Few people know exactly how lance Armstrong became such an amazing force in cycling. Now, in Lance, John Wilcockson draws on dozens of interviews with those who know Armstrong best, to trace his remarkable life, both on and off the bike. Family members - including his adoptive father, speaking publicly for the first time - recall Armstrongs humble origins, the father he barely knew, and his single moms struggle for survival. His childhood friends and early mentors recall how he also excelled at other sports, including swimming, running, and triathlons. Known for pushing his body to the extreme and intimidating his rivals, Armstrong accomplished extraordinary feats like winning the worlds professional road race championship at twenty-one and taking home the Tour de France trophy seven consecutive years in a row. But his many achievements have consistently been dogged by allegations of doping and secrecy. In Lance, Wilcockson provides numerous details, many for the first time, of how Armstrongs legendary training, near-fatal bout with cancer, and battles with the media drove him to reach the pinnacle of his sport.
This beautifully designed and illustrated essential guide to the Tour de France from Motorbooks' Speed Read series will make you an instant expert on its history, its winners and rivalries, the tactics necessary to win it, and the technology of its bicycles. Le Tour has sometimes been called “chess on wheels” because of the complicated strategies used by the race's 22 teams and 176 riders. This book—written by award-winning cycling journalist John Wilcockson, who has covered the Tour 45 times—will help you understand those tactics, along with informing you about the race’s century-plus history, its famed winners and rivalries, and the technology that has gone into creating the modern racing bicycle and determining how today’s athletes train. Among the questions answered are: Who owns the Tour? How are the course’s 21 stages selected? What are the most famous mountain climbs? How is the overall winner determined? What is a peloton, a soigneur, or an echelon? How big are the prizes? What are time bonuses? Who was the first American to compete in the Tour, and who was the first one to win it? How fast do the racers go down mountain descents? What speeds can the riders reach in sprint finishes? Why are the teams known by the names of their sponsors and not their countries? What do the riders eat, and where do they sleep every night? What are all those motorcycles doing among the cyclists? How do the organizers deal with doping scandals? And is it true that, one year, the top four finishers were all disqualified? You will find the answers to all these questions, and many more, in this informative, beautifully illustrated, fun-to-read book: Speed Read Tour de France. With Motorbooks’ Speed Read series, become an instant expert in a range of fast-moving subjects, from Formula 1 racing to car design. Accessible language, compartmentalized sections, fact-filled sidebars, glossaries of key terms, and event timelines deliver quick access to insider knowledge. Their brightly colored covers, modern design, pop art–inspired illustrations, and handy size make them perfect on-the-go reads.
Taking place over twenty-three days in July and across more than 2,100 miles of smooth blacktop, rough cobblestones, and punishing mountain terrain, the Tour de France is the most grueling sports event in the world. And in 2004, five-time champion Lance Armstrong set out to achieve what no other cyclist in the 100-year history of the race had ever done: win a sixth Tour de France.Armstrong had four serious challengers who wanted nothing more than to deny the man the French call Le Boss from achieving his goal. The major threat among them was the only other former Tour de France champion in last year's race, Germany's Jan Ullrich- The Kaiser. But when the race was over, Lance Armstrong once again wore the yellow jersey of victory.
With the cycling world tangled in drug scandals at the close of the last Tour, even established, successful teams underwent dramatic changes that set the stage for an exciting and unpredictable 2007 Tour de France. John Wilcockson and the editors of VeloNews capture the heroics of cycling's most famous race as they follow the jersey winners from the start of the Pro Tour season all the way to the Champs-Elys'es. Each stage of France's grueling three-week race comes to life with maps, stage profiles, and photographs of the pivotal moments. The 2007 Tour de France delivers much more than an annual race recap with intimate coverage of each jersey pursuit. The peloton's most promising riders-climbers, sprinters, newcomers, and top contenders- will stop at nothing to get the maillot jaune as millions eagerly await the next great Tour champion. The book includes daily rider diaries from professional cyclists in the Tour, giving exclusive insight into this grueling race.
An illustrated yearbook of the Tour de France covers the entire course, featuring a course map and stage elevations, as well as race descriptions, anecdotes, and a complete list of finishers.
Few people know exactly how lance Armstrong became such an amazing force in cycling. Now, in Lance, John Wilcockson draws on dozens of interviews with those who know Armstrong best, to trace his remarkable life, both on and off the bike. Family members - including his adoptive father, speaking publicly for the first time - recall Armstrongs humble origins, the father he barely knew, and his single moms struggle for survival. His childhood friends and early mentors recall how he also excelled at other sports, including swimming, running, and triathlons. Known for pushing his body to the extreme and intimidating his rivals, Armstrong accomplished extraordinary feats like winning the worlds professional road race championship at twenty-one and taking home the Tour de France trophy seven consecutive years in a row. But his many achievements have consistently been dogged by allegations of doping and secrecy. In Lance, Wilcockson provides numerous details, many for the first time, of how Armstrongs legendary training, near-fatal bout with cancer, and battles with the media drove him to reach the pinnacle of his sport.
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