Kings of the Road by Robert Dineen
British cycling has had a tumultuous history, from the bizarre ban on road racing in the first half of the 20th Century to the sport's golden era after the Second World War and on to its dramatic decline in the 1960s and beyond. Over the past decade, however, it has undergone a dramatic resurgence in which elite British cyclists have become among the best in the world and millions of Britons have taken up the sport. In Kings of the Road, Robert Dineen charts these developments by meeting neglected heroes from each generation of British cycling. As he becomes immersed in the sport, he also charts his own experiences on the club scene while preparing for the Etape du Tour, the sportive regarded as the ultimate challenge for the amateur cyclist. The result is a unique look at British cycling’s past, its present and where it might be headed.
"Funny, insightful and uplifting, this is a book in two parts: a journey into the heart of cycling but also into the mind of a London-Irishman, whose efforts to gain a greater appreciation of the challenges faced by elite cyclsts involved him joining a local club to prepare to ride l'Etape du Tour.. Dineen's skilful storytelling and self-deprecating nature come to the fore as he battles with the Pyrenees, hypothermia and self-doubt." -- Garry Doyle * the Sunday Times *
"very readable and full of hidden nuggets... If stories from British cycling's rich past float your boat then this is definitely a book for you." -- Brendan Gallagher * TourofBritain.co.uk *
"Dineen brings colour to the stories of long-forgotten or never-heard-ofs who were the stars of British cycling."
-- Owen Slot * the Times *
"Engagingly juxtaposes the writer’s own battles as a cyclist with those of British champions such as Tom Simpson, Beryl Burton and Nicole Cooke" * the Guardian *
"very readable and full of hidden nuggets... If stories from British cycling's rich past float your boat then this is definitely a book for you." -- Brendan Gallagher * TourofBritain.co.uk *
"Dineen brings colour to the stories of long-forgotten or never-heard-ofs who were the stars of British cycling."
-- Owen Slot * the Times *
"Engagingly juxtaposes the writer’s own battles as a cyclist with those of British champions such as Tom Simpson, Beryl Burton and Nicole Cooke" * the Guardian *
ROBERT DINEEN is a sports journalist with the Telegraph Media Group and the author of Reg Harris: The Rise and Fall of Britain's Greatest Cyclist. He lives in East London and this is his second book.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781781313541 |
| ISBN 10 | 1781313547 |
| Title | Kings of the Road |
| Author | Robert Dineen |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Quarto Publishing PLC |
| Year published | 2015-07-02 |
| Number of pages | 288 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |