The Works
La Vie Velominatus. It is the life we, as Velominati, lead. It is life as a disciple of cycling, of the greater meaning the bike holds and the lessons it teaches us. Along the path, one of our great duties is the wholesale consumption of the great Works related to our sport. From periodicals to books to films, herin lies the list of works considered to be necessary reading and viewing for any Velominatus who wishes to further understand our craft.
All works in this list have been read or viewed by The Keepers or have been recommended by one of our community members; if it is included herein, you can be certain that The Work speaks to the greater meaning of La Vie Velominatus that we pursue. Please feel free to add your own recommendations and we will make sure to update the list as we become aware of more great Works.
The Texts
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Rouleur (Periodical)
While pricey by periodical standards, Rouleur is also immaculately curated and written; the entire Rouleur project is founded on everything that makes a velominatus what we are. From guest articles by the likes of Robert Millar, to interviews with Chris Boardman on the selection of Royce hubs for his Hour Record attempt, to a two-part series on how to properly select and mount your tubular tires.
Rouleur is an absolute must-read for any Velominatus.
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Tomorrow, We Ride
Jean Bobet
Perhaps the single most inspirational work on what it means to love the bicycle, Jean Bobet takes us on a journey of life as a scholar and professional cyclist alongside his famous brother, Louison, who won the Tour de France three times. It is a book about his life as a cyclist and a passion for cycling that goes beyond careers and racing results. In some places historical, in others touching, while in others is downright funny. But mostly, it’s about a love for a cycling life.
Paperback: 179 pages, Publisher: Mousehold Press (September 3, 2008), ISBN-10: 187473951X, ISBN-13: 978-1874739517
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We Were Young and Carefree
Laurent Fignon
The late and honored Professeur writes an amazing memoir of his life as a professional cyclist. Unapologetic and brutally honest, this book takes us through the highest high and lowest lows of a career better remembered for losing the Tour by eight seconds than he is for winning it twice. The pages are lined with unforgettable anecdotes, from racing bikes alongside The Badger and Greg LeMond, to mentoring the great Gianni Bugno, to the befuddlement of the Old Guard as EPO entered the peloton in the early nineties.
Paperback: 304 pages, Publisher: Yellow Jersey Press (July 5, 2010), Language: English, ISBN-10: 0224083198, ISBN-13: 978-0224083195
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Le Metier
Michael Barry
Le Métier (the craft) is something just this side of an addiction. Barry beautifully describes the struggle and agony inherent in professional cycling; he portrays a miserable existence, saved only by the fact that these select few are permitted to make a living doing something they love, even if le métier is a far cry from what drew them to the sport in the first place.
*Synopsis by Steampunk.
Hardcover: 204 pages, Publisher: Rouleur Ltd (April 2010), Language: English, ISBN: TBD
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A Dog in a Hat
Joe Parkin
While it covers the same subject matter as Rough Ride – of a young neo-pro learning the ropes of the peloton, including the dark depths of drug use – A Dog in a Hat is an uplifting tale by a rider clearly in love with the sport and everything that comes with it. With none of the bitterness of the story of Rough Ride, Joe Parkin acquaints us with life as a professional in Belgium with grace, humor, and, above all, honesty.
Paperback: 205 pages, Publisher: VeloPress (September 1, 2008), Language: English, ISBN-10: 1934030260, ISBN-13: 978-1934030264
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The Rider
Tim Krabbe
“To say that the race is the metaphor for life is to miss the point. The race is everything. It obliterates whatever isn’t racing. Life is the metaphor for the race.”
Paperback: 160 pages, Publisher: Bloomsbury USA (June 12, 2003), Language: English, ISBN-10: 1582342903, ISBN-13: 978-1582342900
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Need for the Bike
Paul Fournel
While the cover and the pages within contain various Rule violations, the passion and attention to the little things that make a Velominatus can’t be ignored. The book consists of short passages, each discussing a different, fundamental aspect of cycling. Not about racing, this book is about passion for the sport at a recreational level.
Paperback: 150 pages, Publisher: Bison Books (September 1, 2003), Language: English, ISBN-10: 0803269099, ISBN-13: 978-0803269095
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Slaying the Badger
Richard Moore
The easy-going, trusting, and entitled personality of Greg LeMond clashed with the brash, take-what-you-can, aggressive personality of Bernard Hinault during the 1986 Tour de France, resulting in one of the greatest editions of the race. The race was fought not only on the roads of France, but through a psychological battle that was sparked not just in 1985 as is widely accepted, but the day the two met on the Renault team in the winter of 1980/1981.
Paperback: 304 pages, Publisher: Yellow Jersey Press (May 26, 2011), Language: English, ISBN-10: 9780224082907, ISBN-13: 0224082906
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Paris-Roubaix, A Journey Through Hell
Philippe Bouvet
Simply stunning is this book. If you have a soft spot for L’Enfer du Nord, you must own this. You can almost taste the mud in your teeth and feel the pain in your bones as the riders rattle over the stones. As much a great history of the race as it is visually striking. A tribute fit for the Queen.
Hardcover: 223 pages, Publisher: VeloPress (September 1, 2007), Language: English, ISBN-10: 1934030090, ISBN-13: 978-1934030097
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Intimate Portrait of the Tour De France: Masters and Slaves of the Road
Philippe Brunel
The photos in this book will draw you in, but eventually you’re bound to discover that the pages of this immaculate work are filled with reverent prose that can be read and re-read. The book covers many of the greatest legends of our sport both on and off the bike and contains some of the most recognizable photos of our sport. It appears out of print, but is still available on the second-hand market.
Paperback: 156 pages, Publisher: Buonpane Pubns, Language: English, ISBN-10: 0964983508, ISBN-13: 978-0964983502
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This what happens when you put a real writer in a following car. Robin Magowan is an excellent writer of prose and poetry and he records one Tour de France from the road, not from a press room. This is the Tour of Thevenet and Maertens, it’s the post-Merckx era. I have a copy to loan but owning this would be a wise investment. It’s excellent.
Hardcover: 203 pages, Publisher: Stanley Paul, London, (1979), Velopress 2nd edition (May 1996), Language: English, ISBN-10: 1884737137, ISBN-13: 978-1884737138
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The Death of Marco Pantani
Matt Rendell
Fans of Il Pirata may have a hard time reading this studiously researched and compelling biography of one of the legends of our sport. It paints no pretty pictures and dons no kid gloves as it chronicles Marco’s life in detail. Nor does it serve as a muckraking exposé into the rise and fall of this great athlete. Rendell’s work serves as, what The Independent aptly called, an ambivalent tribute. From his upbringing in Cesenatico, to his first races as a promising youth rider, to his storied 1998 season, to his descent into addiction and self-loathing, Rendell captures the passion, athleticism, and complexities of Pantani’s too-short life. If you’re a fan of Il Pirata who is hesitant to read this book for fear of your Pantani bubble being burst, we challenge you to read it anyway. The Keeper who wrote this review came away with an even deeper appreciation, respect, and compassion for the man in spite of having to read about some of the darkest places a Cyclist can go.
Copyright 2006, 323 pages, Phoenix Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-7538-2203-6
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Rouleur Photography Annuals
There is no more photogenic sport than cycling. A big call, yes, but one that is supported by the consistently stunning examples offered every year by Rouleur Magazine’s Photo Annual. And of course, their fine writers aren’t entirely forgotten, with typically verbose text accompanying each photographer’s contibution.
Publisher: Rouleur Ltd. ISBN: 9780956423306 Hard or Soft cover available.
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The Escape Artist
Matt Seaton
“A beautifully written book which depicts the struggle between a fulfilling home life and a satisfying bike life. Seaton manages to describe the skill, drama, speed and pain of cycle racing as well as giving the book a very personal feel.” *Synopsis by Dexter.
Pages: 192 ISBN 13: 9781841151045 ISBN 10: 1941151041
Publisher: Harper Collins Date: 2/06 2003 Sub-title of Text: Life From The Saddle
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Road Racing Technique and Training
Bernard Hinault and Claude Genzling
Many of us had our first introduction to The Craft through Greg LeMond’s Complete Book of Cycling. But where did LeMan acquire his wisdom? Possibly from The Badger himself. Bernard gives the fundamentals on how to destroy opponents as well as properly adjust the seatpost.
Beautifully translated from French, the Cyclist is frequently referred to as “the organism”. Sadly, there is no chapter on punching out French protesters who dare to block a race course.
*Synopsis by @fignon’s barber.
Paperback: 208 pages, Publisher: Vitesse Press (31 Dec 1994), Language: English, ISBN-10: 0941950131, ISBN-13: 978-0941950138
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The Films
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Road to Roubaix
Masterlink Films
This film holds an important place in every Velominatus’ Roubaix Sunday Ritual, which should include riding over the worst roads in your neighborhood, watching the race, and watching this movie.
This film is not a race video; this film is a tribute to everything that is beautiful and brutal about the Spring Classics. The incredible cinematography is paired to rider interviews so intimate, you simultaneously worship and pity these hard men. An absolute must-see for any rider who loves the classics.
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Stars and Watercarriers/The Impossible Hour
Jørgen Leth
This is a double-feature DVD containing two classics, Stars and Watercarriers and The Impossible Hour. Both narrated by the Dane Jørgen Leth, these films are an entirely unique take on this amazing sport of ours. The scenes of the riders carrying out their work and preparing for races are the stuff that inspire us to enter La Vie Velominatus. Stars and Watercarriers takes us through the Giro d’Italia where Merckx dominates the race, and The Impossible Hour covers Ole Ritter’s attempt to reclaim the Hour held by Merckx.
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La Course en Tete/The Greatest Show on Earth
Joel Santoni
La Course en Tete is perhaps the most iconic cycling film of all time; anyone wishing to better know The Cannibal is obliged to start here. Following him at the height of his career, this film reflects the man training, at the table with his family, and dominating races. No other rider compares to The Prophet, and no other film is a more suitable reflection of his career.
The Greatest Show on Earth shows us why the Giro is better than the Tour, as we follow Merckx through the ’74 edition, which he struggled to win by a mere 12 seconds.
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A Sunday in Hell
Jørgen Leth
Another classic Leth work, this film moves at a pace that dramatically contrasts the chaos of the race itself. A Sunday in Hell documents what it takes to race the hardest of the classics by following the hardest of the hardmen during the golden era of the race: Merckx, de Vlaeminck, and Marten.
Only Leth would include the scenes for the Velominatus such as the one at the neutralized zone where Merckx borrows a rival team’s spanner to adjust his saddle a trifle.
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Breaking Away
Peter Yates
This is easily one of the greatest ‘Hollywood’ films featuring cycling. Even other cyclists who may not have heard of the 1979 Oscar winner for Best Screenplay seem perplexed and unable to grasp the concept of a teen coming-of-age film featuring that rarity of Hollywood filmdom, a *gasp* cyclist.
And that’s all that Breaking Away is. It’s not a cycling film, not a fly-on-the-wall doco like A Sunday In Hell or Hell On Wheels. In fact it’s completely bereft of hell in any form. It’s heaven, sometimes on wheels, sometimes in Mike’s Buick, sometimes in the swimming hole at the old abandoned limestone quarry.
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The Flying Scotsman
Douglas Mackinnon
Graeme Obree holds a hallowed place in cycling, this film puts into sharp relief what kind of personality it takes to turn the entire world of cycling on it’s head and claim one of the most honored and difficult records in our sport.
This film is based on Obree’s autobiography. Unlike most other films made from books; Obree himself was involved in this project and even built a replica of his the bike he had built to carry his inventive aerodynamic position. This tale is tragic and triumphant all at once. It also demonstrates that Scottish is basically it’s own language; American’s will need to pour themselves an ale in order to have any hope of understanding the dialog.
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Overcoming (2005)
Directed by Tomas Gislason
“Unlike the recent HTC-Columbia feature-length advert, Overcoming truly gives the feeling of life in a Pro Team. It’s also the only film (of a genre) where the extras are as good as the movie, and it only serves to make us love Jens even more (if that were possible!).”
*(Synopsis by Jake Scott)
@Buck Rogers
Good location for it in the off season…I will switch forthwith!
I may have missed mention of it, but otherwise Tim Hilton’s One More Kilometre and We’re in the Showers is a must-read. Best cycling book I know. Quirky mix of cycling race history, anecdote, and evocation of what it means to be a ‘racing cyclist’. All in great prose style.
Many of us had our first intro to The Craft through Lemond’s Complete Book of Cycling. But where did LeMan acquire his wisdom? Possibly from The Badger himself. Bernard gives the fundamentals on how to destroy opponents as well as properly adjust the seat post. Beautifully translated from French, the cyclist is frequently referred to as “the organism”. Sadly, there is not a chapter on punching out french protesters who dare to block a race course.
@fignons barber Ciclisti figure out matters on their own — trial and error. They understand their machine and their machine gives them results. LeMond, Hinault, and so on were able to figure out more than most of us.
I just went through most of the thread but didn’t see this one mentioned yet:
http://www.gagedesoto.com/collections/frontpage/products/sweat-of-the-gods
benjo maso’s sweat of the gods, a more sociological approach to the concept of SUFFERING .. It’s not as scientific as it sounds and I really enjoyed this book..
Also, for dutch speakers check out the magazine Soigneur. you can grab some issues in the US at gagedesoto as well, and there is a digital version of issue 1 that you can download for free. Even if you don’t read Dutch, the photography is worth it!
@unversio
Then why the hell are there 93 rules?
How come Charly Wegelius’ Domestique isn’t on the book list? I haven’t read any of the others, (though I’m about to) but Domestique was a great read and I learned all about pro cycling.
@Niloc
I tend to regard this section of the site as like a dusty bookshelf that someone once filled with carefully selected editions, but since they do all their reading on a Kindle or iPad these days it has remained as a little analog preserve.
The Wegelius book is indeed very good and has been discussed elsewhere, probably higher up in this thread. Along with other recent and noteworthy books such as the Sean Kelly and Sean Yates efforts.
The Yates book I think you would like, if you also liked Wegelius. It is in a similar style, much more personal and not simply a list of races and descriptions of tactics. It gives a really good sense of his motivation, of what it was like to be a top domestique as well as a DS and some very candid accounts and views of riders and teams.
@ChrisO
With the realisation that no-one actually reads his articles, @frank probably also reasoned that the majority are unlikely to read books either.
@Niloc
Its a good book, but its not a classic that everyone should read. The list could use some updating, but I’m at a loss to see what really deserves to be on the list that’s not there already. Maybe add Wheelmen but that’s about it. More likely that I’d take some stuff off the list.
@ChrisO
If you’re looking for a comprehensive list of Cycling books, then you can go over to Amazon and do a simple search.
@frank
Really, what’s it called… Amazon? Yes I think I recall someone mentioning that.
Thanks for the tip :-x
@ChrisO
Get thee hence, emoticon!
I’m sure that I am late on this, but I just read that Rene Vietto, to lighten his load, had a toe amputated. Wow!
I’m guessing he went for one of the lil’ guys at the end of the line?
thanks for the texts – have been looking for books (ebook versions particularly welcome) that cover women in cycling? or include them (us) in the discussion/presentation? With many thanks – mc
Most offbeat and interesting Merckx-et-Hinault short documentary [ video ]
Never considered or seen drilled out bars — Merckx awesome!
Just finished “Tomorrow we ride”. What a great book. Beautifully written but from the unusual perspective that it is a memoir of Jeans life as a cyclist and Louison just happens to feature very heavily. So much more refreshing that a standard biography and I had no idea Jean was such an accomplished rider in his own right. The last couple of chapters in particular give a wonderful insight to their relationship. Well worth the read indeed!!
Michael Hutchinson has just released a new book called Faster: The Obsession, Science and Luck Behind the World’s Fastest Cyclists. I love Kindle – someone told me about the book this morning, got home, had it downloaded in minutes.
Only just into it, but he makes some interesting points early on about training and doping – a topic any cycling book these days has to address from the start.
Suggests that until recently top amateurs probably knew more about serious training and aerodynamics than pro teams. After all, why spend time improving 1% when a drug will give you ten times the gain. I’ve seen Sky say the same thing – that the sport missed out 20 years of real coaching advances and had to learn to work with clean riders.
For those who don’t know Hutchinson he has been for 10-15 years one of the UK’s top road time triallists. Set lots of British records, won the TT championship many times but remained essentially a sponsored amateur not a pro. Never quite cracked it to be good enough to have a pro spot just for his TT ability. He writes very well and has long had a column in Cycling Weekly.
BTW, The Hour should absolutely be here.
page 138 of “Racing through the dark” shows a picture of Mr O’Grady stating that even back then he only performance enhanced just the once.
@Barracuda how recent is your copy? I can’t remember seeing that when I read it a couple of years ago…
@Mikael Liddy
Republished 2012.
@fignons barber
Added your synopsis to The Works… cheers.
@Barracuda
i get it now…
In other news, just got my hands on an uncorrected proof copy of Michael Barry’s upcoming autobiography. Can’t say I expect it to be pretty reading at times but I don’t doubt it’ll be interesting.
@Mikael Liddy ” just got my hands on an uncorrected proof copy of Michael Barry’s upcoming autobiography”
Its not what ya know but who, eh. Howd you score that ?
@Barracuda good connections on the special orders desk @ Dymocks
@Mikael Liddy
Excellent.
I couldn’t find the original post of this notice (by Steampunk I think) so, I am posting here.
I attended the world premiere of the film last night – part of the HotDocs Festival. Marinoni and his wife were in attendance as well. I think many of this community will enjoy the documentary so, I hope you get a chance to see it. Although it’s a bit uneven as a film, there is something very cool that I can say, without giving anything away: Marinoni’s attempt to break the hour record (for his age group) is done on the very same frame that he built for one of (someone will correct me as he is likely, the greatest) Canada’s greatest cyclists, Jocelyn Lovell (who had a tragic, career ending truck accident).
Started readin this at the weekend … It’s a pretty good read about the other end of the peleton, those that suffer and rarely get mentionned.
@ChrisO (belatedly) you are absolutely right on these, Chris. Both books would justify inclusion either on grounds of wit or insight. Pleasingly, both feature both.
Not sure where to put this, but this guy’s story deserves a mention.
http://www.veloveritas.co.uk/2014/05/19/garry-clively-part-one/
Watched his come back in the 90’s. Such a classy rider with an interesting story.
Found this on Tumblr, possibly not one of the The Works but it’s a beautiful film anyway. It was made by the subjects grandson for his 80th.
Portrait of my grandfather : 80 and still cycling from Florent Piovesan on Vimeo.
Spraking of tumblr, inrng’s page has alerted me to the release of Alasdair Fotheringham’s book on Ocana, Reckless. It was released on 8 May by Bloomsbury Books.
That’s the first day of holiday reading sorted!
Haven’t been here in a long while, but this reminded me. Enjoy.
http://vimeo.com/99164004
@Chris
@sgt
That is all kinds of awesome. Thanks for popping by to post it!
Just watched the Pantani film. Sad and thought provoking. Wasn’t sure how I would feel about it when I bought the DVD but very glad I did.
Heya are using WordPress for your blog platform? I’m new to the blog world but I’m trying to get started and create my own.
Do you require any coding expertise to make your own blog?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
“Slaying the Badger” airs on ESPN July 22 at 8:00 pm Eastern time
From ESPN’s 30 for 30 Slaying the Badger — favorite quote from Paul Kochli — “Cycling is not just about suffering. No amount of suffering can compensate for your stupidness. You have to do the right thing at the right moment… that is the art of cycling.”
@unversio
That’s about the only thing he said during his interview that made any sense.
@VeloVita Finding Kochli interesting in the fact that he raced against Jacques Anquetil. And played a large part in cycling history — as he did prompt Bernard and Greg to race race harder than most.
@unversio
That is one shitty photoshop job on that poster! Good grief!
Cycling’s greatest rivalry? Coppi-Bartali? Saronni – Moser? Anquetil – Poulidor? Kelly – Vanderarden? Boardman – Obree? Hyperbole . . . .
ESPN film involving an American sticking it to the French. Of course there will be hyperbole.
@wiscot You’ll need to get past this promo image.
@unversio
Oh I certainly thought he was interesting. The whole Sun Tzu ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’ thing in regard to Hinault attacking LeMond made no sense to be whatsoever in this context (at clearly made no sense to the interviewer or Kochli). Nor did having a team where each rider simply races for his own ambitions. Of course, its very possible Kochli explained himself better that the director wanted us the viewers to believe in order to maintain the narrative he wanted.
@VeloVita Agreed. His recollection of events was causing physical WTF on his composure. That concept is simply a demolition derby — whoever can inflict the most damage will be left alone and the attacks will then stop. I am only wanting to dig further into the Kochli chronicles. And learn what can be taken from the WTF method.
@unversio
I know, I know . . . but seriously, is that the best they could do? I remember the battle between Hinault and Lemond only too well being an old fart.
Movie posters, they just ain’t what they used to be . . .
@wiscot
Was this ever even shown in a theatre? (apart from the London screening that Greg, Kathy and Richard Moore attended) If not, why is there even a need for the poster.
@frank
I really enjoyed the Wegelius book. Clearly he was being a bit judicious in naming names and I’m not so naive to have been too shocked at some of his disclosures, but I thought it was very enjoyable and gave a side of things that get overlooked in the books by the mega stars. Stars can’t be stars without guys like Charly and it was good to see some teams recognized this and paid him his due. Charly lasted longer than most in the pro peloton because he realized his strengths and limitations. He also realized that he had to fit in to succeed. In short, he was more intelligent and mature than most other riders.
Spoiler alert, other than his stupid doping, Di Luca went up in my opinion greatly. Cadel kinda the opposite.