Legends of the Tour

Description

Frame by glorious frame, this beautiful graphic novel captures the essence of the Tour de France - the grit and the glory. Since Maurice Garin's inugural victory in 1903, hundreds of thousands of kilometers have been covered in pursuit of the yellow jersey and few of them have been without incident or drama. Here are the Tour's legends: Eugene Christophe welding his bicycle back together at the foot of the Pyrenees in 1913; Bartali V Coppi, 1949; Poulidor shoulder-to-shoulder with Anquetil on the Puy de Dome, 1964; Tommy Simpson's death on Ventoux, 1967; Lance Armstrong's domination and disgrace; finishing with Bradley Wiggins' and Chris Froome's victories back-to-back victories for Britain in 2012 and 2013. 'Oh what a fantastic book this is. Not only is it a wonderfully concise history of the Tour, it is quite ravishing to behold. I adored it.' Observer.

Jan Cleijne (1977) is an illustrator, comic strip maker and amateur racing cyclist. He draws atmospheric short stories and creates illustrations for magazines, museums and animation studios. Legends of the Tour is his first graphic novel.

If you're a cycling fan it is a unique and illuminating ride * Sport * Takes in all the major incidents from Garin's win in 1903 to Froome in 2013 * Shortlist * This exquisite comic book will convert you overnight to the cause of the yellow jersey... a cycling equivalent of Chariots of Fire... Not only is it a wonderfully concise history of the Tour, its competitors' stoicism and skullduggery displayed to compelling effect, it is quite ravishing to behold. I adored it' * Observer * Cleijne reinvents the history of the Tour de France as a graphic novel. It brilliantly, often darkly conveys the highs and lows of the greatest sporting event in the world * Independent, Books of the Year * A book so gorgeous, it deserves to be put on display as it were an illuminated manuscript * Observer, Books of the Year * Quite unlike any other history of the Tour de France, and all the better for it * ride.cc *