Title/Author:
“The Secret Race: Inside the Hidden World of the Tour de France” by
Tyler Hamilton and Daniel Coyle
Tags:
Cycling, performance enhancing drugs, memoir
Publish date:
September 5, 2012
Length:
306 pages
Rating:
5 of 5 stars (outstanding)
Review:
The rise and fall of Lance Armstrong was a spectacular story on both
ends. The doping scandal that was rampant
in the sport of cycling ensnared not only Armstrong, but many of his teammates
and competitors. One of those cyclists,
Tyler Hamilton, shares his story about his time in the sport and with Armstrong
(called “Lance” throughout the book, not “Armstrong) in this outstanding
memoir, co-written with Daniel Coyle.
What especially struck me about the book was Hamilton’s attention to
every detail about the doping that goes on in cycling. Not just the substances used, but the nicknames
given, the undercover nature of communication between athletes and doctors, the
methods of taking the drugs and the benefits a cyclists gets during the
races. Whether it was Hamilton’s
description of taking “Edgar” (Erythropoietin), the details of his “BBs” (blood
bags) when getting a transfusion of his own blood, or the conversations between
racers on the trail, this is a book that is a page-turner, no matter what the
reader’s level of interest may be in the sport of cycling.
The stories of how racers would either avoid or outsmart the drug testers
read like spy novels. This level of deceit,
lies and evasion could only be told by someone who lived this type of life and
Hamilton does it well. This is true when
not only talking about his own doping, but also that of Armstrong and other Postal
team members. He at times seemed in awe
of Armstrong (before Lance’s eventual downfall) because he was always able to
find a way to talk his way out of a tough situation.
Hamilton’s story itself is also very interesting, with his own climb from
riding for various smaller teams to getting a spot in the prestigious US Postal
team, the one that Armstrong raced for during his record stretch of Tour de
France wins, wins that have since been stricken from records. Hamilton himself has had the same thing
happen to him with his 2004 Olympic gold medal in doubt because of a positive
drug test. While relieved he was able to
keep his medal when the validity of the second positive test could not be verified,
he eventually came clean on his doping.
If a reader wants to learn about the actual sport, this book is a great
source to do so. Hamilton’s description of
the riders who have to set the pace for the leaders, those who ride in packs or
those who have to keep pace with the lead cyclist so that leader can maintain
the speed he needs to keep the lead, is full of details that make a reader feel
like he or she is on the bike.
This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to know more about the
doping scandals in the sport of cycling or learn about the story of this
Olympic champion whose personal and professional life took many drastic
turns. Be forewarned – once you pick up
the book, you will not want to put it down.
Book Format Read:
E-book (Nook)
Buying
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