Domestique by Charly Wegelius

[Arrowfoot]

Thought I picked up a good book about the ins and outs of being a domestique and some exciting episodes about the great races. Boy was I wrong.

It turned out to be a book about the emotional roller coaster of one professional cyclist. Including one sorry episode about why it was wrong to accept plane ticket and accommodation from one team and then help another team in the race. And he still did not understand why it was wrong.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

I read it and took the opposite view. It gives a great insight into what it's like to be a pro - not from the viewpoint of a superbly talented big star, but the other 90% plus of guys who make up the peloton, with all the insecurities and indignities that go with it.

As for working for the Italians in the Worlds, that sort of thing has been par for the course since the dawn of cycling. It's only the British who made a big thing about it.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

I've read it a couple of times, a decent enough read but not in any way "the truth".

He mentioned at the start that he would not be mentioning drugs, and then proceeded to mention at every opportunity that he never saw any drug taking nor took drugs, and praised known serial drug abusers - and highlighted his naturally high haematocrit and had to be careful but then mentioned how much benefit was to be had from high altitude training.

As for his helping the Italians, that's just one of those things. He offered a decent enough explanation. Pity about the drug bit.

 

[Arrowfoot]

I read it and took the opposite view. It gives a great insight into what it's like to be a pro - not from the viewpoint of a superbly talented big star, but the other 90% plus of guys who make up the peloton, with all the insecurities and indignities that go with it.

As for working for the Italians in the Worlds, that sort of thing has been par for the course since the dawn of cycling. It's only the British who made a big thing about it.

I was hoping he would be covering tactics, what they do in preparations , the dynamics in the peloton, about bikes and some technicals, other gear, diet and nutrition, strength and weakness about competitors but these did not surface except for some cursory mention. It was basically his emotions, his aspirations,his personal challenges etc. Quite a sad book.

 

[Arrowfoot]

I've read it a couple of times, a decent enough read but not in any way "the truth".

He mentioned at the start that he would not be mentioning drugs, and then proceeded to mention at every opportunity that he never saw any drug taking nor took drugs, and praised known serial drug abusers - and highlighted his naturally high haematocrit and had to be careful but then mentioned how much benefit was to be had from high altitude training.

As for his helping the Italians, that's just one of those things. He offered a decent enough explanation. Pity about the drug bit.

Agree on the drug aspect.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

The trouble for pros in getting into doping discussions is that they're under pressure to name names if they say they knew what was going on and few want to go down the route of dropping colleagues in the mire even if they don't approve of what they did. I'm sure we've all worked with people who've been on the fiddle in one way and another but not many of us would want to grass them up. Professional sportsmen are no different to the rest of us in that respect.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

I'm sure we've all worked with people who've been on the fiddle in one way and another but not many of us would want to grass them up. Professional sportsmen are no different to the rest of us in that respect.