Product Description

It was the biggest cycling team ever seen in Britain, supported by one of the world's most famous names. They took on the old school Europeans in their own backyard, pushing a huge wave of support and excitement before them as they shook the foundations of one of the world's most traditional sports. Then, on the brink of greatness, the house of cards folded. Now, for the first time, the full inside story of the Linda McCartney Pro Cycling Team is told. This is the story of how the most famous vegetarian in the world came to sponsor the world's only vegetarian professional sporting team. Hear about how a small-time British outfit grew so quickly they elbowed their way into the Tour of Italy, putting a fair few Roman noses out of joint before returning home with a share of the spoils. Then delve into the mystery of how a team personally funded and endorsed by one of the world's richest men could dissolve into thin air virtually overnight, millions in the red. Take an anecdotal ride from the team's birth in 1998 to its spectacular implosion in 2001.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1079806 in Books
• Published on: 2002-09-30
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 224 pages

About the Author
John Deering was the press officer and assistant manager of the Linda McCartney Cycling Team until it disbanded in 2001. He writes for Procycling and Ride magazines and is a regular contributor to Eurosport's cycling coverage.

Customer Reviews

Decent magazine article - poor book
John Deering has written a light-hearted book describing what was in all likelihood a fairly painful episode in his life, when he worked for a pro cycling team that promised much but actually delivered little of that initial promise.

Unfortunately, the book mirrors the experience of the team and disappointed this reader, a keen cyclist and avid reader of many books on the sport. Why is that?

First, it is not particularly well written. The writing style is casual to the point of lacking any real structure or narrative thread. Many episodes and anecdotes are related without any obvious relevance to the overall story. Occasionally we are told that what is about to be recounted is very funny, rather in the manner of a pub bore telling a joke (which you know will be rather unfunny).

Second, a reader coming to this book without a fairly detailed knowledge of race cycling might well be lost in parts of the story, as no attempt is made to explain what is going on to the lay reader. Draughting, attacking, the structure of the peloton, the different roles of climbers, sprinters and so forth, none of these are made clear, although at times they are important to understanding what is happening. Deering assumes a good knowledge of the sport from the very first page.

Finally, the greatest weakness of all is the story itself: it is an interesting magazine article but does not support a good book. Essentially, a team was formed. Then the composition of the team changed over time, as riders were dropped or hired. The team did well in some races and less well in others. Having all the press releases describing how Max did well to come seventh in the Far East or how Tim was going really well and clinched twelfth place in Italy is not a particularly inspiring read. And then the most interesting part of the story is crammed into the last twenty pages, as the money runs out and team goes bust, having either been mislead or at least given far too optimistic an impression by their own manager.

And that's it: team formed; won a few races, lost some others; team went bust. End of story...

Not just for cyclists
Believe me when I say that anyone will enjoy this book, whether they are a cyclist or not. John manages to convey across the mechanisms behind a pro cycling team, without ever delving too deep into the culture that a non-cyclist would become alienated. The thing that surprised me the most was the humour. Whatever you do don't read this in a public place, I laughed out loud several times, but luckily no-one was around. This I would say is a must buy for anyone who wants a light-hearted read, and at the same time find out how hard working a pro cyclist really is.

Too bad it had to end (the team AND the book)
This is an excellent look behind the scenes of a professional cycling team. Deering, who worked as the Linda McCartney team's press officer, was privy to the internal politics, crises and resolutions that every pro team goes through. Here, he may not necessarily be telling all, but he tells us a lot about what went on with the Vegetarianos.

This book demonstrates how fleeting the life of a cycling team can be. The McCartneys rose out of one man's spontaneous dream, and imploded in an all-too-familiar fashion. Sadly, team implosions are happening a lot in cycling these days, with many good riders scrambling for a place in a well-financed squad.

The McCartneys followed in the footsteps of the ANC team that imploded just as spectacularly in the late-1980s. Here's hoping that Britain's NEXT pro team takes it a step higher than its less-than-stellar predecessors. Thank's, Deering and Yates, for making this book possible.