Paul Kimmage's boyhood dreams were of cycling glory—wearing the yellow jersey, cycling the Tour de France, and becoming a national hero. He knew it wouldn't come easy, but he was prepared to put in the work—he spent his teenage years cycling an average of 400 miles per week. The dedication began to pay off. As an amateur, he represented his country and finished sixth in the World Championships. In 1986 he turned professional, and reality hit. He soon discovered it was not about glory and courage, nor about training or dedication. It was about grueling defeats, complete and utter exhaustion, and drugs—not drugs that would ensure victory, but drugs that would allow you to finish the race. Paul Kimmage left the sport to write this powerful and frank account that breaks the code of silence surrounding the issue of drugs in sport. An eye-opening exposé and a heartbreaking lament, this is a book that anyone interested in any sport should read. This updated edition includes the story of Kimmage's 2006 return to the Tour as well as a moving section on the life and death of an old teammate.
Rough Ride
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"Kimmage’s tale provides an important context for our current problems with performance enhancing drugs, i.e., doping."—Boston.com
From the Inside Flap
Winner of the 1990 William Hill Sports Book of the Year.
A former rider in the Tour de France tells what life is really like in the world of professional cycling. This new edition is fully updated with two new chapters on the escalation of the use of drugs in sports. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
A former rider in the Tour de France tells what life is really like in the world of professional cycling. This new edition is fully updated with two new chapters on the escalation of the use of drugs in sports. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
26 of 28 people found the following review helpful
By Noel Molloy
Format:Paperback
Kimmage rode with some of the greats of cycling, but was only in the cold shadow of greatness in terms of ability. He details in the book the means taken by some cyclists to climb out of the shadows into the sunshine by taking drugs. His book was brave at the time, he was accused of 'spitting in the soup' and lost the friendship of many of his cycling peers for his writing about the drug taking. He was called a liar. But time has revealed through the 'festina affair' who were the liars. A good read, but leaves one feeling a little sad to think that sport in general, not just cycling, can be so diseased.
18 of 20 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Very hard to put down, even though I am strictly a recreational rider with no racing experience I found the story painted very vivid images. Paul Kimmage pours it all on the table, sometimes trying to be neutral, other times being very judgemental. The book feels very honest in presenting the history of drugs and cycling. I would definitely read more of his work.
18 of 20 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
What happens when the talented amateur becomes the paid professional cyclist? This book answers that question in graphic and, occasionally horrifying, detail. To be sure, the author portrays himself as a stained saint of the sport. It does raise the question as to what we expect from all professional athletes.
With the backdrop of the 1998 Tour de France in our history the re-release of this book is a poignant reminder that these riders are not super men. Some, to compete in a grueling stage race, subject their bodies to horrific potential consequences. Most of them are not the leaders but the "domsetiques" who ride in support of the leaders. They lead them in their draft, carry water bottles back and forth, only to drop out just before the glory moments.
Why do they do it? Perhaps it is the sponsors. Perhaps the fans. Perhaps it is just the difference between the professional, to whom the team win is more important than finishing.
This book is a chilling look at all professional sport through the lens of professional cycling.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Riding With Paul Kimmage
Paul Kimmage writes about life in the elite realm of 80s cycling. Rough Ride chronicles his ascent to the top tier of cycling in his native Ireland only to find out he is an... Read more
Published 11 days ago by Susan Whitmer
4.0 out of 5 stars
Rough Ride
I quite enjoyed the author's perspective on cycle racing. It was nice to get the view from mid-peleton so-to-speak. Read more
Published 12 days ago by Frank Sawinsky
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good companion book to Tyler Hamilton’s to follow the increase of...
I read Tyler Hamilton’s book first but since I got into cycling around the time that Greg Lemond was winning his tours I was interested to see how prevalent it was in the 1980’s. Read more
Published 29 days ago by Golly
5.0 out of 5 stars
From inside the peloton
Always interesting to see from one that was THERE, not just watching.... Took some incredible courage. Not sure I would have been strong enough....
Published 1 month ago by Lance Timmerman
4.0 out of 5 stars
Raw and emotional
The book is a thoroughly good read. Describes what really goes in the peleton and shows how rife the drug culture is. Makes you wonder how much is still going on.
Published 1 month ago by Femi Macaulay
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Real down low as only Paul can tell it.
What a great read .
I respected Paul as an amateur rider but what he has done as a journalist and whistleblower on pro cycling took more courage then most. Read more
I respected Paul as an amateur rider but what he has done as a journalist and whistleblower on pro cycling took more courage then most. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Brian Coll
5.0 out of 5 stars
Insight to the world of the professional cyclist
I learned things that make me view the sport in a new light, dissapointed me in what I once thought was real & gave me hope for the future of cycling
Published 2 months ago by R. J. Mccoy
5.0 out of 5 stars
The victim of the victimless crime
This is the Ball Four of the cycling world from the '80s. Kimmage was a rider with more talent than amateurs can ever imagine yet couldn't find a true foothold in the peloton. Read more
Published 2 months ago by T Stig
5.0 out of 5 stars
Couldn't put it down
I read this straight after David Walsh's 7 Deadly Sins...Really honest and well told account of what cycling was like in the 80s...I read it in a couple of days... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Orla Shields
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good informative read
Great read, good to know what was really going on behind the scenes in cycling. The sport needs more books like this to help clean up the sport.
Published 3 months ago by Lisa Clarke
