Life In The Saddle

In 2018, a team of dedicated cycling enthusiasts took over the colossal task of delivering an annual publication, seven days after the final race of any given season: a book 900+ pages in length, that takes you on a deep dive into the year's cycling calendar and reflects on the highs and lows of the year's bike racing. The Road Book is beautifully put together, with care and attention to detail. It includes in-depth race reports, exclusive essays, team profiles, imagery, trivia and infographics to document the events of the past season. With exclusive first-person accounts from cycling's biggest stars: including Tour de France stage winner Magnus Cort and female star Lorena Wiebes; as well as contributions from the best cycling writers and journalists—the book is a bible of cycling knowledge and passion. The 2022 edition, the fifth in the series, is packed with race reports, quirky statistics and infographics from the entire calendar of the men and women's World Tour ra...

The Cold War has always fascinated me. As a historian and a behavioural economist, it presents one of the most turbulent and captivating case studies of human interaction, economic systems, and cultural polarisation. Last year, I read and reviewed Herbie Skyes' ' The Race Against The Stasi ' – it was a great read and a real insight into the cultural and sporting differences imposed under communist control. Tim Moore's 'The Cyclist Who Went Out In The Cold' provides a post-communism view of the countries on the Iron Curtain divide; all from the seat of a communist produced shopping bicycle. His 10,000 kilometre journey along the Iron Curtain Trail (EuroVelo Route 13) is a humorous yet also historically interesting tale of discovery. From his start at the most northern tip of Finland, Tim Moore rides south; through endless snow-covered pine forests, battling with hypothermia, and becoming an expert in the art of sauna meditation. From Finland to Russia...

Heart warming and intensely personal, this is the story of a journey and the people that have made it. An incredible journey, from Lands End to John O' Groats—by bicycle.  Within its pages it incorporates a history of cycling from 1880 to the present day; how the record to achieve this iconic distance has gradually been reduced to an unbelievably short time.  The book is meticulously researched, beautifully written, and brought to life by interviews with the historic cyclists themselves. As Jones writes the stories of the record breakers, he rides the course himself in several long stages—immersing himself in the history and landscape.  Jones is self-critical and trying to come to terms with his recent decision to leave his job as a secondary school headteacher. His writing is poetic, funny, and observant; describing both his inner turmoil and the outer landscape he passes through. I loved this book, I felt I wanted to take note of particularly resonant phrases so I coul...

Post World War Two Europe makes for a fascinating study. At school and university my history and economic history courses delved deep into the political, economic, and social impact of the divisions between the communist bloc and the democratic west during the Cold War period. However, what my studies never really touched on, was sport. So, when the ' Race Against The Stasi'  was published I was sure it would be a compelling read. The historical account follows the life of Dieter Wiedemann—a cycling hero from the GDR (East Germany). Dieter's biography: composed of quotes, news extracts, and letters from his life, is a captivating account. It is story of ambition, success, challenge, and love. The narrative begins with Dieter competing for the GDR in amateur events such as the iconic Peace Race and tours of the communist bloc countries. However, after realising the true extent of political influence on his life and sport, Dieter eventually makes the life-changing decisio...

I have always been a fan of Mark Beaumont's past documentaries and books. Both ' The Man Who Cycled The World ' and ' The Man Who Cycled The Americas ' were superb in their ability to showcase the beauty and captivating cultures seen on long distance bike rides. ' Africa Solo' is an equally interesting story, but in many ways a quite different sequel; and unfortunately, I must admit one that in some ways I found slightly depressing... Mark makes it clear early on in ' Africa Solo ' that the attempt at the World Record from Cairo to Cape Town will be about speed, big miles, and racing the clock. The focus on culture, content creation, and storytelling will be pushed back to second place. I found this rearranged focus to slightly mar what I am sure could be a beautiful story of exploration of the African continent. Mark's previous tales of solo unsupported tours of the Americas and the World were a real immersion in the civilisations seen an...

Nick is passionate about bicycles—all kinds of bicycles, but particularly the tough practical workhorse bicycles ridden by millions all over the world. His mission is to find out how bicycles are being used across the world. He travels all over—from South America to Japan and Zanzibar. Nick is eloquent and forthright; his writing is funny, well researched, and very readable. The copy I had was a first edition proof copy, and initially the spelling mistakes, typos, and grammatical errors nearly made me put the book down. But, I persevered because I recognise a good storyteller; and Raistrick is clearly that... I laughed out loud. I gasped at his cheek. I was fascinated by his descriptions of other cultures. I was nearly brought to tears by his heartfelt tales of his family. Excusing the need for some proof-reading and editing, this book would be a very welcome addition to any cyclist’s bookshelf. Indeed, it should be read much more widely; by politicians and policy advisers—with i...

David Millar is one rider I have always respected within the pro peloton. Yes, he's had dark moments within his career; but anyone that has read his previous book 'Racing Through The Dark' ( read my book review here ), will know that he has done just that - he's "raced through" the shadowy days; coming out the other side a more experienced, wise and informed athlete and personality. David Millar is a veteran of the peloton, in more ways than one. He has experienced it all - from the depressing days of the 1990's, to the '100% clean teams' like Garmin and Team Sky. He has raced 'The Classics'; he has raced in over 20 Grand Tours; he has seen the world of professional cycling from more angles than most. It is this educated personality, which makes 'The Racer' a great read. The book follows David Millar's final year in the professional peloton - the 2014 season. This is far from an easy ride for the Scottish born rider though...

Life. Death. Love; and Cycling. I had heard of the Dutch best-seller 'Ventoux' long before it was translated into English earlier this year. It is a captivating, inspiring, humorous, yet saddening, real life account. It will draw you in, and keep you reading; whether you're a cycling enthusiast or not. It is an account of six friends from The Netherlands, who set out to climb the 'Giant of Provence'. The innocent trip evolves into a life changing, and indeed life-ending experience, for members of the group. It is a tale of a tragic death, and the discovery of love; which leads to the dissolving of what was an inseparable friendship group. 30 years on, and the group are brought back together; by a long-brewing urge to re-live and commemorate what happened on the Ventoux. Now, pursuing careers as a crime reporter, a travel agent, a repentant ex-drugs dealer, a successful university lecturer, and a play director; the remaining five, from the original six, revisi...

There aren't that many mountains you could write a book about. At least, not one that would capture the interest of many. For cyclists though, the legendary Alpe d'Huez climb, is a mountain that can certainly create interesting reading. The dead-end road, in the Oisans region of France, has been the amphitheatre of so many great cycling battles that it certainly deserves written documentation. Peter Cossins, an English cyclist and journalist, took it upon himself to capture the dramatic history of 'The Alpe'. Alpe d’Huez is the product of his extensive research, studies and visits to the ski-resort mountain road. Within its pages, you discover the captivating history that this stretch of tarmac holds, and indeed a thorough explanation as to why it deserves its status as a "legend". Alpe d'Huez first entered into the Tour de France route in 1952. Its 21 hairpins create the most dramatic of mountain top finishes. Cossins begins his narrative by consid...

                     Rwanda is a country with one of the most interesting, most graphic and most brutal modern histories of the current day. A country polarised and torn apart by a civil genocide in 1994, it has resurrected itself as one of the most modern, integrated and successful sub-Saharan countries, in an incredible feat of recovery. Intertwined and in parallel with its population and economy's recovery and reshaping, has been the birth and development of Rwandan cycling at a professional level. Tim Lewis tells this fascinating and emotional story in the fittingly named 'Land Of Second Chances'. The book's principal hero is a young Rwandan named Adrien Niyonshuti, he lost his family in the 1994 genocide, when he was just seven years old. From loss and poverty, Adrien turns his life around, cycling becomes his route out of the cruel world that he was thrown into. In 2012, Adrien took part and finished in the London...

Belief . Something that can take years to establish, yet seconds to dismiss. A word that in the 1990s and 2000s held little association with the spectators’ perception of professional cycling. With the Festina Affair, Operation Puerto, Ullrich, Landis, Contador and Armstrong, to name but a few, it was hard for cycling fans to watch the performances of their idols, without at least some scepticism of the honesty of the entailing victories. A month ago, I read and reviewed Tyler Hamilton’s ‘The Secret Race’ (Link) . Hamilton’s account of the widespread doping leaves you with a distinct distrust of the professional peloton, and gives a stark realisation of how widespread doping became. ‘Racing Through The Dark’ by David Millar is fundamentally different. Yes, it is a confession, and in part it is a justification of the doping that Millar undertook in the early 2000s. However, crucially, it makes you believe in professional cycling again. It gives you faith that things are chan...

Cycling is a sport of many emotions: the sympathy as the day-long breakaway gets caught, the adrenaline as the final sprint unfolds, the sense of pride as ‘your’ teams takes the victory. Unfortunately, sometimes, the disappointment and feeling of being cheated, as another doping scandal unfolds. The mix of emotions is what makes the sport so engaging, so addictive, and so special. Ned Boulting’s ‘How I Won The Yellow Jumper’ captures the full spectrum of emotions that follows the Tour de France every year, and makes it the heart of global cycling culture. His ‘Dispatches from the Tour’ cover everything from the joy and perseverance of road-side fans, the fight and fury of the pent-up sprinter, the comedy of Le Tour’s toilettes, and the shame and disgrace of drug cases. This book has it all, but most important of all emotions, it also has humour. Ned’s obvious naivety upon starting his coverage of the Tour de France in 2003 is almost painful to read at first; a football comme...

"(This is) my story. Not a shiny, pretty myth about superheroes who win every time, but a human truth about one normal guy who tried to compete in a messed-up world and did his best; who made big mistakes and survived. That's the story I want to tell, and keep telling, partly because it will help the sport move forward, and partly because it helps me move forward" (p. 276) Tyler Hamilton's story is a stark opposite to Lance Armstrong's best seller 'It's Not About The Bike' . This is not fiction, but fact; not an elaborate fairytale, but a brutal truth; not a money making scheme, but a confession. Hamilton and Coyle give the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth; they take you deep into the personal and professional life of Hamilton during his successful cycling career in the 1990s and early 2000s. Then, into his subsequent years of legal battles and law suits; initially trying to claim his own (false) innocence, and then later confess...