The Official Tour de France Bike Maintenance Book goes exclusively behind the scenes with the finest professional cycling mechanics during the most gruelling and high-pressure bike race in the world. Working at the cutting edge of bicycle technology, Tour mechanics expertly maintain high performance race bikes every day throughout the Tour. The highlight, for many fans, is watching the bikes being prepared before a stage and serviced after it. The reader is put in the fans' shoes, with exclusive insights and images from the life of a Tour mechanic, with in-race stories and technical advice. Practical sections in each chapter show the home mechanic how to perform essential maintenance tasks and personalise their own bicycles to Tour de France standards. Even if bikes are serviced by shop mechanics, vital checks and regular adjustments are covered in these pages and, to make a bike stand out, there are professional tricks of the trade as well as the small but telling detailing jobs to enhance the bike's looks. Another feature of The Official Tour de France Bike Maintenance Book focuses on the growing interest in classic racing machines, which are collected, ridden and displayed in 'Eroica' festivals, events celebrating the heroic age of cycling. These, of course, include Tour de France bikes from the past 75 years and there are features on these classic bikes, with maintenance tips using traditional tools and techniques.

With a foreword by Eddy Merckx The world of professional cycling is fraught with fierce competition, fervent dedication and unerring ambition, and only a handful of competitors reach iconic status. Among them is Sir Bradley Wiggins - a man uniquely placed to reflect on the history of this remarkable sport and its unforgettable titans. In Icons, Wiggins takes the reader on an extraordinarily intimate journey through the sport, presenting key pieces from his never-before-seen collection of memorabilia. Over the course of his illustrious career, he amassed hundreds of items - often gifts from its greatest and most controversial figures. Each reflects an icon, a race or a moment that fundamentally influenced Wiggins on both a personal and professional level. By exploring the lives and achievements of 21 of the sport's key figures - among them Fausto Coppi, Jacques Anquetil, Miguel Indurain and Tom Simpson - Wiggins sheds new light on what professional cycling demands of its best competitors. Icons lauds their triumphs, elucidates their demons and sheds light on the philosophy and psychology that comprise the unique mindset of a cycling champion.

From the doorstep of Dublin city, there is easy access to a cycling haven of deep glens, forested mountains and wild scenery, including the Wicklow Mountains. This guidebook journeys through some of the country's best-known tourist attractions, such as Glendalough, and reveals lesser-known points of interest like the Shay Elliott memorial to the first Irish rider to wear the yellow jersey in the Tour de France. The graded routes suit all abilities, and are illustrated with colour maps, photos and gradient graphs, with information on the many natural landmarks and historical sites en route. The historic Military Road is central to many of the cycles. Constructed in the aftermath of the 1798 Rebellion, it runs from Rathfarnham in south Dublin to Aughavannagh in south-west Wicklow, with a side arm from Enniskerry to Glencree, and from the Sally Gap to Roundwood. Try your hand as a Tour de France competitor, revisiting the 1998 stage, which raced through the heart of the Wicklow Mountains, finishing in the Phoenix Park. Surprising insights and useful tips are shared throughout, allowing cyclists to enjoy the wonders and challenges of south Dublin and Wicklow.