The cyclist Tom Simpson is a legend. The first British world champion, the first Briton to pull on the fabled yellow jersey of the Tour de France - he brought professional cycling to a nation and inspired generations of riders. His autobiography, Cycling is My Life, was written the year before he died tragically on the barren moonscape of Mont Ventoux during the 1967 Tour aged just twenty-nine. Forty years on, hundreds of fans still make the pilgrimage to the windswept memorial wh...

In 1987 Stephen Roche touched greatnessIn June he won the Giro d'Italia, fighting a ferocious battle against not only his rivals but also against his teammates and an angry, partisan Italian crowd.In July Roche secured the yellow jersey in the Tour de France, blacking out shortly after crossing the line following a superhuman effort.In September, victory at the World Cycling Championships in Austria won Roche a near-unprecedented 'triple crown'....

What makes a man the greatest of all time?Eddy Merckx is to cycling what Muhammad Ali is to boxing or Pelé to football: quite simply, the best there has ever been. Merckx was a machine. It wasn't just the number of victories (445); it was his remorseless domination that created the legend. He didn't just beat his opponents, he crushed them.But his triumphs only tell half a story that includes horrific injury, a doping controversy and tragedy. He was nicknam...

Sex, Lies and Handlebar Tape is the astonishing biography of French cycling star Jacques Anquetil. For the first time since his death in 1987, it reveals the extraordinary truth behind the legend, the man and the cyclist.His list of 'firsts' alone makes him worthy of a place in the cycling pantheon: the first man to win the Tour de France five times; the first man to win all three grand tours - the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a Espa�a; and the first man to win...

The autobiography of three time Tour de France Green Jersey winner.Professional road cyclist Robbie McEwen will do whatever it takes to win on a bike. He is proud of his reputation as a 'competitive little bugger' and 'a bit of a hard bastard in the peloton', yet he is at pains to point out that what he's channelling is not rage or aggression but a fierce determination and razor-sharp focus. Here, in his own words, Robbie reveals what has made him one of the most successful road cyclists o...

Stuart O'Grady is one of Australia's best-loved cyclists with a long and successful career in cycling for Australia and as a professional road cyclist. The record holder for most starts in a Tour de France ever, as well as an Olympic gold medallist and winner of the Green Jersey on four occasions, O'Grady is one of cycling's most respected stars. But in 2013, following his retirement, Stuart made a shock announcement: he had used EPO, a performance enhancing drug, in the 1998 Tour de Franc...

Before Bradley Wiggins, there was Sean Yates. Behind Bradley Wiggins, there was Sean Yates.One of only five Britons to wear the yellow jersey in the Tour de France, Sean Yates burst onto the cycling scene as the rawest pure talent this country has ever seen. After turning professional at the age of 22, he soon became known as a die-hard domestique, putting his body on the line for his teammates. Devastatingly fast, powerful and a fearless competitor, Yates won a stage of t...

This book presents a systematic approach to improving road cycling skills and efficiency.The author presents the "Four-P's" to orient, organize, reinforce, and remind the rider of the principles presented:- Position- Pedal- Precision- PracticeAn overview of proper positioning and bike fit is presented in the Position chapter, followed by recommendations and drills for developing and maintaining a smooth pedal stroke in the Pedal chapter. Discuss...

In 1987, the Tour was won by Irishman Stephen Roche. It was the first time the champion had hailed from outside the Continent or the States and the first time in 20 years a British team - ANC Halfords - had competed in the world's toughest and craziest race. Jeff Connor not only stayed with the British team but also found himself an unofficial team member.In this long-awaited new edition of Wide-Eyed and Legless, now widely regarded as a classic, Connor describes what it t...

The hottest sprinter in the world - TelegraphMark Cavendish is the first British cyclist to win the Tour de France's green jersey, the first to wear the iconic rainbow jersey in almost 50 years and our only ever rider to capture the Giro d'Italia points title. He is the most prolific sprinter in the Tour's history, and - according to L'Equipe - the best sprinter of all time. But smashing records and racking up victories means whole new levels of fame: and ...

The compelling story of Britain’s best-ever cyclist – one of the most enigmatic, complex and contradictory athletes in any sport – and the unravelling of the puzzle surrounding his sudden and dramatic disappearance.Cyclist Robert Millar came from one of Europe’s most industrialised cities, Glasgow, to excel in the most unlikely terrain – over the high mountain passes of the Pyrenees and the Alps. He was crowned King of the Mountains during the 1984 Tour de France and remains the on...

On Sunday 22 July, Bradley Wiggins became the first British rider ever to win the Tour de France. It was the culmination of years of hard work and dedication and a vision begun with the creation of Team Sky. This is the inside story of that journey to greatness.On Sunday 22 July, Bradley Wiggins became the first British rider ever to win the Tour de France. It was the culmination of years of hard work and dedication and a vision begun with the creation of Team Sky. This is the insi...