Cycling's 50 Triumphs and Tragedies
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The Comeback
- Greg LeMond, the True King of American Cycling, and a Legendary Tour de France
- By: Daniel de Vise
- Narrated by: Pete Cross
- Length: 12 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 179
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 166
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Story5 out of 5 stars 167
Greg LeMond stunned the sporting world by becoming the first American to win the Tour de France in 1986, defeating French cycling legend Bernard Hinault. Nine months later, LeMond lay in a hospital bed, his career as a bicycle racer seemingly over. And yet, barely two years after this crisis, LeMond mounted a comeback. In 1989, he once again won the Tour - by a narrow margin of eight seconds. It remains the closest Tour de France in history. The Comeback chronicles the life of this great American athlete, from his roots in Nevada and California to the heights of global fame.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Best book you will read on on the recent 50 years of tours.
- By Bert Erland on 07-04-18
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Descent
- My Epic Fall from Cycling Superstardom to Doping Dead End
- By: Thomas Dekker, Thijs Zonneveld
- Narrated by: Liam Gerrard
- Length: 5 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 43
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 36
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 37
At age 20, Thomas Dekker was already earning €100,000 a year - as an amateur bike racer. The next year, he turned pro and his salary quadrupled then rose again to €900,000 as he established his position as a super-domestique among Europe's wealthiest superteams. The sport world marveled at Dekker's rise as the young racer set his ambitions on capturing cycling's biggest prizes for himself. Before long, though, Dekker found himself corrupted by money, dazzled by fame, and cracking under the relentless pressure to perform at a superhuman level.
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5 out of 5 stars
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It feels honest, great story
- By Pepperl on 08-22-19
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The Secret Race
- Inside the Hidden World of the Tour de France: Doping, Cover-ups, and Winning at All Costs
- By: Tyler Hamilton, Daniel Coyle
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 11 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,323
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,176
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,178
Here is an explosive book that takes us, for the first time, deep inside a shadowy, fascinating, and surreal world of unscrupulous doctors, anything-goes team directors, and athletes so relentlessly driven to succeed that they would do anything—and take any risk, physical, mental, or moral—to gain the edge they needed to win. The Secret Race is a riveting, courageous act of witness from a man who is as determined to reveal the hard truth about his sport as he once was to win the Tour de France.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Gripping and fascinating
- By Alan on 09-09-12
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Magic Spanner
- The World of Cycling According to Carlton Kirby
- By: Carlton Kirby, Robbie Broughton
- Narrated by: Carlton Kirby
- Length: 6 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 14
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 14
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 14
With a candid authority that comes from over 25 years commentating on the world's biggest cycling races, legendary Eurosport commentator Carlton Kirby isn't afraid to tell it like it really is. Witty, outrageous and often outspoken, Magic Spanner is an insider's view of life on cycling's Grand Tours, including the Tour de France, Giro D'Italia, Vuelta a España and the classics, all delivered in the inimitable style for which Carlton has become globally famous.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Outstanding!!
- By Mark Salling on 07-06-20
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Pro Cycling on $10 a Day
- From Fat Kid to Euro Pro
- By: Phil Gaimon
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 8 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 327
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 301
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 299
Plump, grumpy, slumped on the couch, and going nowhere fast at age 16, Phil Gaimon began riding a bicycle with the grand ambition of shedding a few pounds before going off to college. He soon fell into racing and discovered he was a natural, riding his way into a pro contract after just one season despite utter ignorance of a century of cycling etiquette. Now, in his book Pro Cycling on $10 a Day, Phil brings the full powers of his wit to tell his story.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Greatest Cycling Book!
- By cyclephreak on 03-08-17
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The Art of Cycling
- By: Cadel Evans
- Narrated by: Alan King
- Length: 15 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 98
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 88
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 89
The autobiography of a cycling legend that will become a much-loved classic. The much-anticipated autobiography of the greatest Australian cyclist of all time. Famous in the sport for his meticulous preparation and an athlete who prided himself on his ability to leave it all on the road, Evans writes about the triumphs, the frustrations, the training, the preparation, the psychology of the sport, his contemporaries, the legends and his enduring love of cycling. A riveting and forensic account of his life on the bike....
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5 out of 5 stars
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Good story
- By Jeremiah on 06-25-19
-
The Comeback
- Greg LeMond, the True King of American Cycling, and a Legendary Tour de France
- By: Daniel de Vise
- Narrated by: Pete Cross
- Length: 12 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 179
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 166
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 167
Greg LeMond stunned the sporting world by becoming the first American to win the Tour de France in 1986, defeating French cycling legend Bernard Hinault. Nine months later, LeMond lay in a hospital bed, his career as a bicycle racer seemingly over. And yet, barely two years after this crisis, LeMond mounted a comeback. In 1989, he once again won the Tour - by a narrow margin of eight seconds. It remains the closest Tour de France in history. The Comeback chronicles the life of this great American athlete, from his roots in Nevada and California to the heights of global fame.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Best book you will read on on the recent 50 years of tours.
- By Bert Erland on 07-04-18
-
Descent
- My Epic Fall from Cycling Superstardom to Doping Dead End
- By: Thomas Dekker, Thijs Zonneveld
- Narrated by: Liam Gerrard
- Length: 5 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 43
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 36
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 37
At age 20, Thomas Dekker was already earning €100,000 a year - as an amateur bike racer. The next year, he turned pro and his salary quadrupled then rose again to €900,000 as he established his position as a super-domestique among Europe's wealthiest superteams. The sport world marveled at Dekker's rise as the young racer set his ambitions on capturing cycling's biggest prizes for himself. Before long, though, Dekker found himself corrupted by money, dazzled by fame, and cracking under the relentless pressure to perform at a superhuman level.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
It feels honest, great story
- By Pepperl on 08-22-19
-
The Secret Race
- Inside the Hidden World of the Tour de France: Doping, Cover-ups, and Winning at All Costs
- By: Tyler Hamilton, Daniel Coyle
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 11 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,323
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,176
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,178
Here is an explosive book that takes us, for the first time, deep inside a shadowy, fascinating, and surreal world of unscrupulous doctors, anything-goes team directors, and athletes so relentlessly driven to succeed that they would do anything—and take any risk, physical, mental, or moral—to gain the edge they needed to win. The Secret Race is a riveting, courageous act of witness from a man who is as determined to reveal the hard truth about his sport as he once was to win the Tour de France.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Gripping and fascinating
- By Alan on 09-09-12
-
Magic Spanner
- The World of Cycling According to Carlton Kirby
- By: Carlton Kirby, Robbie Broughton
- Narrated by: Carlton Kirby
- Length: 6 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 14
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 14
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 14
With a candid authority that comes from over 25 years commentating on the world's biggest cycling races, legendary Eurosport commentator Carlton Kirby isn't afraid to tell it like it really is. Witty, outrageous and often outspoken, Magic Spanner is an insider's view of life on cycling's Grand Tours, including the Tour de France, Giro D'Italia, Vuelta a España and the classics, all delivered in the inimitable style for which Carlton has become globally famous.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Outstanding!!
- By Mark Salling on 07-06-20
-
Pro Cycling on $10 a Day
- From Fat Kid to Euro Pro
- By: Phil Gaimon
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 8 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 327
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 301
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 299
Plump, grumpy, slumped on the couch, and going nowhere fast at age 16, Phil Gaimon began riding a bicycle with the grand ambition of shedding a few pounds before going off to college. He soon fell into racing and discovered he was a natural, riding his way into a pro contract after just one season despite utter ignorance of a century of cycling etiquette. Now, in his book Pro Cycling on $10 a Day, Phil brings the full powers of his wit to tell his story.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Greatest Cycling Book!
- By cyclephreak on 03-08-17
-
The Art of Cycling
- By: Cadel Evans
- Narrated by: Alan King
- Length: 15 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 98
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 88
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 89
The autobiography of a cycling legend that will become a much-loved classic. The much-anticipated autobiography of the greatest Australian cyclist of all time. Famous in the sport for his meticulous preparation and an athlete who prided himself on his ability to leave it all on the road, Evans writes about the triumphs, the frustrations, the training, the preparation, the psychology of the sport, his contemporaries, the legends and his enduring love of cycling. A riveting and forensic account of his life on the bike....
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Good story
- By Jeremiah on 06-25-19
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Fast After 50
- How to Race Strong for the Rest of Your Life
- By: Joe Friel
- Narrated by: Douglas James
- Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 27
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 23
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 23
Fast After 50 is for every endurance athlete who wants to stay fast for years to come. For runners, cyclists, triathletes, swimmers, and cross-country skiers, getting older doesn't have to mean getting slower. Drawing from the most current research on aging and sports performance, Joe Friel - America's leading endurance sports coach - shows how athletes can race strong and stay healthy well past age 50.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Complex, but done well
- By Joseph on 07-03-19
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Draft Animals
- Living the Pro Cycling Dream (Once in a While)
- By: Phil Gaimon
- Narrated by: Phil Gaimon
- Length: 7 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 592
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 541
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 545
Like countless other kids, Phil Gaimon grew up dreaming of being a professional athlete. But unlike countless other kids, he actually pulled it off. After years of amateur races, hard training, living out of a suitcase, and never taking "no" for an answer, he finally achieved his goal and signed a contract to race professionally on one of the best teams in the world. Now, Gaimon pulls back the curtain on the WorldTour, cycling's highest level.
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5 out of 5 stars
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I’m a fan!
- By Terry on 12-04-17
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One-Way Ticket
- Nine Lives on Two Wheels
- By: Jonathan Vaughters, Jeremy Whittle - contributor
- Narrated by: Jonathan Vaughters
- Length: 10 hrs
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 69
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 66
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Story5 out of 5 stars 66
Jonathan Vaughters' story is the story of modern cycling. From his early years as a keen cyclist in his hometown in Colorado to his unflinching rite of passage as a professional rider with US Postal to his elevation as one of cycling's most resilient, ethical, and intelligent team bosses, the highs and lows of his career have mirrored those of the sport itself.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Interesting Story
- By Josh on 01-06-20
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Shut Up, Legs!
- My Wild Ride on and off the Bike
- By: Jens Voigt, James Startt
- Narrated by: Shaun Grindell
- Length: 6 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 228
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 208
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 209
Beloved German cyclist Jens Voigt isn't a superstar in the traditional sense of the word. Although he won three stages of the Tour de France - and wore the yellow jersey twice - Voigt never claimed an overall victory. He became a star because he embodies qualities that go beyond winning and losing: sacrifice, selflessness, reliability, and devotion. European and American crowds were drawn to his aggressive riding style, outgoing nature, and refreshing realness.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Unlike Jensie, the performance lacks
- By Brian Muncy on 03-12-19
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My World
- By: Peter Sagan
- Narrated by: Sy Thomas
- Length: 5 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 118
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 107
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 106
Peter Sagan, at just 28 years of age, is already one of cycling's greatest riders of all time. With four Tour de France points jersey victories, three road-race world championships, the 2018 Paris-Roubaix, and multiple spring classics among Sagan's palmares, the world of cycling agrees that this intense, yet fun-loving rider is among the most dominant and fun-to-watch riders of his generation. In My World, for the very first time, bike racing fans will have the opportunity to glimpse behind the scenes of Sagan's cycling life.
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3 out of 5 stars
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The epilogue was awesome
- By BaldBrendan on 03-13-19
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Three Weeks, Eight Seconds
- Greg Lemond, Laurent Fignon, and the Epic Tour de France of 1989
- By: Nige Tassell
- Narrated by: Shaun Grindell
- Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 4
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 4
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Story4 out of 5 stars 4
For a race as long as the mighty Tour (three weeks of testing the limits of human endurance), to have the ultimate victory decided by a margin of just eight seconds almost boggles the mind. But that's exactly what happened between American legend Greg LeMond and Laurent Fignon. After more than 2,000 miles in the saddle, it remains the smallest margin of victory in the Tour's 100-plus-year history.
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The Tour According to G
- My Journey to the Yellow Jersey
- By: Geraint Thomas
- Narrated by: Dafydd Pritchard
- Length: 6 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 61
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 53
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 53
For years Geraint Thomas appeared blessed with extraordinary talent but jinxed at the greatest bike race in the world: twice an Olympic gold medallist on the track, Commonwealth champion, yet at the Tour de France a victim of crashes, bad luck and his willingness to sacrifice himself for his teammates. In the summer of 2018, that curse was blown away in spectacular fashion - from the cobbles of the north and the iconic mountain climbs of the Alps to the brutal slopes of the Pyrenees and, finally, the Champs-Elysees in Paris.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Not a fan of GT but really enjoyed the book
- By B6 on 01-27-19
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The Climb
- The Autobiography
- By: Chris Froome
- Narrated by: Patrick Doherty
- Length: 14 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 455
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 419
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 419
Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of the revealing, inspirational memoir from the British winner of the Tour de France. The Climb tells the extraordinary story of Chris Froome's journey from a young boy in Kenya, riding through townships and past wild animals, and with few opportunities for an aspiring cyclist, to his unforgettable yellow jersey victory in the 2013 Tour de France.
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5 out of 5 stars
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excellent
- By Amazon Customer on 02-23-17
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Wheelmen
- Lance Armstrong, the Tour de France, and the Greatest Sports Conspiracy Ever
- By: Reed Albergotti, Vanessa O'Connell
- Narrated by: Santino Fontana
- Length: 12 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 771
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 698
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 694
The first in-depth look at Lance Armstrong's doping scandal, the phenomenal business success built on the back of fraud, and the greatest conspiracy in the history of sports. Lance Armstrong won a record-smashing seven Tours de France after staring down cancer, and in the process became an international symbol of resilience and courage. In a sport constantly dogged by blood-doping scandals, he seemed above the fray. Then, in January 2013, the legend imploded. He admitted doping during the Tours and, in an interview with Oprah, described his "mythic, perfect story" as "one big lie."
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4 out of 5 stars
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Detailed and balanced account
- By Gabriel on 11-19-13
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Faster
- The Obsession, Science and Luck Behind the World's Fastest Cyclists
- By: Michael Hutchinson
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 6 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 172
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 153
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 154
For professional cyclists, going faster and winning are, of course, closely related. Yet surprisingly, for many, a desire to go faster is much more important than a desire to win. Someone who wants to go faster will work at the details and take small steps rather than focusing on winning. Winning just happens when you do everything right - it's the doing everything right that's hard. And that's what fascinates and obsesses Michael Hutchinson.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Interesting, enjoyable, and witty
- By Ron on 08-12-16
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The World's Fastest Man
- The Extraordinary Life of Cyclist Major Taylor, America's First Black Sports Hero
- By: Michael Kranish
- Narrated by: David Sadzin
- Length: 11 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 66
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 62
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 62
In the tradition of The Boys in the Boat and Seabiscuit, a fascinating portrait of a groundbreaking but forgotten figure - the remarkable Major Taylor, the black man who broke racial barriers by becoming the world’s fastest and most famous bicyclist at the height of the Jim Crow era.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Important Look at Conquering Racism in a Pyrrhic Way
- By Tomazulob on 06-18-20
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Alone at Dawn
- Medal of Honor Recipient John Chapman and the Untold Story of the World's Deadliest Special Operations Force
- By: Dan Schilling, Lori Longfritz
- Narrated by: Kiff VandenHeuvel, Betsy Foldes Meiman
- Length: 11 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,102
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,852
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Story5 out of 5 stars 2,840
In the predawn hours of March 4, 2002, just below the 10,000-foot peak of a mountain in eastern Afghanistan, a fierce battle raged. Outnumbered by Al Qaeda fighters, Air Force Combat Controller John Chapman and a handful of SEALs struggled to take the summit in a desperate bid to find a lost teammate. Chapman, leading the charge, was gravely wounded in the initial assault. Believing he was dead, his SEAL leader ordered a retreat. Chapman regained consciousness, alone with the enemy closing in on three sides, beginning the most difficult and exceptional fight of his life.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Wasted chance to honor a hero.
- By Scott on 07-11-19
Publisher's Summary
When more than 100 men or women go racing down a road, inches away from each other, in all weather, over all kinds of roads, the opportunity for a brilliant win or a terrible accident is always there.
For more than a century, bicycle racers have sought glory, but have often found only misery. There can be only one winner, and even that triumph can be mixed with terrible loss. Fausto Coppi, coached by a blind man, set the World Hour Record in Milan during the war while the city was being shattered by bombs.
Tom Simpson was world champion in 1965, but by 1967, he was nearly a has-been. Desperate to win the Tour de France, he took an overdose of amphetamines and died by the side of the road of heart failure, probably caused dehydration triggered by the drugs that were to help him win.
Great joy and tragedy so close together.
Join cycling's most accomplished writer, Les Woodland, as he explores the heroic, sometime triumphant side of cycling, all the time reminding us that for every winner in cycling, there has to be a hundred losers. Sometimes their tale is better or sadder than the winner's.
We'll go on a journey around 50 sites of success and sorrow. Some of them, tragically, combined.
What listeners say about Cycling's 50 Triumphs and Tragedies
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- stufie
- 06-07-18
Heard some of these before
Some interesting and entertaining stories. Heard some of them before. Did not like the way it was read. Very American did not suit the stories
1 person found this helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- T
- 02-23-20
10 hours of listening to a Sat Nav
I've got to start listening to the clips before purchasing. I love cycling but this book made a loved sport sound boring. A bunch of boring stories read by a guy that sounds like a Sat Nav. A Sat Nav that does impressions but every impression sounds the same. Even the stories I knew and are interesting were made boring.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 08-17-18
Couldn't handle the narrator. Stories were poor.
Not great stories and the narrator was not to my taste. Not a great book at all.