Overview

SHORTLISTED FOR THE SPORTS BOOK AWARDS 2024 – CYCLING BOOK OF THE YEAR 'Immensely readable and revealing' The Guardian 'A must read' Phil Liggett, MBE 'A story like no other in cycling' Ned Boulting IMAGINE COMPETING IN THE WORLD'S MOST BRUTAL CYCLE RACES, KNOWING THAT A CRASH COULD BE FATAL Alex Dowsett is one of Britain's greatest cyclists. He has ridden Grand Tours and Classics for elite teams including Sky and Movistar and broke the iconic World Hour Record – the ultimate time trial challenge. With humour, insight and honesty, Alex recounts his years as a pro-cyclist and the challenges he has faced in his struggle to reach the top. Alex has achieved all this despite being the only able-bodied elite sportsperson in the world with haemophilia A. He describes how the condition – in which falls can be fatal – both blighted his young sporting life, and boosted his determination to succeed. Every professional cyclist requires courage, but Alex takes fearlessness to another level in a sport where injury and suffering are a given. With an all-star cycling cast, including Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froome, Mark Cavendish and Lance Armstrong, this pulsating book lifts the lid on life in the peloton at the world’s top level. From his highs – including Giro d’Italia stage victories – to his frustrations at the injustices he faced in the sport, Alex's memoir perfectly chronicles a career in which he was driven equally by love and rage. Combining Alex's personal triumphs with his unique take on being part of the golden age of British cycling, this is an unmissable tale of sporting endeavour. 'A fascinating insight into the mindset of an elite sportsman who overcame great odds to reach the very top' Simon Brotherton 'The humblest super-talent in the peloton, proving nice guys can win. A wonderful book' Carlton Kirby 'An inspiration for anyone who wants to do whatever they’re told they can’t.' Michael Hutchinson 'Such an inspiring tale. Poignant and moving, and told with forthright honesty' Peter Cossins

Full Product Details

Author:   Alex Dowsett
Publisher:   Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Imprint:   Bloomsbury Sport
Dimensions:   Width: 15.30cm , Height: 2.50cm , Length: 23.40cm
Weight:   0.454kg
ISBN:  

9781399406406

ISBN 10:   139940640
Pages:   320
Publication Date:   28 September 2023
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In stock  
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Table of Contents

Not Horrific, Just Terrible - The Hour Record, 2015 The Day My Dad Stopped Whistling - Diagnosis 1990 Freedom - The Commonwealth Games, 2014 One Evening, on the River Blackwater - The beginning, 2001 Hunger Games - The British Academy, 2007-2010 The University of Livestrong - Riding for a legend, 2010 Treading My Own Path - Team Sky to Movistar, 2011-2013 Letting Go of the Bike - The Giro, 2013 The Armstrong Comment - The Start Line, Beijing, 2012 Growing Up – On the road with Cavendish, 2013-2015 Mummy’s Boy - Sub-title? 2016 Heartbreak and Glory - The Olympics and The Commonwealths Mayhem - Katusha-Alpecin, 2018—2019 Life Expectancy - The Tour de France, 2019 An Arm around my Shoulder - The Worlds, 2019 Stage 8 - Giro d’Italia, 2020 Winners and Losers - The Hour, 2021 Born Lucky - Leaving the World Tour, 2022.

Reviews

A story to tell like no other in cycling * Ned Boulting * A great champion in sport and in life, and a credit for all young aspiring people to follow. A must read * Phil Liggett, MBE, international commentator * The humblest super-talent in the peloton, proving nice guys can win. A wonderful book * Carlton Kirby * Such an inspiring tale * Peter Cossins * An inspiration for anyone who wants to do whatever they’re told they can’t. -- Michael Hutchinson Unembellished and honest. Alex tells what like as a professional cyclist is really like * Rick Zabel *

Dowsett has a story to tell like no other in cycling. A fiercely different rider, always his own man * Ned Boulting * A great champion in sport and in life, and a credit for all young aspiring people to follow. A must read * Phil Liggett, MBE, international commentator * Alex Dowsett is the humblest super-talent in the peloton, proving nice guys can win. This wonderful book tells you how he did it * Carlton Kirby *

Author Information

Alex Dowsett is a former professional road racing cyclist who has been cycling for over a decade at the world's top level. He was a time trial specialist and in 2015 he broke track cycling's World Hour Record. @AlexDowsett

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