Overview
"Written with verve and enthusiasm, Higher Calling explores why mountains have such a magnetic appeal to cyclists the world over. But Max Leonard, himself an accomplished amateur cyclist, does not forget the pain, the glory, the sweat, and the tears that go into these grueling climbs. After all, cycling up a mountain is hard. So hard that, to many, it can seem absurd. But for others, climbing a mountain gracefully (and beating your competitors up the slope) represents the pinnacle of cycling achievement. It is where legends are forged. Mountains are where cycling's greatest heroes have made their names. Every amateur rider wishes they could climb better, too. Are all these people addicted to the pain? To the achievement? Or to the allure of the peaks? Some spend their weekends and holidays cycling up mountains from start to finish. But how does a rider push themselves beyond their limits to get up a 10% gradient on pedal power alone? What is happening when they do? Higher Calling explores the central place of mountains in the folklore of road cycling. Blending adventure and travel writing with the rich narrative of racing, Max Leonard takes the reader from the battles that created the Alpine roads to the shepherds tending their flocks on the peaks, and to a Grand Tour climax on the ""highest road in Europe."" And he tells stories of courage and sacrifice, war and love, obsession and even elephants, along the way."
Full Product Details
Author: Max Leonard
Publisher: Pegasus Books
Imprint: Pegasus Books
Dimensions:
Width: 15.20cm
, Height: 1.80cm
, Length: 22.90cm
Weight: 0.454kg
ISBN: 9781643131375
ISBN 10: 1643131370
Pages: 320
Publication Date: 14 May 2019
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Not yet available
This item is yet to be released. You can pre-order this item and we will dispatch it to you upon its release.
Reviews
The author's passion for cycling and his scrutiny of every detail of the sport makes this latest work a shining contribution to the genre. For all libraries. Thoughtful, properly researched, and consistently entertaining.--Tim Moore, author of THE CYCLIST WHO WENT OUT IN THE COLD Max Leonard's entertaining book is rich with stories. A lively and engaging book that offers a valuable lesson. A meticulously researched history chock-full of names and race information, featuring mini-profiles of several men who have been last-place finishers in the race and are called lanternes rouges.
A meticulously researched history chock-full of names and race information, featuring mini-profiles of several men who have been last-place finishers in the race and are called lanternes rouges. Max Leonard's entertaining book is rich with stories. A lively and engaging book that offers a valuable lesson. The author's passion for cycling and his scrutiny of every detail of the sport makes this latest work a shining contribution to the genre. For all libraries. Thoughtful, properly researched, and consistently entertaining.--Tim Moore, author of THE CYCLIST WHO WENT OUT IN THE COLD
The author's passion for cycling and his scrutiny of every detail of the sport makes this latest work a shining contribution to the genre. For all libraries. A meticulously researched history chock-full of names and race information, featuring mini-profiles of several men who have been last-place finishers in the race and are called lanternes rouges. Thoughtful, properly researched, and consistently entertaining.--Tim Moore, author of THE CYCLIST WHO WENT OUT IN THE COLD Max Leonard's entertaining book is rich with stories. A lively and engaging book that offers a valuable lesson.
Author Information
Max Leonard is the author of Lanterne Rouge and amateur cyclist. He has written for Esquire, Monocle, Rouler, Daily Telegraph, Rapha and more. He lives in London.
