Learn something from the history of cycling and overcome the post-Tour blues. With regular watching of the Vuelta, of course.
Along with many other books that you can find on the topic of cycling in our webshop, we present those that through the Tour de France perfectly outline the people, races and customs that inevitably accompany the cycling circus that we love.
We were young and carefree - Laurent Fignon
Laurent Fignon is one of the giants of cycling. Winner of two Tours in the early 1980s, Fignon quickly became the star of a new generation of cyclists and an icon of the French people. In 1989, he participated in one of the fiercest and most tense editions of the Tour of all time. After a difficult and hard-fought 3,285 kilometers, he lost to the flying American and his good friend Greg LeMond by painful eight seconds on the last TT stage to Paris. In this book, Fignon spares no one. In this honest and unwavering "report", this former champion does not spare his friends or opponents, or even himself. This gives cycling fans a harrowing insight into what was really going on behind the scenes of this epic sport - friendship, rivalry, betrayal, intrigue, fun, girls and, of course, improved sports performance followed by various drug abuse and illicit stimulants. Laurent Fignon lived cycling at its peak. Fignon's story best describes the golden age of cycling - a time before various scandals and doping stories, a time when cyclists like him were not afraid of anything.
Shut Up legs! - Jens Voigt
Even by the standards of a sport that requires tremendous endurance and the ability to suffer, Jens Voigt is a special class. A favorite among cycling fans for his insane escapes, but also for his good sense of humor and piles of phrases that marked his career and enriched cycling vocabulary, Born near Hamburg, but spent his formative years in East Germany before the fall of the Berlin Wall. He entered the national team at the time through the German army, as befits the times and the extremely strict environment. In many ways he is a true anti-cycling star; despite probably spending more time in front of the Tour de France peloton than any other cyclist in history, he only wore a yellow jersey twice because his efforts were always in the service of others. Jens embodies the best cycling qualities - loyalty to his team, sacrifice and dedication to the sport. '‘Shut Up Legs’' is a funny and insightful look at the harsh reality of professional cycling, expressed by Jens trademark behaviour - a distinctive and unrepeatable style.
Slaying the Badger! Hinault, LeMond and the greatest ever Tour de France - Richard Moore
The Tour de France is the most impressive sporting battle - a mix of heroism and betrayal, spectacle and controversy, mindgames and endurance. But the 1986 Tour de France stands out as a race in which the rivalry of two favorites from the same team simply engulfed the cycling world. Greg LeMond - a blue-eyed Californian boy with extremely blond hair, nicknamed "L'American" - won in 1986 and went down in history - the first non-European to win a yellow jersey broke the stronghold of the Old (cycling) order and changed it forever. But LeMond's victory is hard to tell and describe. That victory was literally ripped from the jaw of a man nicknamed "The Badger." Legendary Frenchman Bernard "Le Blaireau" Hinault was a five-time Tour winner and arguably the toughest cyclist that ever existed. After winning the Tour de France in 1985, in which LeMond finished in second place, Hinault promised to return to the next Tour with only one purpose - to help LeMond win. But could Hinault be trusted? Something sinister was happening that year, but no one - not even LeMond - knew exactly what. "Killing" the Badger evokes adrenaline, agony, friendship, betrayal and pure excitement!
Tour de France: Climbs from above - Richard Abraham
Experience the excitement and intensity of the most challenging ascents of the Tour de France using breathtaking Google Earth photos. Tour de France: Climbs from above - 20 infamous "Hors Catégorie" climbs - climbs that are outside the standard mountain classification - are illustrated with Google Earth's high-resolution satellite imagery. The book shows climbs such as the 2,715-meter climb to the Col de la Bonette, the historic Alpine pass of St Bernard, the incredibly arduous 15 percent climb to the Col du Galibier and the famous serpentines of Alpe d’Huez. In addition to offering expertly labeled high-resolution maps, the book also explores their rich history and outlines the daring exploits of greats like Faust Coppi and Marco Pantani. It contains more than 220 photographs that provide a unique aerial guide to the serpentines and topography of each climb and the beautiful surrounding mountain geography.
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