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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk
Lance Armstrong's achievement (as vividly detailed in Daniel Coyle's Lance Armstrong: Tour de Force) has been one of the most astonishing in recent sporting history, not least for the reasons detailed in the book's strapline: tough guys, flawed heroes and one man's battle for ultimate supremacy. This is the remarkable story of a man who triumphed over all the odds -- a behind-the-scenes record of the 2004 professional cycling season and the manner in which Armstrong landed his sixth Tour de France victory. What makes the book particularly inspiring is the fact that Armstrong is no superman -- he talks about the many strikes against him (his age, the dissolving of his team and -- most of all -- his triumph over potentially lethal illness (his struggle against cancer is, of course, well-known).
Coyle takes us from the cyclist’s turbulent youth in Texas through his many achievements in the cycling field (notably his near loss in the 2003 tour), and his massive struggles against a series of disasters that would have floored most of us: his difficult divorce and subsequent separation from his children and, finally, the terrifying revelation of his cancer. The section on the various solutions that Armstrong tried (including new age healers and radical Italian sports doctors) makes for particularly fascinating reading: as Armstrong realised that his solutions lay elsewhere, there is a genuinely inspirational note here.
Equally fascinating are the descriptions of his obsessive fans, the mind games he was forced to play (both with his opponents and corporate heavyweights), and, of course, his much-publicised relationship with rock star Sheryl Crow. The climax, his victory in the 2004 Tour de France, rounds out one of the best sport biographies in years. --Barry Forshaw
Review
‘Lance Armstrong is one of those few cyclists whose fame transcends the limits of his sport.’ BBC News
‘His world is not only that of cycling, it is the world of American celebrity: of Super Bowl parties with Elton John, weekends at Kevin Costner's house, lunch with Brad Pitt.’ Observer
Praise for the US edition entitled Armstrong’s War
‘An intimate, insightful, unflinching look at the greatest athlete of our time. Daniel Coyle has given us a hugely entertaining, nuanced portrait of a larger-than-life figure and his turbo-charged world. I couldn't put the book down.’
Jon Krakauer, author of the bestselling Under the Banner of Heaven, Into Thin Air, and Into the Wild
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
32 of 33 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I have read all the Lance Armstrong based books with great fascination but this one tops the lot, it gives an in-depth view of the man himself, what makes him tick, his relationships, the way he ticks, his obsesive training regimes, i couldnt put this book down, if your into your biking then read this book, you wont be dissapointed, its a warts and all story of the complex sport of cycling and the most gruelling race in the world. EXCELLENT!!!
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Very entertainingly written account of Armstrong's preparations for and participation in the 2004 Tour de France. From an American sports writer who also manages to include "the bluffer's guide to cycling" in explaining the subject to his presumably U.S. target audience.
This book covers a huge amount of territory including sketch portraits of a number of other leading cyclists and key U.S. Postal staff but it never feels slow or needlessly drawn out. You come away with the idea that you have gained a very believable behind-the-scenes glimpse of Armstrong's character and the workings of the pro peleton.
This is probably not a book for those who worship the ground that Lance Armstrong walks on ...or maybe it is.
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
When I bought this book I wanted a complement to the two volumes of Armstrong's autobiography. I was looking for a measured appraisal of Armstrong and in many respects this is what I got. Daniel Coyle has sufficient standing as a journalist to have access to Armstrong and his team. He can really write, as the passages describing stages in the 2004 Tour de France were gripping even though I had long since known their outcome. He sheds a lot of interesting light on the effect abandonment by his father may have had on Armstrong which adds to the autobiographies. You also understood a lot more about Armstrong's training methods and his relationship with Jan Ullrich and you can see why of the two great talents it is Armstrong that has consistently maintained the lead. The book is also very interesting on Armstrong's relationship with his trainer, Dr Michele Ferrari. The relationship has been damaging to Armstrong, as Dr Ferrari has made some injudicious remarks about drug taking in sport and ultimately Armstrong is forced to sever his links with him after Ferrari is convicted of a doping offence by an Italian court. However, you can see why Armstrong was prepared to stick with him for so long as Ferrari has a genius sporting mind and is full of highly creative ideas to improve Armstrong's performance still further.
Those are the books strengths. However, I was disappointed by the Coyle's treatment of a book by David Walsh and Pierre Ballster. The Walsh/Ballster book makes new allegations against Armstrong but Coyle does not add anything new. I would have liked more evaluation of these claims rather than reportage.
The book also lapses sometimes into tabloid journalism including some astonishing mean spiritedness. Instead of an analysis of how Armstrong's relationship with Sheryl Crow may have affected his performance as a cyclist instead we find out that Mr and Mrs Coyle have been taking bets on whether the relationship will last until the 2005 Tour. Happily the relationship is still going but I think using someone else's potential heartbreak as a form of entertainment tells us more about the author that the subject of the biography.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Interesting but...
This is a book that is essential for fans of both the man and the sport, and valuable to those with a passing interest for Coyle's detailed but readable explanations of how... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Lucy Cyclopunk
Fantastic book - full of detail and insights
Gripping journey about Lance's attempt to win a 6th tour. Despite already knowing how his attempt ends, Coyle builds on the suspension and it is hard to put the book down. Read more
Published 7 months ago by RB
Pulls no Punches
A very well written and informed piece of writing.
It's not just about Lance either but also his main rivals and with lots of insights into the science and psycholgy of top... Read more
It's not just about Lance either but also his main rivals and with lots of insights into the science and psycholgy of top... Read more
Published on 28 May 2010 by Smart Mart 13
Great for understanding both Armstrong and the sport itself in greater...
Now updated to include a new chapter covering Lance Armstrong's return to the Tour de France in 2009, Daniel Coyle's account of the American's build-up to the 2004 race which saw... Read more
Published on 1 April 2010 by tsl04
Lance Armstrong: Tour De Force
Excellent book - read years ago and thoroughly enjoyed - bought for a friend who is starting to watch cycling - the are now inspired to go and get a bike and start riding -... Read more
Published on 25 Nov 2009 by Sophies Dad
Great read
After reading his two autobiographies it was interesting to get a different view on the guy. Great read with some great insight into how the tour works.
Published on 22 Aug 2009 by Chris Jones
Brilliant writer, brilliant subject
Not just about Lance. Read this book and you will glean what it is like to train, sweat, bleed, shed tears for the Tour de France. Read more
Published on 13 Aug 2009 by Easy Rider
Entertaining!
Very well written & entertaining book. This is a good one to read if you have read Lance's autobiographies and enjoyed them, although that's not absolutely necessary, it's very... Read more
Published on 29 May 2009 by F. Poole
Brilliantly written and entertaining
Brilliantly written insight into the lives and personalities of Armstrong but also many other leading cyclists
Published on 1 Jan 2009 by Barry Greene
The best Armstrong book so far!
As per the title, this is the best Armstrong book so far. Coyle is a very talented writer and I could have easily carried on reading if the book was twice the size. Read more
Published on 9 Aug 2008 by Tricky
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