This being the Tour de France season, and with my recent interest in cycling, I was really glad to get hold of the book "Lance Armstrong's War" by Daniel Coyle (courtesy of PK!). Fascinating read, and I completed the book within three days.
The book chronicles Lance's attempt for his sixth Tour de France championship in 2004 (he went on to win his seventh the next year, retired and is now unretired). The author provided insights that we won't get from watching TV or from cycling magazines. I went away both enthralled and amazed at the world of pro cycling and the uniqueness of this tour. It is a completely different world. Here're just a few reasons why.
The Tour (grand daddy of the Grand Tours - the other two being Italy and Spain), riders cover more than 3,500 km over three weeks and tackle mountains (not hills, with vertical climbs of several thousand feet). Each day (stage) is equivalent to running a marathon, energy-wise.
These pro riders risk limbs and lives. At speeds above 40 mph, a crash will likely land many in the hospital. Broken ribs, vertebrae, femurs, collarbones, etc. And occasionally, a life or two. And not only from crashes. The most tragic was perhaps the death of British rider Tom Simpson in 1967 at Mt Ventoux. He died after climbing that monster of a mountain, suspected drug usage. This year's race goes back to Mt Ventoux, the penultimate stage.
Amazing tolerance of pain. Great fighting spirit. Tyler Hamilton completed the 2003 Tour de France with a broken collarbone and won a stage in the process. He also ground several of this teeth down to the nerves in the process. Jan Ullrich exemplified the East German sports training school - tough as nails. He rode best when hurting.
Then there were riders from Kazakhstan, Russia, Spain and Italy who were poor underprivileged boys out to make good, by risking their lives and careers. Six digit pay packages maybe a lot of money, but to risk one's life?
Gamemanship and race strategies. Johan Bruyneel, the Belgian race director for US postal team in 2004 and current race director for Astana (Lance's team) is brilliant. It's uncanny reading about Bruyneel and Lance in 2004 and reading about them now as the tour unfolds.
Then there's the inevitable question of doping. Is Lance clean? Is doping ok? There's a lot of science that goes behind EPO, steriods, amphetamines, etc. The doping issue will always be an issue.
The book makes for compelling reading, and I can feel for the various riders featured, so much so that I had to google to find out what happened to Jan, Tyler, Vino, Fandis, etc. Highly recommended reading for the cycling enthusiast.
These are endurance athletes, no less - dedicated, gifted, disciplined and with unbridled portions of indomitable spirit. I came away with new respect - of the highest level - for these atheletes.
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