Heroes, Villains & Velodromes: Chris Hoy & Britain's Track Cycling Revolution [Hardcover]

Richard Moore (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2008

Heroes, Villains and Velodromes reveals how an elite athlete, Chris Hoy, lives, breathes and pushes the boundaries of his sport. How does he do it? And why? What drives him to put his body through the physical and mental hurdles to become the best in the world? This is also the story of an extraordinary year in the life of an extraordinary sportsman, one which started with his best-ever world championships in Mallorca—where, for the first time in his career, he became a double world champion—continued with his attempt on the world kilometer record in La Paz, Bolivia, went on to Japan where he spent three months riding the crazy keirin circuit, before returning to training at the world-class Manchester velodrome in the buildup to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.By shadowing Hoy through a season with the British track cycling team, author Richard Moore has gained an unembellished insight into the mind of a world champion. He has also attained unprecedented levels of access to the key members of the all-conquering British team (which smashed all records and dominated the 2007 world championships) and support staff, including top coaches, world-renowned psychiatrists, doctors (where the subject of drug abuse is an ever-present shadow), and the pivotal characters behind the scenes. Combining his forensic knowledge of the cycling world with his acclaimed skills as a tenacious investigative journalist, Moore captures the mood of the British team and explores an area of professional sport that has rarely been seen before.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'This is an absolutely must-read book!Moore has cleverly used the very cogent words of others to paint a picture of real characters within a new order' Graham Obree, Scotsman 'A cracking story!I couldn't put it down' Hugh Porter, BBC cycling commentator 'Like its hero, this book is the real McHoy.' Scotland on Sunday 'An excellent book'. The Sunday Times '!an inspiring tale. And in Richard Moore it has a splendid chronicler.' Independent on Sunday 'This is a must-read book that tells a story that had to be told.' The Scotsman '!a gripping inside story of how Team GB's cyclists rode to glory.' Independent on Sunday

About the Author

Richard Moore is a freelance journalist who has written for The Herald, The Guardian, Scotland on Sunday, The Scotsman, and The Sunday Times. He was a member of the Scotland team in the Prutour, the nine-day cycling tour of Britain, and represented Scotland in the 1998 Commonwealth Games.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins UK (July 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 000726531X
• ISBN-13: 978-0007265312
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,451,330 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, but overly focused on Hoy, January 30, 2010

By 

Jesper (Highland Park, TX) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Heroes, Villains & Velodromes: Chris Hoy & Britain's Track Cycling Revolution (Hardcover)

Chris Hoy is a great cyclist. But I was hoping this would focus more on the details of how British Cycling became so dominant. No details about the bikes, helments, gear, etc.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Really great insight in Brailsford and the whole Brit Cycling push., February 6, 2010

By 

Prince Matchabelli "Trackie" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Heroes, Villains & Velodromes: Chris Hoy & Britain's Track Cycling Revolution (Hardcover)

It is a great read if you are a track cyclist, but it is ALSO a really good read to get the door kicked open on the British Cycling culture, Brailsford and how they have produced such incredible results and cyclists in such a small amount of time. These people are smart, snarky and it will be no big surprise when SKY kicks butt and takes names this summer.