Eddy Merckx is revered as cycling's living deity. He gobbled up a record 525 race wins during his fearsome 14-year professional career. This book celebrates this awe-inspiring man through a new collection of previously unpublished photographs, showing his transformation.
A fascinating insight into one of the greatest road cyclists of all time at the pinnacle of his career, featuring previously unpublished reportage photography.
Aimed at cyclists who take their riding seriously, The Road Cycling Performance Manual disseminates the most up-to-date training approaches – based on the latest sports-science thinking and the work of the elite cycling teams – to help riders reach their peak level and improve their overall performance. Written by leading cycling journalist and former Masters Team Pursuit World Champion Nikalas Cook, this authoritative and insightful book provides cyclists with everything they need to know to train and perform at their highest level. Featuring the latest research and practical advice, including the importance of getting the fundamentals of bike set-up, equipment selection and nutrition correct, this expert guide will lead to dramatic improvements to training times and ride performance. Complete with exclusive contributions from leading cyclists and team coaches from the world of cycling, The Road Cycling Performance Manual will provide riders with the competitive advantage to ensure they move up the race field.
Born of tumult in 1909, the Giro d'Italia helped unite a nation. Since then, it has reflected it's home country—the Giro's capricious and unpredictable nature matches the passions and extremes of Italy itself.A desperately hard race through a beautiful country, the Giro has bred characters and stories that dramatize the shifting culture and society of its home. There was Alfonsina Strada, who cropped her hair and raced against the men in 1924, or Ottavio Bottecchia, expected to challenge for the winner's "Maglia Rosa," the famed pink jersey, in 1928, until he was killed on a training ride—most likely by Mussolini's Black Shirts. And what would a book about the Giro d'Italia be without Fausto Coppi, the metropolitan playboy with amphetamines in his veins, guided by a mystic blind masseur, who seemed to glide up the peaks. But let us not forget his arch rival Gino Bartali—humble, pious and brave. It recently emerged that he smuggled papers for persecuted Jewish Italians. Then there is the Giro's most tragic hero, Marco Pantani, born to climb but fated to lose.Halted only by World Wars, the Giro has been contested for over a century, and The Beautiful Race is a richly written celebration of this legendary race.
"That Belgian, he doesn't even leave you the crumbs, he's a cannibal!" Christian Raymond In cycle racing there have been some amazing feats, stories of comeback and daring, of victory and tragedy, of personal sacrifice and bad luck - and then there is the story of the greatest cyclist that ever lived: Eddy Merckx. This extraordinary Belgian notched up an incredible 525 victories in a career that spanned just over thirteen years. No surprise then, that even his teammates nicknamed him "The Cannibal". Eddy Merckx was from a different time, a time when professional cyclists raced all year round, from the cold early season classics, to the hot summer grand tours. Today professional bike riders specialise in one event, yet Merckx was a true all-rounder, equally at home in the velodromes of Ghent as on the French Alps. He won all of the major bike races and more; the Cannibal was unique. This photographic collection is unique too, because it is the story of Eddy Merckx as seen by a fan. L'album d'Eddy does not show considered portraits or typical finish line celebrations, but intimate and personal images of Merckx. This book depicts races including the Tour de France and the 1971 World Championships in Barcelona, and shows many of the riders of the time such as Raymond Poulidor, Roger Swerts and Herman van Springel. The origin of the album remains a mystery: all we know about its possible owner is the inscription on the inside cover: "Bien sportivement - M. Louis LeCouf" which is signed by Eddy Merckx.
The No-Drop Zone contains all the information necessary for new cyclists to gain the knowledge and skills to take them from buying their first bicycle to starting their first race. Cyclists learn how to handle the bike, perform minor maintenance, select clothing and accessories, join clubs, and find events. The book also covers every aspect of riding in a group, emphasizing such specific skills as how to avoid bumping into other riders when riding in close quarters and fixing a flat quickly enough to rejoin the group. Author Patrick Brady explores the particular pleasures that come from group riding, a unique experience at once social (talking with friends while riding), exciting (descending in a group), and exhilarating (finishing a long hill). Brady also details the enormous fitness benefits of riding in a group. The No-Drop Zone has all the knowledge a cyclist needs to move to that next level of skill.
Embrace and revel in the stories of the toughest cyclists of all time, told by The Velominati, originators of The Rules. Read and get ready to ride . . . In cycling, suffering brings glory: a rider's value can be judged by their results, but also by their panache and heroism. Prepared to be awed and inspired by Chris Froome riding on at the Tour de France with a broken wrist or Geraint Thomas finishing it with a broken pelvis. In The Hardmen the writers behind cycling superblog Velominati.com and The Rules will tell the stories and illuminate the myths of not just the greatest cyclists ever, but the toughest. From Eddy Merckx to Beryl Burton, and from Marianne Vos to Edwig Van Hooydonk, the book will lay bare the secrets of their extraordinary and inspirational endurance in the face of pain, danger and disaster. After all, suffering is one of the joys of being a cyclist. Embrace climbs, relish the descents, and get ready to harden up . . .
A perfect gift book for all cycling fans - the A-Z of cycling from Arrivée to Zoetemelk. Beautifully illustrated by renowned cycling artist Mark Fairhurst, P is for Peloton is packed with fun facts from the amazing to the bizarre, and stories about the greatest riders in the sport. Ever wanted to know the difference between your flamme rouge and your lanterne rouge? This is the book for you - or the cycling obsessive in your life.
Eddy Merckx is to cycling what Muhammad Ali is to boxing or Pele to football: quite simply, the best there has ever been. Throughout his professional career Merckx amassed an astonishing 445 victories. This title presents his story.