The cyclist Tom Simpson was an Olympic medallist, world champion and the first Briton to wear the fabled yellow jersey of the Tour de France. He died a tragic early death on the barren moonscape of the Mont Ventoux during the 1967 Tour. Almost 35 years on, hundreds of fans still make the pilgrimage to the windswept memorial which marks the spot where he died. A man of contradictions, Simpson was one of the first cyclists to admit to using banned drugs and was accused of fixing races, yet the dapper "Major Tom" inspired awe and affection for the obsessive will to win which was ultimately to cost him his life. This is an authoritative evaluation of Simpson's death, and of the life that led to it, revisiting the places and people associated with him.

Put Me Back on My Bike: In Search of Tom Simpson

Fotheringham, William

Biographies & Memoirs

RANDOM HOUSE UK

Roule Britannia: A History of Britons in the Tour de France (Yellow Jersey Cycling Classics)

Roule Britannia: A History of Britons in the Tour De France (Yellow Jersey Cycling Classics)

Sports & Outdoors

Individual Sports

Merckx: Half Man, Half Bike

The first ever English-language biography of Eddy Merckx, the greatest cyclist of all time, by William Fotheringham, Britain's top cycling writer. Eddy Merckx is to cycling what Muhammad Ali is to boxing or Pelé to football; quite simply, the best there has ever been. Throughout his professional career Merckx amassed an astonishing 445 victories. Lance Armstrong, by comparison, has managed fewer than 100. For Britain's leading cycling writer, William Fotheringham, the burning question remains, why? What made Eddy Merckx so invincible? Merckx was a machine. It wasn't just the number of victories; it was his remorseless domination that created the legend. Once, already comfortably leading the 1969 Tour de France, Merckx hammered a further eight and a half minutes out of his nearest rivals during an 85-mile solo break in the Pyrenees. But his triumphs only tell half a story that includes drug-busts, horrific injury and death. He was nicknamed 'The Cannibal' for his insatiable appetite for victory, but the moniker did scant justice to this handsome, sensitive, and surprisingly anxious man. In Half Man, Half Bike, Fotheringham goes back to speak to those who were there at the time. The result is the extraordinary and definitive story of a man whose fear of failure would drive him to reach the highest pinnacles before ultimately destroying him.

Yellow Jersey Press

A remarkable biography of one of history's greatest cyclists—a man who lived a tumultous life, and was voted the most popular Italian sportsman of the 20th century Fausto Angelo Coppi was the campionissimo, or champion of champions, and this is the tragic story of his life and death, and how a man who became the symbol of a nation's rebirth after the disasters of war died reviled and heartbroken. The greatest cyclist of the immediate post-war years, he was the first man to win cycling's great double, the Tour de France and Tour of Italy, in the same year—and he did it twice. He achieved mythical status for his crushing solo victories, world titles and world records. But his significance extends far beyond his sport. Coppi's scandalous divorce and controversial early death convulsed a conservative, staunchly Roman Catholic Italy in the 1950s. At a time when adultery was still illegal, Coppi and his lover were dragged from their bed in the middle of the night, excommunicated, and forced to face a clamorous legal battle, the ramifications of which are still being felt today. Told with insight and intelligence, this is a unique portrait of Italy and Italian sport at a time of tumultuous change.

Fallen Angel: The Passion of Fausto Coppi (Yellow Jersey Cycling Classics)

Biographies

Yellow Jersey

Half Man, Half Bike: The Life of Eddy Merckx, Cycling's Greatest Champion [ Half Man, Half Bike: The Life of Eddy Merckx, Cycling's Greatest Champion by Fotheringham, William ( Author ) Paperback Apr- 2013 ] Paperback Apr- 01- 2013

Half Man, Half Bike: The Life of Eddy Merckx, Cycling's Greatest Champion by Fotheringham, William (2013) Paperback

The world of cycling is a veritable treasure trove ready to be plundered and in "Cyclopedia," renowned two-wheeled aficionado, William Fotheringham, delves deep to unearth some 24-carat bike booty. This essential book is a miscellany of facts, figures, interesting snippets and quirky characters from the world of cycling. It tells you everything you could ever want to know about the bicycle from the history of the Tour de France to Chris Hoy's dominance of the Beijing Velodrome via the origins of the ubiquitous quick release system and the diet that powered Graeme Obree to the world hour record - marmalade and cornflakes. "Cyclopedia" has all the gear, the equipment, the races, the chases, the faces, the places, the drugs, the sex and the scandals to convert any amateur cyclist into a fully-fledged BMX bandit.

Cyclopedia: It's All About the Bike

Only 25 British cyclists have completed the 2,500-mile test of endurance and courage that is the Tour de France. Now, the acclaimed author of Put Me Back on My Bike tells the story of British cycling, its pioneers and its legends, from the 1950s to today.

Roule Britannia: A History of Britons in the Tour de France

Eddy Merckx is to cycling what Muhammad Ali is to boxing or Pelé to football: quite simply, the best there has ever been.Throughout his professional career Merckx amassed an astonishing 445 victories. Lance Armstrong, by comparison, managed fewer than 100. Merckx was a machine. It wasn't just the number of victories; it was his remorseless domination that created the legend. In 1969 while already comfortably leading the Tour de France, Merckx hammered a further eight-and-a-half minutes out of his nearest rivals during an 85-mile solo break in the Pyrenees. He didn't just beat his opponents, he crushed them.But his triumphs only tell half a story that includes horrific injury, a doping controversy and tragedy. He was nicknamed 'The Cannibal' for his insatiable appetite for victory, but the moniker did scant justice to a man who was handsome, sensitive and surprisingly anxious.For Britain's leading cycling writer, William Fotheringham, the burning question remains, why? What made Eddy Merckx so invincible? In Half Man, Half Bike, Fotheringham goes back to speak to those who were there at the time and those who knew Merckx best. The result is this extraordinary and definitive story of a man whose fear of failure would drive him to reach the highest pinnacles before ultimately destroying him.

The Paris-Roubaix Classic: 273 kilometers of torment across the bone-crunching pavé of northern France. In 1976 the celebrated Danish film director, Jørgen Leth, embarked on an ambitious project to capture the spirit of this spectacular and cruel one-day race. The resulting film, A Sunday in Hell, has become the most admired cycling documentary of all time, and its revolutionary camera and sound techniques have forever changed the way the sport is viewed on screen. This book observes the creativity of Leth and his collaborators, explores the lives of riders such as unlikely winner Marc Demeyer, and revisits locations which have changed little to this day.

Sunday in Hell: Behind the Lens of the Greatest Cycling Film of All Time

Humor & Entertainment

Movies

Penguin Random House UK

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Fotheringham, William. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Fotheringham, William

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Fotheringham, William. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Put Me Back on My Bike: In Search of Tom Simpson

Roule Britannia: A History of Britons in the Tour De France (Yellow Jersey Cycling Classics)

Roule Britannia: A History of Britons in the Tour de France (Yellow Jersey Cycling Classics)

Merckx: Half Man, Half Bike

Fallen Angel: The Passion of Fausto Coppi (Yellow Jersey Cycling Classics)

Half Man, Half Bike: The Life of Eddy Merckx, Cycling's Greatest Champion by Fotheringham, William (2013) Paperback

Cyclopedia: It's All About the Bike

Roule Britannia: A History of Britons in the Tour de France

Merckx: Half Man, Half Bike

Sunday in Hell: Behind the Lens of the Greatest Cycling Film of All Time