John Wilcockson

A detailed, day by day, mile by mile account of the 2004 Tour de France, in which Lance Armstrong set out to "win" his record-breaking sixth race. Fascinating for fans of bicycle racing, but I had to deduct points for the adulation heaped on Armstrong and Landis, now that we know they were both part of one of the most extensive doping schemes in the history of sports.

I received this e-book ARC of Speed Read Tour de France by John Wilcockson through Net Galley from Quarto Publishing Group in exchange for a truthful review.

Perfect timing for reading this book, as July is Tour de France season (at least in my household).. Informative non-fiction about various aspects of the Tour de France; audience seemed to be middle grade to adults interested in cycling history of the Tour de France.

The book is not too long, but is chock full of interesting facts and show more history. The boxed entry in each section which included a Fun Fact, an Historical Tidbit and a Key Person was especially entertaining.

I was constantly reading aloud passages to the avid cyclist in my household, but they were already familiar with the facts I found fascinating.
That same avid cyclist reports that the "magic wrench" is more commonly known as the "magic spanner". show less

Even for a biography that predates Armstrong's 2012 confession, this book was a chore to read. The level of hyperbole that the author reserves for Lance is bested only by the overwhelming detail of every facet of Lance's rise to fame, most of which seems superfluous.

Poorly written but thoroughly engaging for cycling fans. Despite the title, Wilcockson doesn't focus solely on Armstrong's 6th win. The book is peppered with humorous or exhilarating anecdotes of the Tour de France's singular history. Wilcockson's age and presence in the sport give him the credibility that his writing can't.