Cycling Is My Life
Cycling Is My Life by Tommy Simpson, published by Penguin Random House on March 7, 2016, is a compelling autobiography that chronicles the life of one of cycling’s most legendary figures. Written the year before his untimely death at the age of twenty-nine, this edition spans 208 pages and offers insights into Simpson’s journey as the first British world champion and the first Briton to wear the yellow jersey in the Tour de France. His story captures the essence of professional cycling in the 20th century, highlighting both his achievements and the challenges he faced.
Readers will find a detailed account of Simpson’s life, exploring his complex character and the contradictions that defined him. The narrative delves into his obsessive drive to win, his admission of using banned substances, and the lasting impact he had on the sport and its fans. As a significant figure in the history of cycling, Simpson’s experiences resonate in today’s context, where the sport continues to grapple with issues of integrity and competition. This autobiography serves as an engaging exploration of a remarkable athlete’s life and the legacy he left behind.
Official synopsis Publisher
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.
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