Ventoux: Sacrifice and Suffering on the Giant of Provence

Description

A fascinating and evocative history of the legendary Mont Ventoux-the most daunting and extreme mountainous portion of the Tour de France cycling race. Mont Ventoux, the "Giant of Provence," is a legendary and extreme mountain climb. The formidable ascent of Ventoux's south side encapsulates both the unforgiving brutality and epic beauty of this intense sport, but also brings to the forefront cycling's ongoing battle with scandal. Revealing the little-known history of racing on Ventoux, author Jeremy Whittle interviews such memorable cyclists as Chris Froome, Eddy Merckx, Greg LeMond, Lance Armstrong, Bernard Hinault, Dave Brailsford, Tyler Hamilton, and many others, exploring both the fear and respect of those who dare to conquer cycling's most notorious ascent. The author, who spends some of his year living in the shadow of the Giant, also details the cycling paradise that Ventoux's foothills have now become, bringing the reader close to the essence of what cycling is all about.

Jeremy Whittle is cycling correspondent to The Times and has been writing about European cycling since 1994. He is the acclaimed author of Bad Blood: the Secret Life of the Tour de France and collaborated with David Millar on his best-selling autobiography, Racing Through The Dark. Both books were shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year award. Jeremy is also a former editor of procycling magazine, a PPA Awards nominee, and has contributed to the BBC, Sky, CNN, L'Equipe and numerous other international media.

'Heart-stirring and jaw-dropping in equal measure' -- Tim Moore 'Highly recommend Jeremy Whittle's Ventoux - a fascinating and expert insight into the mountain and into the current state of pro racing' -- Peter Cossins 'My favourite sports book of this year. Really textured, well-written, atmospheric and intelligent.' -- Ed Pickering