Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #68024 in Books
• Published on: 2007-06-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

The Times
'a marvellous biography'

London Review of Books
'Weaves together vivid accounts of (Simpson's) races with interviews with those who knew him, and witnessed his final, fatal climb.'

Synopsis
Tom Simpson was an Olympic medallist, world champion and the first Briton to wear the fabled yellow jersey of the Tour de France. He died a tragic early death on the barren moonscape of the Mont Ventoux during the 1967 Tour. Forty years on, hundreds of fans still make the pilgrimage to the windswept memorial which marks the spot where he died. A man of contradictions, Simpson was one of the first cyclists to admit to using banned drugs, and was accused of fixing races, yet the dapper "Major Tom" inspired awe and affection for the obsessive will to win which was ultimately to cost him his life. This new edition of William Fotheringham's classic biography, published to coincide with the fortieth anniversary of Simpson's death, features a preface and final chapter featuring further revelations about Simpson's life and death.

Customer Reviews

Tragic and moving read ...
Having been a fan of cycling since I can remember, the story of the alleged drug taking British cyclist who died in 1967 has always fascinated me. This book was a recommended read by a fellow cycling enthusiast who assured me it was not a book that made assumptions. I am so glad I've read it as the author is fair in every aspect of the history of this amazing man, Tom Simpson. Yes he did take drugs but so did all the other cyclists. It was almost part of the way of competitive life then that one was left with no doubts that in order to complete the Tour it would be impossible to achieve without 'enhancing' drugs. I have visited the memorial stone where Tom died on Ventoux and have seen for myself how fans young and old feel a need to leave something there as a gesture yet the book describes this in such a wonderfully descriptive way that if fans never have the chance to go, the book will be a very good substitute. My admiration goes to William Fotheringham who has covered a delicate subject so well - I only wish and hope that the bad press that has surrounded this great man's death is one day put completely behind so that we can then celebrate what Tom achieved by being Britain's greatest ever cyclist.