Max Leonard

Froome, Wiggins, Mercks—we know the winners of the Tour de France, but Lanterne Rouge tells the forgotten, often inspirational and occasionally absurd stories of the last-placed rider. We learn of stage winners and former yellow jerseys who tasted life at the other end of the bunch; the breakaway leader who stopped for a bottle of wine and then took a wrong turn; the doper whose drug cocktail accidentally slowed him down and the rider who was recognized as the most combative despite finishing at the back. Max Leonard flips the Tour de France on its head and examines what these stories tell us about ourselves, the 99% who don't win the trophy, and forces us to re-examine the meaning of success, failure and the very nature of sport.

Lanterne Rouge

zadnji kolesar na Dirki po Franciji

Rdeča laterna

Andrew Edwards

Eight compact volumes provide sightseeing guides to cycling enthusiasts for popular European cities including London, Paris, Copenhagen, Barcelona and more outlining the best bike-friendly spots to visit, with cycle maps and itineraries.

City Cycling Europe

Why do road cyclists go to the mountains? Many books tell you where the mountains are, or how long and how high. None of them ask ‘Why?’ After all, cycling up a mountain is hard – so hard that, to many non-cyclists, it can seem absurd. But, for some, climbing a mountain gracefully (and beating your competitors up the slope) represents the pinnacle of cycling achievement. The mountains are where legends are forged and cycling’s greats make their names. Why are Europe’s mountain ranges professional cycling’s Wembley Stadium or its Colosseum? Why do amateurs also make a pilgrimage to these high, remote roads and what do we see and feel when we do? Why are the roads there in the first place? Higher Calling explores the central place of mountains in the folklore of road cycling. Blending adventure and travel writing with the rich narrative of pro racing, Max Leonard takes the reader from the battles that created the Alpine roads to the shepherds tending their flocks on the peaks, and to a Grand Tour climax on the ‘highest road in Europe’. And he tells stories of courage and sacrifice, war and love, obsession and elephants along the way.

Road Cycling’s Obsession with the Mountains

Higher Calling

Why do road cyclists go to the mountains? After all, cycling up a mountain is hard - so hard that, to many non-cyclists, it can seem absurd. But, for some, climbing a mountain gracefully (and beating your competitors up the slope) represents the pinnacle of cycling achievement. The mountains are where legends are forged and cycling's greats make their names. Many books tell you where the mountains are, or how long and how high. None of them ask 'Why?' Why are Europe's mountain ranges professional cycling's Wembley Stadium or its Colosseum? Why do amateurs also make a pilgrimage to these high, remote roads and what do we see and feel when we do? Why are the roads there in the first place? Higher Calling explores the central place of mountains in the folklore of road cycling. Blending adventure and travel writing with the rich narrative of pro racing, Max Leonard takes the reader from the battles that created the Alpine roads to the shepherds tending their flocks on the peaks, and to a Grand Tour climax on the 'highest road in Europe'. And he tells stories of courage and sacrifice, war and love, obsession and elephants along the way.

Road Cycling and the Mountains

lanterne rouge: French / noun 1. The red lantern that hangs on the rear of a train 2. The competitor who finishes last in the Tour de France If you complete a bike race of over 3,000 kilometres, overcoming mountain ranges and merciless weather conditions while enduring physical and psychological agony, in the slowest time, should you be branded the loser? What if your loss helped a teammate win? What if others lacked the determination to finish? What if you were trying to come last? Froome, Wiggins, Merckx - we know the winners of the Tour de France, but Lanterne Rouge tells the forgotten, often inspirational and occasionally absurd stories of the last-placed rider. We learn of stage winners and former yellow jerseys who tasted life at the other end of the bunch; the breakaway leader who stopped for a bottle of wine and then took a wrong turn; the doper whose drug cocktail accidently slowed him down and the rider who was recognised as the most combative despite finishing at the back. Lanterne Rouge flips the Tour de France on its head and examines what these stories tell us about ourselves, the 99% who don't win the trophy, and forces us to re-examine the meaning of success, failure and the very nature of sport.

The Last Man in the Tour de France

Fixed-gear cycling has today become the coolest form of urban transport, giving rise to a global fixed-gear culture. Fixed is the first book to document fixed-gear cycling. The authors have traveled to cities around the world to examine at first hand the intersections between the fixed-gear bike's design and its racing heritage, and the street style and customization that are at the heart of its current popularity. Interviews with sports-people, frame-builders, and those at the nexus of design, art, and fixed-gear culture give an insight into fixed-wheel design, philosophy, and riding experience. The book will appeal to cyclistsfixed-gear riders, urban riders, racers, and those interested in cycling heritageas well as to a wider design audience.

Global Fixed-Gear Bike Culture

Fixed

Jonathan Pugh

The Random Book of ... Robert features facts, figures, stats, and trivia on legions of record breakers, record losers, actors, singers, sportsmen, historical figures, the famous and infamous, felons, inventors, rulers, heartthrobs, politicians, and scientists called Robert. Which Robert bought London Bridge and shipped it brick by brick to Arizona? Which Robert discovered the Titanic while on a secret nuclear mission for the U.S. Navy? Which Robert implanted boar's tusks into his assistant's mouth as a joke? Which Robert married his childhood sweetheart only after kidnapping her three times, and broke 433 bones during his lifetime? Which Robert was enjoying a hospitality lunch at Lords cricket ground when he was called out of retirement to keep wicket for England?

Max Leonard

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