the Badger' in quick succession. All excellent books in their own right (as covered above) but it was particularly enjoyable to get the very different perspectives on the same races in the three books. So Fignon's views on the 83 - 86 Tours, Kimmage's suffering on the big climbs in 86 whilst you get the coverage of the leaders in 'Slaying...', adds additional perspective to some of the greatest Tours.
Happiness Stan
Well-Known Member
Does he mention the drugs he took?
Pro Tour Punditry
Guru
Just took delivery of three new cycling books today:
Pedalare! Pedalare!
Tomorrow, We Ride
Road to Valour
That should keep me out of mischief for a while.
Pedalare! Pedalare!
Tomorrow, We Ride
Road to Valour
That should keep me out of mischief for a while.
Dayvo
just passin' through
- Location
- 59° 50′ 5.55″ N, 10° 47′ 41.89″ E
Just took delivery of three new cycling books today:
Pedalare! Pedalare!
Tomorrow, We Ride
Road to Valour
That should keep me out of mischief for a while.
Oh, I don't know: depends how many pictures they have, non?
Pedrosanchezo
Veteran
- Location
- Perthshire, scotland
Since xmas i have read the following. I can expand on the books if asked too but so far as follows:
Charly Weglius - 9-10. Outstanding book. Reads like someone who loves the sport to the point of discomfort. He see's no other way to live his life. Through his career he grows to become one of the most respected domestiques in the pro peloton. I am ashamed to say i had no idea who he was prior to reading. It is my understanding that he is more famous now in retiring.
Mark Cavendish at Speed - 7-10. Interesting reading because he is such an interesting character. Everything he does reeks of personality. Sometimes he comes across as arrogant and over confident but as a whole he reads as someone who is the biggest fan of bike racing on earth. A great read but if you dislike Cav then i wouldn't recommend.
Va Va Froome - 8-10. I found myself not wanting to like this but is suppose in the end i did. He says some daft things throughout which makes you realise that his spat with Wiggins wasn't out of disrespect or bad taste it was merely naivety, in a big way. He has no idea at all RE cycling tactics or ethics, due to his upbringing in Kenya. At worst, in the TDF 2012, he was over eager and completely out of his depth in terms of his role - the one he signed up to Sky for. A good read but with the odd annoying line or 2. I did appreciate though that he is one of the most determined athletes in todays world. Not much seems to phase him.
I have a few more to read and will post back.
Charly Weglius - 9-10. Outstanding book. Reads like someone who loves the sport to the point of discomfort. He see's no other way to live his life. Through his career he grows to become one of the most respected domestiques in the pro peloton. I am ashamed to say i had no idea who he was prior to reading. It is my understanding that he is more famous now in retiring.
Mark Cavendish at Speed - 7-10. Interesting reading because he is such an interesting character. Everything he does reeks of personality. Sometimes he comes across as arrogant and over confident but as a whole he reads as someone who is the biggest fan of bike racing on earth. A great read but if you dislike Cav then i wouldn't recommend.
Va Va Froome - 8-10. I found myself not wanting to like this but is suppose in the end i did. He says some daft things throughout which makes you realise that his spat with Wiggins wasn't out of disrespect or bad taste it was merely naivety, in a big way. He has no idea at all RE cycling tactics or ethics, due to his upbringing in Kenya. At worst, in the TDF 2012, he was over eager and completely out of his depth in terms of his role - the one he signed up to Sky for. A good read but with the odd annoying line or 2. I did appreciate though that he is one of the most determined athletes in todays world. Not much seems to phase him.
I have a few more to read and will post back.
Pro Tour Punditry
Guru
Can't agree with this at all - IMO he completely missed an opportunity to tell more; although I am not expecting him to tell all I cannot believe he knew nothing about the doping that went on, especially as he rode with Italian teams in the 90s! He speaks highly of Di Luca as a leader, and whilst his account sounds as if he was a good "leader" in terms of motivating his team, he was a doper of the highest order. Before I read the book I held him in high regard, but now I am not so sure - I'm "confused" about my view of him now, probably because I think he's a probably a great big doper or at least a great big "apologist" but not wanting to face up to that. All in I thought the book started off well and then went downhill, and he should have just not bothered.
And without wanting to sound like a complete dick, how could you not have heard of him!?
Pro Tour Punditry
Guru
P.S. you might be right, and I might be wrong of course 
Pedrosanchezo
Veteran
- Location
- Perthshire, scotland
Hadn't heard of him because well, i hadn't heard of him. Sure that clears that up.
As for the doping stance well yes sure he said Di Luca was a great leader but he also said he was a doper. Maybe you could read into this that everyone was doping and Di Luca was merely one that got caught. Maybe you could assume he understood the pressures applied to those of limited ability, especially to those who might find themsleves out of a job. It is abundantly clear that many pro's are not much more than grown children with no real idea of what goes on in the real world - mainly due to the secluded lives they lead in order to become the thing they have dreamed of since single figures.
As for your claims that he was a doper, well do you have any evidence to suggest this was the case? Otherwise it appears no more than mudslinging because a rider was from a certain era?
Also try to remember that this is a book written from his perspective, not how you wish to perceive him.
Pedrosanchezo
Veteran
- Location
- Perthshire, scotland
And vice versa.P.S. you might be right, and I might be wrong of course
Pro Tour Punditry
Guru
As I said I am confused, no claims that he WAS a doper - I said he was either a doper or an "apologist". But for someone who stated at the start of his book that he was not going to focus on doping he sure as hell went a long way to try to convince the reader that he was clean despite his high tests, his "appeal" to the <not very believable> UCI, and then to highlight how important high altitude training was...if someone is "naturally high" then I doubt this! But as I say, I am confused. I just can't accept his book as being accurate - much in the same way as I don't think Piers Morgan really did get Rolf Harris's full life story
Pedrosanchezo
Veteran
- Location
- Perthshire, scotland
His blood values raised my brows also but i maintain his story is a good one. Until i hear evidence in opposition to his opinion i believe what he says. That is my opinion.As I said I am confused, no claims that he WAS a doper - I said he was either a doper or an "apologist". But for someone who stated at the start of his book that he was not going to focus on doping he sure as hell went a long way to try to convince the reader that he was clean despite his high tests, his "appeal" to the <not very believable> UCI, and then to highlight how important high altitude training was...if someone is "naturally high" then I doubt this! But as I say, I am confused. I just can't accept his book as being accurate - much in the same way as I don't think Piers Morgan really did get Rolf Harris's full life story
Me too
al-fresco
Growing older but not up...
- Location
- Shropshire
I found Beaumont's book frustrating - I couldn't see the point of going around the world and seeing so little of it. I think you're right to include it here though - it's more of a racing book than it is a travel book.
