Rough Ride

Product Description

First published in 1990, ” Rough Ride” is one of the greatest books ever written about the life of a professional athlete. Almost twenty years later, Yellow Jersey is publishing an updated edition of this cycling classic, with a new foreword by the author which reflects on his life both inside & outside the sport. Paul Kimmage`s boyhood dreams were of cycling glory: wearing the yellow jersey, cycling the Tour de France, becoming a national hero. He knew it wouldn`t come easy, but he was prepared to put in the graft: 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 & finished sixth in the World Championships. In 1986, he turned professional. That`s when reality hit. He soon discovered it wasn`t about glory & courage, & it wasn`t about how much training you put in or how much you wanted to win. It was about gruelling defeats, complete & utter exhaustion, & it was about drugs. Not drugs that would ensure victory, but drugs that would allow you to finish the race & start another day. Paul Kimmage left the sport to write this book. It is a powerful & frank account that breaks the law of silence surrounding the issue of drugs in sport. An eye-opening expose & a heartbreaking lament, it is a book that anyone interested in any sport should read.