-
Cycling's 50 Triumphs and Tragedies
- The Rise and Fall of Bicycle Racing's Champions
- Narrated by: David L. Stanley
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $24.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
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.
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Jan Ullrich
- The Best There Never Was
- By: Daniel Friebe
- Narrated by: Mark Meadows
- Length: 18 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1997, Jan Ullrich announced himself to the world by obliterating his rivals in the first mountain stage of the Tour de France. So awesome was his display that it sent shockwaves throughout the world of cycling and invited headlines such as L’Équipe’s ‘The New Giant’. He went on to become Germany’s first ever Tour winner, storming to victory in that edition by almost 10 minutes, a result that was greeted as an era-defining changing of the guard. Everyone agreed: Jan Ullrich was the future of cycling.
-
-
Wonderful
- By Tyler Landry on 06-09-22
By: Daniel Friebe
-
Relentless
- Secrets of the Sporting Elite
- By: Alistair Brownlee
- Narrated by: Alistair Brownlee
- Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In his quest to define ‘sporting greatness’, double Olympic champion Alistair Brownlee has spent nearly four years interviewing and training with some of the greatest minds in sport to discover what it takes to become—and remain—a champion.
-
-
🏅🏅🏅🏅🏅 What's With The Bad Reviews?!!
- By Rachel on 12-02-21
-
Seabiscuit
- An American Legend
- By: Laura Hillenbrand
- Narrated by: George Newbern
- Length: 13 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Seabiscuit was one of the most electrifying and popular attractions in sports history and the single biggest newsmaker in the world in 1938, receiving more coverage than FDR, Hitler, or Mussolini. But his success was a surprise to the racing establishment, which had written off the crooked-legged racehorse with the sad tail.
-
-
See you in the winner's circle
- By Janice on 06-26-13
-
A Life Too Short
- The Tragedy of Robert Enke
- By: Ronald Reng
- Narrated by: John Telfer
- Length: 13 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Why does an international footballer with the World at his feet decide to take his own life? On November 10, 2009, the German national goalkeeper Robert Enke stepped in front of a passing train. He was 32 years old. Viewed from the outside, Enke had it all. Here was a professional goalkeeper who had played for a string of Europe's top clubs, including Jose Mourinho's Benfica and Louis Van Gaal's Barcelona. Enke was destined to be his country's first choice for years. But beneath the veneer of success lay a darker story.
-
-
Depression is real, this story brings it home.
- By Bob Seavers on 12-13-19
By: Ronald Reng
-
Slaying the Badger
- Greg LeMond, Bernard Hinault, and the Greatest Tour de France
- By: Richard Moore
- Narrated by: Shaun Grindell
- Length: 11 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bernard Hinault is "Le Blaireau", the Badger. Tough as old boots, he is the old warrior of the French peloton, as revered as he is feared for his ferocious attacks. He has won five Tours de France, marking his name into the history books as a member of cycling's most exclusive club. Yet as the 1986 Tour de France ascends into the mountains, a boyish and friendly young American named Greg LeMond threatens the Badger - and France's entire cycling heritage.
-
-
A must read 4 cycling fans. Beware language.
- By James C. King on 12-02-18
By: Richard Moore
-
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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Gripping and fascinating
- By Alan on 09-09-12
By: Tyler Hamilton, and others
-
Jan Ullrich
- The Best There Never Was
- By: Daniel Friebe
- Narrated by: Mark Meadows
- Length: 18 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1997, Jan Ullrich announced himself to the world by obliterating his rivals in the first mountain stage of the Tour de France. So awesome was his display that it sent shockwaves throughout the world of cycling and invited headlines such as L’Équipe’s ‘The New Giant’. He went on to become Germany’s first ever Tour winner, storming to victory in that edition by almost 10 minutes, a result that was greeted as an era-defining changing of the guard. Everyone agreed: Jan Ullrich was the future of cycling.
-
-
Wonderful
- By Tyler Landry on 06-09-22
By: Daniel Friebe
-
Relentless
- Secrets of the Sporting Elite
- By: Alistair Brownlee
- Narrated by: Alistair Brownlee
- Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In his quest to define ‘sporting greatness’, double Olympic champion Alistair Brownlee has spent nearly four years interviewing and training with some of the greatest minds in sport to discover what it takes to become—and remain—a champion.
-
-
🏅🏅🏅🏅🏅 What's With The Bad Reviews?!!
- By Rachel on 12-02-21
-
Seabiscuit
- An American Legend
- By: Laura Hillenbrand
- Narrated by: George Newbern
- Length: 13 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Seabiscuit was one of the most electrifying and popular attractions in sports history and the single biggest newsmaker in the world in 1938, receiving more coverage than FDR, Hitler, or Mussolini. But his success was a surprise to the racing establishment, which had written off the crooked-legged racehorse with the sad tail.
-
-
See you in the winner's circle
- By Janice on 06-26-13
-
A Life Too Short
- The Tragedy of Robert Enke
- By: Ronald Reng
- Narrated by: John Telfer
- Length: 13 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Why does an international footballer with the World at his feet decide to take his own life? On November 10, 2009, the German national goalkeeper Robert Enke stepped in front of a passing train. He was 32 years old. Viewed from the outside, Enke had it all. Here was a professional goalkeeper who had played for a string of Europe's top clubs, including Jose Mourinho's Benfica and Louis Van Gaal's Barcelona. Enke was destined to be his country's first choice for years. But beneath the veneer of success lay a darker story.
-
-
Depression is real, this story brings it home.
- By Bob Seavers on 12-13-19
By: Ronald Reng
-
Slaying the Badger
- Greg LeMond, Bernard Hinault, and the Greatest Tour de France
- By: Richard Moore
- Narrated by: Shaun Grindell
- Length: 11 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bernard Hinault is "Le Blaireau", the Badger. Tough as old boots, he is the old warrior of the French peloton, as revered as he is feared for his ferocious attacks. He has won five Tours de France, marking his name into the history books as a member of cycling's most exclusive club. Yet as the 1986 Tour de France ascends into the mountains, a boyish and friendly young American named Greg LeMond threatens the Badger - and France's entire cycling heritage.
-
-
A must read 4 cycling fans. Beware language.
- By James C. King on 12-02-18
By: Richard Moore
-
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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Gripping and fascinating
- By Alan on 09-09-12
By: Tyler Hamilton, and others
-
Go Like Hell
- Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans
- By: A. J. Baime
- Narrated by: Jones Allen
- Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
By the early 1960s, Ford Motor Company, built to bring automobile transportation to the masses, was falling behind. Baby boomers were taking to the roads in droves, looking for speed not safety, style not comfort, and Ford didn’t offer what these young drivers wanted. Meanwhile, Enzo Ferrari lorded over the European racing scene, crafting beautiful, fast sports cars that epitomized style.
-
-
Goldern age of racing
- By Dan R. on 01-26-15
By: A. J. Baime
-
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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
I’m a fan!
- By Terry on 12-04-17
By: Phil Gaimon
-
The Dirtiest Race in History
- Ben Johnson, Carl Lewis and the 1988 Olympic 100M Final
- By: Richard Moore
- Narrated by: Traber Burns
- Length: 10 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The 1988 Seoul Olympics played host to what has been described by some as the dirtiest race of all time, by others as the greatest. The final of the men's 100 metres at those Olympics is certainly the most infamous in the history of athletics, and more indelibly etched into the consciousness of the sport, the Olympics, and a global audience of millions, than any other athletics event before or since.
-
-
Great story
- By sosnows8 on 07-08-20
By: Richard Moore
-
The Incomplete Book of Running
- By: Peter Sagal
- Narrated by: Peter Sagal
- Length: 5 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At the verge of turning 40, Peter Sagal - brainiac Harvard grad, short, bald Jew with a disposition toward heft, and a sedentary star of public radio - started running seriously. And much to his own surprise, he kept going, faster and further, running 14 marathons and logging tens of thousands of miles on roads, sidewalks, paths, and trails all over the US and the world, including the 2013 Boston Marathon, where he crossed the finish line moments before the bombings.
-
-
Absolutely excellent.
- By Ricky on 02-22-19
By: Peter Sagal
-
A Life Without Limits
- A World Champion's Journey
- By: Chrissie Wellington, Lance Armstrong - foreward
- Narrated by: Polly Lee, Chrissie Wellington
- Length: 9 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 2007, Chrissie Wellington shocked the triathlon world by winning the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. As a newcomer to the sport and a complete unknown to the press, Chrissie's win shook up the sport. A LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS is the story of her rise to the top, a journey that has taken her around the world, from a childhood in England, to the mountains of Nepal, to the oceans of New Zealand, and the trails of Argentina, and first across the finish line.
-
-
Chrissie winning, on repeat
- By Mona on 03-13-13
By: Chrissie Wellington, and others
-
The Man Who Would Stop at Nothing
- Long-Distance Motorcycling's Endless Road
- By: Melissa Holbrook Pierson
- Narrated by: Julie Roundtree
- Length: 6 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Long-distance motorcycling is not a pastime but an obsession. In this candid, eloquent, sharply observed book, Melissa Holbrook Pierson introduces us to this strange endeavor and the men and women who live to ride impossibly long distances, eating up road, almost without cease. And who find it nothing but fun.
-
-
Well Written, Poor Narration
- By Joshua Smith on 11-30-16
-
The Perfect Mile
- Three Athletes. One Goal. And Less Than Four Minutes to Achieve It
- By: Neal Bascomb
- Narrated by: Nelson Runger
- Length: 14 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the tradition of Seabiscuit, critically acclaimed author Neal Bascomb reaches back to the golden age of sport and crafts an utterly captivating narrative of what may be the most remarkable athletic feat of all time.
-
-
nailbiting, on the edge of your seat
- By Todd on 08-10-04
By: Neal Bascomb
-
Iron War
- Dave Scott, Mark Allen, and the Greatest Race Ever Run
- By: Matt Fitzgerald
- Narrated by: Seth Michael Donsky
- Length: 13 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The 1989 Ironman World Championship was the greatest race ever in endurance sports. In a spectacular duel that became known as the Iron War, the world's two strongest athletes raced side by side at world-record pace for a grueling 139 miles. Driven by one of the fiercest rivalries in triathlon, Dave Scott and Mark Allen raced shoulder to shoulder through Ironman’s 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike race, and 26.2-mile marathon. After 8 punishing hours, both men would demolish the previous record - and cross the finish line a mere 58 seconds apart.
-
-
Fine Story....But the Narration!!!!
- By Gabriel on 01-15-14
By: Matt Fitzgerald
-
Catching the Sky
- By: Colten Moore, Keith O'Brien
- Narrated by: Kirby Heyborne
- Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dust and prairie were abundant on the Texas Panhandle, the land that gave birth to generations of Moores. But instead of working the land or the cattle that fed upon it, the Moore brothers, Colton and Caleb, heeded another call. Their dreams, paired with hard work and family sacrifice, eventually became reality. The Moore brothers, with their boundary-exploding athleticism, innovation, and appetite for risk, became stars on the burgeoning freestyle ATV and snowmobile circuits.
-
-
Pulled at my heartstrings
- By Gloria on 01-25-16
By: Colten Moore, and others
-
The Climb
- The Autobiography
- By: Chris Froome
- Narrated by: Patrick Doherty
- Length: 14 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Lengai
- By michael on 08-21-14
By: Chris Froome
-
Aussie Grit
- My Formula One Journey
- By: Mark Webber
- Narrated by: Nicholas Osmond
- Length: 11 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mark Webber was at the centre of one of the most captivating chapters in the history of Formula One. In 2010, while racing for Red Bull, he and his teammate, Sebastian Vettel, went head to head for the World Championship. There could be only one winner. Since retiring from Formula One, Mark has concentrated on endurance racing, including the legendary Le Mans 24-hour race.
-
-
this story change my perspective of Mark Webber.
- By Neb on 09-01-16
By: Mark Webber
-
Sean Yates: It's All About the Bike
- By: Sean Yates
- Narrated by: Clive Mantle
- Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Before Bradley Wiggins, there was Sean Yates. Behind Bradley Wiggins, there was Sean Yates. One of only five Britons to wear the yellow jersey in the Tour de France, Sean Yates burst onto the cycling scene as the rawest pure talent this country has ever seen. After turning professional at the age of 22, he soon became known as a die-hard domestique, putting his body on the line for his teammates.
-
-
A story of a man in love with his bike.
- By E. J. Fronczek on 05-09-17
By: Sean Yates
Related to this topic
-
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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Good book. Flawed reading.
- By david savage on 07-23-18
By: Daniel de Vise
-
The Limit
- Life and Death on the 1961 Grand Prix Circuit
- By: Michael Cannell
- Narrated by: Fred Stella
- Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Phil Hill, a lowly California mechanic who, defying all expectations, became the first American to win the Grand Prix championship. In the tradition of Seabiscuit and The Right Stuff, Cannell’s high-octane narrative evokes the lives of the daredevils who tempted fate each Sunday by driving well over 150 mph without benefit of seat belts or roll bars.
-
-
Great Intro to F1 History
- By Aser Tolentino on 01-19-13
By: Michael Cannell
-
Road to Valor
- A True Story of World War II Italy, the Nazis, and the Cyclist Who Inspired a Nation
- By: Aili McConnon, Andres McConnon
- Narrated by: Stephen Hoye
- Length: 9 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Based on nearly 10 years of research in Italy, France, and Israel, including interviews with Gino Bartali's family, former teammates, a Holocaust survivor Bartali saved, and many others, Road to Valor is the first book ever written about the Italian cycling legend in English and the only book written in any language to fully explore the scope of Bartali's wartime work. An epic tale of courage, comeback, and redemption, it is the untold story of one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century.
-
-
Hollywood .... look this story !!!
- By Fabiano on 04-03-19
By: Aili McConnon, and others
-
Major Taylor
- The Inspiring Story of a Black Cyclist and the Men Who Helped Him Achieve Worldwide Fame
- By: Conrad Kerber, Terry Kerber
- Narrated by: Barrie Buckner
- Length: 15 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the wake of the Tour de France’s fallen heroes, the story of one of history’s most legendary cyclists provides a much-needed antidote. In 1907 the world’s most popular athlete was not Cy Young or Ty Cobb. Rather, he was a black bicycle racer named "Major” Taylor. In his day, Taylor became a spiritual and athletic idol. He was the fastest man in America and a champion who prevailed over unspeakable cruelty. The men who aided him were among the most colorful to emerge from the era.
-
-
Great book terrible narrator
- By B. P. H. on 10-31-18
By: Conrad Kerber, and others
-
Two Hours
- The Quest to Run the Impossible Marathon
- By: Ed Caesar
- Narrated by: Fajer Al-Kaisi
- Length: 7 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Two hours to cover 26 miles and 385 yards. Its running's Everest, a feat once seen as impossible for the human body. Now we can glimpse the mountaintop. The sub-two-hour marathon requires an exceptional feat of speed, mental strength, and endurance. The pioneer will have to endure more, live braver, plan better, and be luckier than any who has run before. Ed Caesar takes us into the world of elite runners: the greatest marathoners on Earth.
-
-
I liked it!
- By Amazon Customer on 05-07-16
By: Ed Caesar
-
The Perfect Mile
- Three Athletes. One Goal. And Less Than Four Minutes to Achieve It
- By: Neal Bascomb
- Narrated by: Nelson Runger
- Length: 14 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the tradition of Seabiscuit, critically acclaimed author Neal Bascomb reaches back to the golden age of sport and crafts an utterly captivating narrative of what may be the most remarkable athletic feat of all time.
-
-
nailbiting, on the edge of your seat
- By Todd on 08-10-04
By: Neal Bascomb
-
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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Good book. Flawed reading.
- By david savage on 07-23-18
By: Daniel de Vise
-
The Limit
- Life and Death on the 1961 Grand Prix Circuit
- By: Michael Cannell
- Narrated by: Fred Stella
- Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Phil Hill, a lowly California mechanic who, defying all expectations, became the first American to win the Grand Prix championship. In the tradition of Seabiscuit and The Right Stuff, Cannell’s high-octane narrative evokes the lives of the daredevils who tempted fate each Sunday by driving well over 150 mph without benefit of seat belts or roll bars.
-
-
Great Intro to F1 History
- By Aser Tolentino on 01-19-13
By: Michael Cannell
-
Road to Valor
- A True Story of World War II Italy, the Nazis, and the Cyclist Who Inspired a Nation
- By: Aili McConnon, Andres McConnon
- Narrated by: Stephen Hoye
- Length: 9 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Based on nearly 10 years of research in Italy, France, and Israel, including interviews with Gino Bartali's family, former teammates, a Holocaust survivor Bartali saved, and many others, Road to Valor is the first book ever written about the Italian cycling legend in English and the only book written in any language to fully explore the scope of Bartali's wartime work. An epic tale of courage, comeback, and redemption, it is the untold story of one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century.
-
-
Hollywood .... look this story !!!
- By Fabiano on 04-03-19
By: Aili McConnon, and others
-
Major Taylor
- The Inspiring Story of a Black Cyclist and the Men Who Helped Him Achieve Worldwide Fame
- By: Conrad Kerber, Terry Kerber
- Narrated by: Barrie Buckner
- Length: 15 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the wake of the Tour de France’s fallen heroes, the story of one of history’s most legendary cyclists provides a much-needed antidote. In 1907 the world’s most popular athlete was not Cy Young or Ty Cobb. Rather, he was a black bicycle racer named "Major” Taylor. In his day, Taylor became a spiritual and athletic idol. He was the fastest man in America and a champion who prevailed over unspeakable cruelty. The men who aided him were among the most colorful to emerge from the era.
-
-
Great book terrible narrator
- By B. P. H. on 10-31-18
By: Conrad Kerber, and others
-
Two Hours
- The Quest to Run the Impossible Marathon
- By: Ed Caesar
- Narrated by: Fajer Al-Kaisi
- Length: 7 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Two hours to cover 26 miles and 385 yards. Its running's Everest, a feat once seen as impossible for the human body. Now we can glimpse the mountaintop. The sub-two-hour marathon requires an exceptional feat of speed, mental strength, and endurance. The pioneer will have to endure more, live braver, plan better, and be luckier than any who has run before. Ed Caesar takes us into the world of elite runners: the greatest marathoners on Earth.
-
-
I liked it!
- By Amazon Customer on 05-07-16
By: Ed Caesar
-
The Perfect Mile
- Three Athletes. One Goal. And Less Than Four Minutes to Achieve It
- By: Neal Bascomb
- Narrated by: Nelson Runger
- Length: 14 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the tradition of Seabiscuit, critically acclaimed author Neal Bascomb reaches back to the golden age of sport and crafts an utterly captivating narrative of what may be the most remarkable athletic feat of all time.
-
-
nailbiting, on the edge of your seat
- By Todd on 08-10-04
By: Neal Bascomb
-
The Art of Cycling
- By: Cadel Evans
- Narrated by: Alan King
- Length: 15 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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....
-
-
A Favorite For Sure.
- By S. Gray on 04-14-21
By: Cadel Evans
-
Hell on Two Wheels
- By: Amy Snyder
- Narrated by: Sheila Stasack
- Length: 9 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Three-time Ironman finisher Amy Snyder takes the wraps off the best kept secret in the sports world, the Race Across America (RAAM), a bicycle race like no other. Unlike its famous cousin the Tour de France, RAAM is much crazier, more gothic, and even savage: Once the gun goes off the clock doesn't stop, and the first rider to complete the prescribed 3,000-mile route is the victor. In Hell on Two Wheels, Snyder follows a group of athletes before, during, and after the 2009 RAAM.
-
-
A documentary of the toughest bike race
- By James on 12-19-13
By: Amy Snyder
-
Rome 1960
- The Olympics that Changed the World
- By: David Maraniss
- Narrated by: David Maraniss
- Length: 5 hrs and 41 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The athletes competing in the 1960 Rome Olympics included some of the most honored in Olympic history: decathlete Rafer Johnson, sprinter Wilma Rudolph, Ethiopian marathoner Abebe Bikila, and Louisville boxer Cassius Clay, who at 18 seized the world stage for the first time, four years before he became Muhammad Ali.
-
-
Very Good Book
- By Jay on 07-30-08
By: David Maraniss
-
Triumph
- The Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler's Olympics
- By: Jeremy Schaap
- Narrated by: Michael Kramer
- Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1936, against a backdrop of swastikas flying and storm troopers looming, an African-American son of sharecroppers set three world records and won an unprecedented four gold medals, single-handedly crushing Hitler's myth of Aryan supremacy. The story of Jesse Owens at the 1936 Olympics Games is that of a high-profile athlete giving a performance that transcends sports. But it is also the intimate and complex tale of the courage of one remarkable man.
-
-
race headwinds
- By Andy on 04-26-07
By: Jeremy Schaap
-
Go Like Hell
- Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans
- By: A. J. Baime
- Narrated by: Jones Allen
- Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
By the early 1960s, Ford Motor Company, built to bring automobile transportation to the masses, was falling behind. Baby boomers were taking to the roads in droves, looking for speed not safety, style not comfort, and Ford didn’t offer what these young drivers wanted. Meanwhile, Enzo Ferrari lorded over the European racing scene, crafting beautiful, fast sports cars that epitomized style.
-
-
Goldern age of racing
- By Dan R. on 01-26-15
By: A. J. Baime
-
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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Unlike Jensie, the performance lacks
- By Brian Muncy on 03-12-19
By: Jens Voigt, and others
-
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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Gripping and fascinating
- By Alan on 09-09-12
By: Tyler Hamilton, and others
-
A Life Without Limits
- A World Champion's Journey
- By: Chrissie Wellington, Lance Armstrong - foreward
- Narrated by: Polly Lee, Chrissie Wellington
- Length: 9 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 2007, Chrissie Wellington shocked the triathlon world by winning the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. As a newcomer to the sport and a complete unknown to the press, Chrissie's win shook up the sport. A LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS is the story of her rise to the top, a journey that has taken her around the world, from a childhood in England, to the mountains of Nepal, to the oceans of New Zealand, and the trails of Argentina, and first across the finish line.
-
-
Chrissie winning, on repeat
- By Mona on 03-13-13
By: Chrissie Wellington, and others
-
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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Not a fan of GT but really enjoyed the book
- By Richy on 01-27-19
By: Geraint Thomas
-
My Life on the Run
- The Wit, Wisdom, and Insights of a Road Racing Icon
- By: Bart Yasso, Amby Burfoot - foreword
- Narrated by: Steven Roy Grimsley
- Length: 6 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
My Life on the Run chronicles the heatstroke and frostbite, heartache and triumphs he's experienced while competing in more than 1,000 competitive races on all seven continents. With the wit and wisdom of a seasoned insider, Yasso tells runners what they need to know to navigate the logistics of running in an unfamiliar country. He also offers practical guidance, such as 5-K, 10-K, half-marathon, and marathon training schedules, including his innovative technique known as the Yasso 800s for beginner, intermediate, and advanced runners.
-
-
A fair running book, but there's better out there
- By Mark on 05-20-15
By: Bart Yasso, and others
-
Iron War
- Dave Scott, Mark Allen, and the Greatest Race Ever Run
- By: Matt Fitzgerald
- Narrated by: Seth Michael Donsky
- Length: 13 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The 1989 Ironman World Championship was the greatest race ever in endurance sports. In a spectacular duel that became known as the Iron War, the world's two strongest athletes raced side by side at world-record pace for a grueling 139 miles. Driven by one of the fiercest rivalries in triathlon, Dave Scott and Mark Allen raced shoulder to shoulder through Ironman’s 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike race, and 26.2-mile marathon. After 8 punishing hours, both men would demolish the previous record - and cross the finish line a mere 58 seconds apart.
-
-
Fine Story....But the Narration!!!!
- By Gabriel on 01-15-14
By: Matt Fitzgerald
-
The First Tour de France
- Sixty Cyclists and Nineteen Days of Daring on the Road to Paris
- By: Peter Cossins
- Narrated by: Joseph Kloska
- Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From its inception, the 1903 Tour de France was a colorful affair. Full of adventure, mishaps, and audacious attempts at cheating, it was a race to be remembered. Cyclists of the time weren't enthusiastic about participating in this "heroic" race on roads more suited to hooves than wheels, with bikes weighing up to 35 pounds, on a single fixed gear, for three full weeks. Assembling enough riders for the race meant paying unemployed amateurs from the suburbs of Paris, including a butcher, a chimney sweep, and a circus acrobat.
-
-
Great rendition of the tour then and now.
- By Amazon Customer on 03-17-19
By: Peter Cossins