Ellis Bacon - The Cycling Anthology: Volume One: 1

About the Book

Professional cycling is a rich, dynamic and often controversial sport that lends itself to great writing. Some of the most famous and illustrious races were founded by newspapermen and The Cycling Anthology continues this tradition by bringing together the best in the business.

Volume One features original and exclusive pieces by leading cycling writers. William Fotheringham disects Bradley Wiggins transformation from track superstar to becoming the first Briton to win the Tour de France; David Millar discusses retirement and dark secrets as his friends careers start to fade; Daniel Friebe uncovers the fascinating role statistics has to play in cycling; Jeremy Whittle follows Team Sky to assess the Lance Armstrongs legacy to the sport; and many more.

Between them, theyve covered hundreds of Tours de France and written dozens of excellent books and some have even ridden the Tour. Now, their work is showcased together for the first time.

About the Authors

Lionel Birnie is a journalist, author and publisher who specialises in cycling. He is the freelance cycling correspondent for The Sunday Times and writes for Cycle Sport and Cycling Weekly, two of Britains leading cycling magazines.

Ellis Bacon is one of Britains most experienced cycling journalists. He is the former deputy editor of Procycling magazine, and has written extensively for Cycling Weekly and Cycle Sport.

This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the authors and publishers rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

Version 1.0

Epub ISBN 9781448191659

www.randomhouse.co.uk

Published by Yellow Jersey Press 2014

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Copyright Peloton Publishing 2012

Each author has asserted their right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of their work

First published in Great Britain in 2012 by Peloton Publishing

Yellow Jersey Press
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London SW1V 2SA

www.vintage-books.co.uk

Addresses for companies within The Random House Group Limited can be found at: www.randomhouse.co.uk/offices.htm

The Random House Group Limited Reg. No. 954009

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN 9780224092449

Contents

THE NEUTRALISED ZONE
INTRODUCTION BY THE EDITORS

PROJECT WIGGINS
BY WILLIAM FOTHERINGHAM

IN PRAISE OF THOMAS VOECKLER
BY EDWARD PICKERING

THE NEW WIZARDS OF OZ
BY RUPERT GUINNESS

GONE BIKING
BY DAVID MILLAR

THE COBBLER RETIRES
BY JAMES STARTT

CYCLONOMICS
BY DANIEL FRIEBE

PENDLETON VERSUS MEARES
BY OWEN SLOT

THE GRAND SLAM
BY LIONEL BIRNIE

AS THE TOTO TURNS
BY ANDY SHEN & DAN SCHMALZ

THE ORIGINAL INDIVIDUALIST
BY RICHARD MOORE

THE BEST OF LUCK
BY ELLIS BACON

ANOTHER WORLD?
BY KENNY PRYDE

THE EXILE
BY ALASDAIR FOTHERINGHAM

IL MAGNIFICOS TWILIGHT
BY SAMUEL ABT

BIN BAG OF MY DREAMS
BY JEREMY WHITTLE

THANK YOU FOR buying this first volume in a series of anthologies that we hope will evolve into a long-lasting and well-loved collection of books.

Professional cycling is such a rich, dynamic and, yes, controversial sport that it lends itself perfectly to the written word. Indeed, many of the great races were founded by newspapermen.

We believe passionately in great writing and so we invited some of the best in the business to contribute to this debut collection.

The idea was to present something we hope will appeal to people who enjoy reading. Were delighted with the final result and are confident theres something to suit all tastes.

Wed like to thank all the writers for making the book a reality and our readers for giving it a try.

We hope you enjoy it and that youll look forward to our Tour de France special edition next time.

Ellis Bacon & Lionel Birnie

has followed the development of Bradley Wiggins more closely than most.

The Londoner completed his transformation from track star to Tour de France superstar in the summer of 2012.

So, how did he do it?

HINDSIGHT IS A wonderful thing but one little speech from Rod Ellingworth during the 2010 Tour de France is worth revisiting.

The Sky race coach spoke in the middle of a Tour which was viewed as a disaster for a team with the aspirations of the big-budget British squad.

Ellingworth was thinking long-term, beyond the teams debut Tour where Bradley Wiggins was failing to perform a leaders role on or off the bike, when he told me: In a business, the building period is 18 months from when you start, so that means two Tours. By the third we should be bang-on.

How right he was. By the end of the summer of 2012, Sky had turned into the winningest outfit in the game, with a dominant Tour de France behind them.

Wiggins had been converted from a Tour hopeful with one great ride to his name not even Wiggins himself could work out whether that was a fluke into a model of consistency, with a perfect curve of performance improvement over two years, taking him from third place at Paris-Nice in 2010 to the gold medal in the time trial at the Olympics.

It was a sporting triumph, but it raised some unexpected issues that would take time to resolve. Wigginss athletic ability had been tested, but so too his capacity to answer the questions about doping that come with any Tour victory in the era post-Armstrong, Landis and company.

The ethics of Tour winners are no longer taken for granted; Wiggins came to understand that, and duly responded. As he said after the Tour, he doesnt like having to proclaim his probity in public, but he knows he has no option.

After the publication of the United States Anti-Doping Agencys report into Armstrong, belief in the probity of professional cyclists is in short supply. I firmly believe Wiggins won the Tour clean. I base that on knowing the man for 10 years, having seen more of him one to one than I have most other cyclists, having discussed doping with him on many occasions, having a good chance to mull over his body language and his answers, and being in a position to contrast how he talks and acts compared to the dopers I have seen, interviewed and listened to over many years: Armstrong, Vinokourov, Landis, Hamilton, Riis, Pantani, Millar.

Post-Tour, the questions continued concerning members of the Team Sky entourage linked to the Armstrong scandal unveiled by USADA. Even if the individuals concerned Sean Yates and Michael Rogers were not directly accused of doping within the report, it was clear from sources within Sky that a response of some kind was in the pipeline after Dave Brailsfords policy of zero tolerance towards those caught up in doping scandals had been proven to have its limits.

The chances were that would involve, at the least, a beefing-up of the policy, and changes in personnel. But that is in the longer-term. The eventual fall-out for Sky remains an open book.