Product Description

The cyclist Tom Simpson is a legend. The first British world champion, the first Briton to pull on the fabled yellow jersey of the Tour de France - he brought professional cycling to a nation and inspired generations of riders. His autobiography, "Cycling is My Life", was written the year before he died tragically on the barren moonscape of Mont Ventoux during the 1967 Tour aged just twenty-nine. Forty years on, hundreds of fans still make the pilgrimage to the windswept memorial which marks the spot where he died. In an age where each Tour de France seems more blighted by scandal than the next, Simpson's story is as relevant now as it was then. A man of contradictions, Simpson was one of the first cyclists to admit to using banned drugs, yet the dapper 'Major Tom' inspired awe and affection from the British public for the obsessive will to win which was ultimately to cost him his life. First published in 1966, Simpson's autobiography is essential reading for every dedicated cycling fan and an engaging story of the life of an iconic sportsman. From the original reviews: 'The book will be an inspiration to all the thousands of youngsters starting in the sport' - "Daily Express". 'An absorbing story of a man whose life has already thrilled millions' - "Sporting Cyclist".

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #13687 in Books
• Published on: 2009-06-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

About the Author
Tom Simpson, born in 1937, was an English road racing cyclist whose successful career was cut tragically short by his death on the slopes of Mont Ventoux during the 1967 Tour de France. Simpson became the first Briton to wear the yellow jersey as leader of the 1962 Tour de France, finishing sixth overall. Then in 1965 he won the coveted accolade of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award, the only cyclist to have won this award until Chris Hoy in 2008.

Customer Reviews

Major Tom
I first have to qualify the 4 star rating. For those of my ilk who came into cycling through the exploits of Tom Simpson, the book is 5 star necessity, the writing of it more like 3 stars. His life story and death is handled much better in my opinion by Tom's nephew Chris Sidwell and Bill Fotheringham in their respective books.

I started taking an interest in the sport initially because I thought racing bikes a thing of beauty and artistic. I knew of Simpson because he was the BBC Sport Personality of the Year in 1965. About 18 months after the award he was dead. My knowledge about the sport basically started on 14 July 1967 when reading the headlines on my paper round. The thirst became an obsession that led to joining a club and racing. This interest has never left me. I first read this book as a 15 year old in my local library and never thought I would get the chance to read it again.

Simpson's death has been reported upon 'ad nauseam' with a polarity of opinion. Those who discount his results due to drug taking and those who recognise that the drugs was an integral part of the day job. So, if we take his results on face value, then by common consent he was and remains our greatest road cyclist. San Remo, Flanders, Lombardy, World Champion besides other races firmly places him as one of the top riders of his day.

The book itself is the usual sporting biog as told by the man himself and follows a well worn path. Being Simpson there are some funnies in there, but what strikes me is how incredibly poignant it all is. Particularly the section when he refers to his avoidance of National Service when he said he hoped he wouldn't be marched over a parade ground when he was 40. How quickly fate intervened.

He's been dead 42 years now. A young man of 29 years. But there's no more fitting a momument than the memorial to him on Mont Ventoux. A monumental place for someone who took wings like Icarus to fly away and pay the ultimate price.

Not a great book, but a must have for anyone who remembers him from those days. What the book doesn't tell can be seen on film. He had great charisma. Road racing as a sport in the UK has never fully recovered from his death.