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BERYL : IN SEARCH OF BRITAIN ’ S GREATEST ATHLETE
JEREMY WILSON
[ PAPERBACK ]
Lifelong cyclist and Chief Sports Reporter for the Daily Telegraph , Jeremy scooped the William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2022 for his brilliant work detailing the life and times of the great Beryl Burton , surely the finest racing cyclist this country has ever produced .
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‘ The subtitle may not even be hyperbolic . Beryl Burton , an almost forgotten amateur cyclist who worked on a rhubarb farm in Yorkshire , was not simply the undisputed ruler of British women ’ s cycling for 25 years , but also broke the men ’ s record in a 12-hour time trial . Jeremy Wilson retrieves an astonishing life ’ Financial Times
Beryl Burton dominated her sport much as her male contemporary Eddy Merckx , but with a longevity that surpasses even sporting legends like Muhammad Ali , Serena Williams and Sir Steve Redgrave .
She was practically invincible in time trials , finishing as Best All- Rounder for 25 consecutive years and setting a world record in 1967 for the distance covered in 12 hours that beat the men . She won multiple world titles , even when the distances didn ’ t play to her strengths . But her achievements were limited by discrimination from the cycling authorities , and by her strictly amateur status against state-sponsored rivals from Eastern Bloc nations .
Yet she carried on winning , beating men and – infamously – competing against her own daughter , while working on a farm and running a household . Her motivation , sparked by appalling childhood illness , is as fascinating as her achievements are stunning .
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GOD IS DEAD : THE RIDE AND FALL OF FRANK VANDENBROUCKE
ANDY MCGRATH
[ PAPERBACK ]
Also a William Hill prize 2022 nominee for his engrossing book on the mercurial Belgian racer ’ s brilliance and tragic demise , Andy also landed the major award for Tom Simpson : Bird on a Wire in 2017 and is former Editor of Rouleur magazine .
‘ The fact that we know the tragically opaque ending of this story from the start is what lends such a devastating quality to McGrath ’ s careful biography . Soberly told and with a clear affection for its wayward subject , McGrath ’ s account explores the narcotically corrupting power of sport itself ’ The Guardian
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They called him God . For his grace on a bicycle , for his divine talent , for his heavenly looks . Frank Vandenbroucke had it all , and in the late nineties he raced with dazzling speed and lived even faster .
The Belgian won most of cycling ’ s most prestigious races , including Liège-Bastogne-Liège and Paris- Nice , enthralling a generation of cycling fans . Off the bike , he only had one enemy – himself .
His rise to prominence coincided with a rampant period of doping and Vandenbroucke had a wayward streak . He regularly fell out with team managers and had all-night party sessions mixing sleeping pills and alcohol . A drugs scandal started a long fall from grace , leading to addiction , car crashes , court appearances , marital problems and suicide bids , punctuated by sporting comebacks . His life was like a soap opera and its premature ending shocked many .
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THE POWER OF BELIEF : BETHANY SHRIEVER ’ S RISE TO THE TOP
BETH SHRIEVER / SARAH JUGGINS
[ HARDBACK ]
This is the compelling and inspirational account of Beth Shriever ’ s journey to overcoming barriers and becoming the best ever female BMX racer .
When UK Sport removed funding for women ’ s BMX , Bethany Shriever ’ s dream of Olympic glory seemed shattered . Throw in the impact of a broken leg sustained in childhood , plus an untimely arm injury weeks before the final Olympic qualification event , and few would have thought the 22-year-old would be on the plane to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games , let alone the podium . And with the uncertainty caused by a global pandemic , the external pressures on Beth were intense and pervasive .
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Signings at The Cycle Show
Beth Shriever The Power of Belief [ Ison Distribution ]
stand G130
Saturday 11.30
Autograph session Turbolito
stand G570H
Saturday 13.00
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CYCLING CAFES
KITTY PEMBERTON-PLATT
[ HARDBACK ]
Cycling Cafes is a celebration of the best cycling cafes in the UK . Featuring the stories of 22 cafes , routes to ride and a limitededition free coffee card . The book is designed as an ode to cycling cafes , not a review . It ’ s full of stories that focus on the people behind the business , as well 200 + pages of photography for cycling fans to enjoy . The ambition was to reflect the importance of cycling cafes . They ’ re often where the love of riding starts , and with regular rides hosted , and the comfort they provide cyclists , it can also be where the passion and sense of community continues to grow . Kitty spent two years visiting these cafes to deconstruct their appeal and uncover further why they are so ingrained in our cycling psyche .
Kitty Pemberton-Platt Cycling Cafes [ Condor Cycles ]
stand G380
Friday 12.15
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