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Review
'Half the book is made up of Pena's account, filtered through Rendell, of the key stages in Armstrong's tour victory last year. Much of the rest is devoted to Rendell's reflections on the Tour's history and culture, from the sadism of its founder Henri Desgrange to the present, with a Tour that has become less Gallic and more global.' (INDEPENDENT (5.7.04) )
'Rendell elegantly elucidates the tactical technicalities of cycling's unique mixture of cooperation and competition, teamwork and individualism...The beauty of Rendell's brief book is that he has secured the cooperation of a real-life domestique, the Colombian Victor Hugo Pena, who was a key member of Lance Armstrong's US Postal squad on his way to a record-equalling fifth Tour won last year.' (Matt Seaton GUARDIAN (10.7.04) )
'Rendell packs[s] in a great deal of very useful information, while that unforgettable day is recaptured vividly.' (Geoffrey Wheatcroft DAILY MAIL (16.7.04) )
'there is a scholarly quality to A SIGNIFICANT OTHER, a short but powerful book that uses the diary of a domestique in the 2003 Tour de France as the counterpoint to the author's exploration of the true nature of top-class competitive cycling...you won't find a better analysis of the extraordinary collective feat that is a team of cyclists working together at speed.' (Simon O'Hagan INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY (18.7.04) )
'Rendell's explanations of the technicalities of cycling formations combine admirably with the chapters in Pena's voice, when we see these moves put into practice. The result is a rare sports book that actually gives an idea of the experience of being a professional athlete.' (David Horspool TLS (30.7.04) )
'This is an intriguing individual story but also a vivid description of what the author calls the "numb mystery of cycling"...this is a terrific book beautifully written.' (BIRMINGHAM EVENING MAIL (18.10.04) )
'Rendell elegantly elucidates the tactical technicalities of cycling's unique mixture of cooperation and competition, teamwork and individualism...The beauty of Rendell's brief book is that he has secured the cooperation of a real-life domestique, the Colombian Victor Hugo Pena, who was a key member of Lance Armstrong's US Postal squad on his way to a record-equalling fifth Tour won last year.' (Matt Seaton GUARDIAN (10.7.04) )
'Rendell packs[s] in a great deal of very useful information, while that unforgettable day is recaptured vividly.' (Geoffrey Wheatcroft DAILY MAIL (16.7.04) )
'there is a scholarly quality to A SIGNIFICANT OTHER, a short but powerful book that uses the diary of a domestique in the 2003 Tour de France as the counterpoint to the author's exploration of the true nature of top-class competitive cycling...you won't find a better analysis of the extraordinary collective feat that is a team of cyclists working together at speed.' (Simon O'Hagan INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY (18.7.04) )
'Rendell's explanations of the technicalities of cycling formations combine admirably with the chapters in Pena's voice, when we see these moves put into practice. The result is a rare sports book that actually gives an idea of the experience of being a professional athlete.' (David Horspool TLS (30.7.04) )
'This is an intriguing individual story but also a vivid description of what the author calls the "numb mystery of cycling"...this is a terrific book beautifully written.' (BIRMINGHAM EVENING MAIL (18.10.04) )
INDEPENDENT (5.7.04)
'Half the book is made up of Pena's account, filtered through Rendell, of the key stages in Armstrong's tour victory last year. Much of the rest is devoted to Rendell's reflections on the Tour's history and culture, from the sadism of its founder Henri Desgrange to the present, with a Tour that has become less Gallic and more global.'
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I almost did not buy this book because another review told me it was mainly a Tour de France history. But I did buy it and am very pleased I did. The main story revolves around the memories of Victor Hugo Pena and his domestique duties as a USPS rider on stage 15 of the TDF, Bagneres-de-Bigorre to Luz-Ardiden in 2003. Starting with a somewhat compulsory life story of Pena, which again illustrate the qualities needed of a top rate cyclist, the memories of the stage are vivid and illuminating, particularly the interpretation of the race moves and his relationship to Armstrong, his leader. The memories are not revealed in one iterative text but are interspersed with the 'history' part of the Tour penned by the author, Matt Rendell. These are also interesting and fit well with the overall theme of the book, although a couple of times I did wish the text would return to the stage history. However,in no way can the book be termed a 'TDF history'. Think of it as a novel with occasional flashbacks to explain the plot.
Stage 15 was the stage where Armstrong was felled by a plastic bag on the final climb. I have watched the fall many times and know what happened afterwards ... but even so, the recording always has me on the edge of my seat as I somehow expect Armstrong to fail at this point. The written account of the event did the same to me and the account of Armstrong's reaction to his win while in the USPS caravan and away from the cameras is magical.
I can recommend the book to anyone with the remotest interest in cycle racing.
Stage 15 was the stage where Armstrong was felled by a plastic bag on the final climb. I have watched the fall many times and know what happened afterwards ... but even so, the recording always has me on the edge of my seat as I somehow expect Armstrong to fail at this point. The written account of the event did the same to me and the account of Armstrong's reaction to his win while in the USPS caravan and away from the cameras is magical.
I can recommend the book to anyone with the remotest interest in cycle racing.
Format:Paperback
You could divide this book into two parts. The first is about one of Lance Armstrong's domestiques and it must be said that this section is very good indeed.
However, the second is a very boring section in which Matt Rendal appears dead set on convincing the readers of just how clever he actually is. For example, there are about 20 pages on the subject of the different nationalities that have ridden the Tour over the years. These statistics are no doubt very well researched but I found them to be very dull (even though I love the Tour de France).
The back cover of the book sells the first part of the book but does not mention the second. I think the author is using a good story about a great domestique as pony for his boring research to ride on the back of. This is a shame because I have enjoyed Mr. Rendall's journalism in the past.
However, the second is a very boring section in which Matt Rendal appears dead set on convincing the readers of just how clever he actually is. For example, there are about 20 pages on the subject of the different nationalities that have ridden the Tour over the years. These statistics are no doubt very well researched but I found them to be very dull (even though I love the Tour de France).
The back cover of the book sells the first part of the book but does not mention the second. I think the author is using a good story about a great domestique as pony for his boring research to ride on the back of. This is a shame because I have enjoyed Mr. Rendall's journalism in the past.
Format:Paperback
I have a great deal of respect for Matt Rendell as a journalist, but his writing in "A Significant Other" disappointed me.
The book lurches rather awkwardly between Victor Hugo Pena's account of the 2003 Tour to Rendell's wider recount of the Tour history and his other 'on-the-front-line' observations. It's an appealing concept that's badly delivered. There is no flow, and so one section never fits smoothly with the other. Equally, as other reviewers have commented, Rendell also seems to enjoy making his sentences, or indeed whole paragraphs, painfully convoluted. It's disappointing so many of the points that he makes feel unnecessarily complicated.
He acknowledges pro cycling is, in many ways, not the most straightforward sport to follow and understand, but people curious to learn more about it would, I suspect, be completely baffled by this book!
Overall, it makes for a rather unsatisfying read - which is a shame, as his passion for the subject (if you listen to his realpeleton podcast) is quite infectious.
The book lurches rather awkwardly between Victor Hugo Pena's account of the 2003 Tour to Rendell's wider recount of the Tour history and his other 'on-the-front-line' observations. It's an appealing concept that's badly delivered. There is no flow, and so one section never fits smoothly with the other. Equally, as other reviewers have commented, Rendell also seems to enjoy making his sentences, or indeed whole paragraphs, painfully convoluted. It's disappointing so many of the points that he makes feel unnecessarily complicated.
He acknowledges pro cycling is, in many ways, not the most straightforward sport to follow and understand, but people curious to learn more about it would, I suspect, be completely baffled by this book!
Overall, it makes for a rather unsatisfying read - which is a shame, as his passion for the subject (if you listen to his realpeleton podcast) is quite infectious.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Interesting insights mixed with inane rambling.
I'd echo some of the other reviews and say that this is a book split cleanly into two very different parts. Read more
Published 12 months ago by LB776
a book of two halves
Still on my way through this book which is half of Pena's story & half Rendell's own account of the history of TdeF. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Mr. Emyr Griffiths
The Tour de France from a unique perspective
What sets this excellent book apart from hundreds of others written about the Tour de France is it's unique perspective, being in the main Victor Hugo Pena's account of his ride in... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Steve Trice
Could have been so good, but why wasn't it kept simple?
I was left feeling disapointed by this book. I expected an insight by Pena of his role alongside Lance Armstrong defending the TdF title. Read more
Published on 8 Mar 2007 by Chicko
A significant book
This book is an excellent read, after reading the books of Lance Armstrong I expected this to be much of the same, it isn’t. Read more
Published on 20 Jan 2006 by Andrew Link
Not what it says on the cover
I was expecting "the Centenary Tour through (Victor Hugo) Pena's eyes" as it said on the back cover. Read more
Published on 6 July 2005 by "jamesfm1"
My thoughts
I found this book hugely dissapointing.
This book does not have "enough" in it about the significant other .. the "domestique". Read more
This book does not have "enough" in it about the significant other .. the "domestique". Read more
Published on 6 Sep 2004
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