Product Description

Famous for his bravery in conquering cancer to become a champion again, cyclist Lance Armstrong rewrote the record books again in 2004 when he won the Tour de France for a sixth time. This book follows his progress, and those of his rivals, throughout a fascinating season of racing.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #192572 in Books
• Published on: 2005-06-06
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 336 pages

Amazon.co.uk
Lance Armstrong's achievement (as vividly detailed in Daniel Coyle's Lance Armstrong: Tour de Force) has been one of the most astonishing in recent sporting history, not least for the reasons detailed in the book's strapline: tough guys, flawed heroes and one man's battle for ultimate supremacy. This is the remarkable story of a man who triumphed over all the odds -- a behind-the-scenes record of the 2004 professional cycling season and the manner in which Armstrong landed his sixth Tour de France victory. What makes the book particularly inspiring is the fact that Armstrong is no superman -- he talks about the many strikes against him (his age, the dissolving of his team and -- most of all -- his triumph over potentially lethal illness (his struggle against cancer is, of course, well-known).

Coyle takes us from the cyclist’s turbulent youth in Texas through his many achievements in the cycling field (notably his near loss in the 2003 tour), and his massive struggles against a series of disasters that would have floored most of us: his difficult divorce and subsequent separation from his children and, finally, the terrifying revelation of his cancer. The section on the various solutions that Armstrong tried (including new age healers and radical Italian sports doctors) makes for particularly fascinating reading: as Armstrong realised that his solutions lay elsewhere, there is a genuinely inspirational note here.

Equally fascinating are the descriptions of his obsessive fans, the mind games he was forced to play (both with his opponents and corporate heavyweights), and, of course, his much-publicised relationship with rock star Sheryl Crow. The climax, his victory in the 2004 Tour de France, rounds out one of the best sport biographies in years. --Barry Forshaw

Sunday Telegraph, 24 July
'perfectly pitched...the narrative tension doesn't let up...substantial and entertaining'

Synopsis
Famous for his bravery in conquering cancer to become a champion again, cyclist Lance Armstrong rewrote the record books again in 2004 when he won the Tour de France for a sixth time. This book follows his progress, and those of his rivals, throughout a fascinating season of racing. The world's most challenging athletic endeavour is also one of the biggest and most popular annual sports events in the world. The 2004 race witnessed Texan Lance Armstrong clinch his sixth Tour de France victory -- something that no other rider has achieved in the event's 100-year history. This book will look into the unprecedented build up to the Tour, focusing on Armstrong's season and on the physical and mental limits of endurance through which he forced himself. Starting off in February when he made his annual move to Girona in Spain where preparation for the Tour becomes all-consuming, all the details of his hyper-masochistic training regime will be unveiled, from sleeping in an altitude tent to the miles of gruelling time in the saddle, often riding through the pain barrier.

We see Armstrong operating at the turbulent centre of a fast-orbiting cast of Belgian tough-guys, controversial Italian sports doctors, New Age healers, attack-dog lawyers, obsessed fans, and jittery corporations (not to mention his girlfriend, the rock star Sheryl Crow). We see the subtle mind games he plays with his U.S. Postal Team, his opponents, and himself. We see him through the eyes of competitors and his close circle of friends, and his powerful relationship with his mother Linda is explored. We see what happens three weeks before the Tour, when Armstrong is faced with a double challenge: a blowout defeat in an important race and the release of a potentially devastating book about his alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs. And finally we'll see it all culminate in the Tour de France, the hardest sports event on the planet, where Armstrong will rise to new and unprecedented levels of domination. Above all, Armstrong's motivational strengths and burning desire to achieve will be the focus of a book that celebrates a unique sporting phenomenon. It promises to be a fascinating inside look at history in the making and the colourful world of pro cycling.

Customer Reviews

The best Armstrong book so far!
As per the title, this is the best Armstrong book so far. Coyle is a very talented writer and I could have easily carried on reading if the book was twice the size.

It's obvious after reading this book that a lot of research has gone into it. (In fact, the author upped his family from their home in Alaska and relocated in Spain just so he could write this book!). There's not a page goes by without the reader learning something new, or something interesting. I found myself wanting to finish it as soon as possible because it was so good, but I was also not wanting it to end.

For those that aren't familiar with cycling terms there's a glossary at the back which explains it all for you.

Just a note about a previous review which mentioned the author's mean spiritedness in betting with his wife as to how long Armstrong & Crow's relationship would last. LA had full access to the writing at every stage and, in the epilogue of this book, the author talks about a meeting he had with LA where he handed over a final draft for his approval. Likewise, I don't think much was made of Walsh's book because of two things, 1) It's a lot of sensational claims with absolutely no evidence to back it up other than 'hearsay', and 2) In Coyle's book LA's thoughts and feeling on the subject are well documented, his anger at such things being written about him and secondly, his decision not to sue.

Anyone who knows of LA's life/history etc will know that he's not shy when it comes to legal action & sueing people etc, but he decided that Walsh's book was just rubbish and why give them the (much needed) publicity anyway? I'm not trying to spoil the other guys review in anyway, it's just what I made those observations from the book.

Anyway, I've read all the books currently available about LA and I'd have to say that this is definitely the best. Well, joint best with "It's not about the Bike," although this one merely touches on LA's battle with cancer where the above mentioned INATB goes into it in depth.

Well worth your money!

wow
i am somewhat going through a period of obsessively reading books about the tour, and about lance. As a result I have read much that is highly repetitive. Tour De Force has been a fantastic find - it is full of facts other books saw no reason to include. I started it 2 days ago and am half way through and desperate to get home to it...

In the frat house with Lance
I'm really not sure what book those other reviewers were reading but this was very disappointing. The author just seemed to be so grateful to be in the presence of Armstrong - gosh, and talk to him! and see his rock star girlfriend! and see his new bike! - that it seemed more the gushing of a frat brother about the cool kid in the house than an insight into a world-class athlete. I don't remember an ounce of criticism - constructive or otherwise - or hard insight into his training methods or what happens when you don't agree with Armstrong (as can be seen by some of the people he has blanked in the past). There were some interesting parts to the book - considering what has happened with Tyler Hamilton since the book was written, that for me was the most interesting bit - but there are better books about cycling out there. Don't get too caught up in Coyle's love fest.