Cycling books: recommendation and avoid - Racing only

[Pro Tour Punditry]

I'm finding it a hard read. I'm struggling with his eulogising about the estate he lived on, which I lived next to for a bit. Anything that was stolen was in that estate being fenced in the pub down the road. There's a feint waft of bullshit to some of it too.

Just because it's very funny:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwkUMFk4yTo

 

[Crackle]

Just because it's very funny:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwkUMFk4yTo

Jeez.....

Oh you'll love the Boardman book. He describes rooming with big Jensy.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Jeez.....

big Jensy.

You mean "that pr*ck who loves to call himself Jensy"

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Quite enjoyed the Geraint Thomas book, when I read it

In a way, I'm surprised that the Beryl Burton book 'Personal Best' isn't mentioned, but then again, it has been out of print for a while (not sure what date my copy has?)

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Just finished this

Which was very enjoyable in a "t'was so much better in the good old days" way. And some great pics as one would expect from Graham Watson.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Also read this one before the above book, and now re-reading it

Another "good ol' days" effort.

 

[Crackle]

In case anyone is interested. The Trott and Kenny book is on Kindle deals for 1.39 today, which is still overpriced but hey.

 

[HF2300]

In case anyone is interested. The Trott and Kenny book is on Kindle deals for 1.39 today, which is still overpriced but hey.

Thanks for the tip - I'll be sure to avoid it.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

In case anyone is interested. The Trott and Kenny book is on Kindle deals for 1.39 today, which is still overpriced but hey.

Did I read somewhere that he's pregnant? Or maybe she is.

 

[rich p]

Did I read somewhere that he's pregnant? Or maybe she is.

Did Shaun Sutton tell her to fark off and have a baby?

 

[GilesM]

Well I read "The Racer" by David Millar and I'm not quite sure why everyone else hated it. As an inside account of the last season of a pro bike racer it meets the brief just fine. It's not as good as "Racing Through the Dark", but it's a smaller canvas and, if it is a bit self-serving in places, it won't be the last autobiography to do that.

Maybe my expectations were lowered by the comments on here but I genuinely enjoyed reading it.

I thought it was a really good book, if your are interested in what happens in a road race, and how it all works then it's good to read about it from somebody who was there for a significant period of time, and seems to understand it better than most of his peers.

 

[GilesM]

Also read this one before the above book, and now re-reading it
View attachment 338164

Another "good ol' days" effort.

The front cover picture sells it to me straight away, something about cobbles, mud, and no helmet that makes it seem even better.I'll have to get myself a copy.

 

[suzeworld]

I thought it was a really good book, if your are interested in what happens in a road race, and how it all works then it's good to read about it

I totally agree - (we're talking about the Millar book here) I thought is was great and his intelligence is like a beacon which lights up his writing style for me ... it things like writing style matter to you ... they do to me.

 

[themosquitoking]

I totally agree - (we're talking about the Millar book here) I thought is was great and his intelligence is like a beacon which lights up his writing style for me ... it things like writing style matter to you ... they do to me.

Finished it last week, amazingly well written. SWIMBO is now enjoying it.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Nicole Cooke's The Breakaway and Boardmans's autobiography, neither were ghost written.

Cooke's book is excellent and if you want an insight into women's racing compared to men's, it's essential and compulsive reading. If I had a criticism it's its absoluteness. Cooke leaves no room for other views and whilst I'm sure that she's not lying or exaggerating, I was left feeling I'd like to read another account of the same events from a different perspective. There's also some hypocrisy in her intimation of other riders by association with only a vague acknowledgement that the same could be said of her. Nevertheless, highly recommended, especially in light of the recent Sutton and BC inquiries.

Boardman,s book was excellent, funny and insightful, especially about BC. If you want an entirely different summation of what BC have achieved than Cooke's, read it. Striking is the comparison of wages when Boardman turned professional in 92/93 with GAN, earning 90k plus bonuses. A decade later, Cooke turned professional, earning 8K and then after a successful year 20k and she had to go to court to get paid her salary.

Boardman's tales include describing getting home after the 92 Olympic win and going to the chippy, the Dolphin, were they gave him his chips free. Only the once mind, he says. High standards in the Dolphin, one Gold medal, one portion of free chips.

Particularly enlightening was the formation of the Secret Squirrel club and what they did. Not everything is sweetness and light though. There are some heavier sides to Boardman's character, the kind that are common amongst the highly driven, people who can achieve what he has done. The latter part of the book deals with his move to commentating and the beginning of his cycle advocacy and again, it's a fascinating read. Highly recommended.

Read the Nicole Cooke book a while ago, when a collegue lent me it

I've got the Boardman autobiography on the go, in meal-breaks, at work, at the moment

Just got past the section, when Jen Voigt & CB, are sat in a Parisian STD clinic...................................