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Books > Sport & Leisure > Sports & outdoor recreation > Cycling, skateboarding, rollerblading > Cycling
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.
Triathlon Training: Cycling is essential reading for cyclists who
want to improve their lap time, athletes who want to incorporate
cycling into a multi-sport programme and anyone considering
training for their first triathlon. Practical, effective and easy
to understand, it contains all the information and advice that
serious cyclists need to improve their technique and achieve great
results. It includes: easily explained and implemented cutting-edge
cycling techniques; road and track training techniques for speed
and safety; fitness, competition, strength and flexibility training
programmes; mental training and motivation; effective equipment
use.
In the Tour de France of 1998, for the first time ever, political
forces intervened to lay bare the comprehensive doping practices of
popular athletes, which had been covered up by the sports officials
as well as by journalists who might have exposed them. As these
dramatic raids made it clear that doping practices pervaded
professional cycling and as such put an end to the myth that doping
can simply be attributed to the moral defects of corrupt
individuals, suspicions grew that cycling was probably not the only
major sport in which doping was for many athletes a way of life.
This great Tour de France scandal of 1998 made possible a genuine
campaign against doping led by governments and sports officials. In
1999 this resulted in the creation of World Anti-Doping Agency
(WADA) by which the way was paved for a partnership between an
independent international body and the International Olympic
Committee (IOC). This arrangement has produced some notable
successes in the drug testing of elite athletes over the past
several years wherefore many observers may well believe that there
is today an effective global anti-doping consensus and that doping
is gradually being eliminated from major Olympic sports. The essays
appearing for the first time in this volume, however, show that
athletes who dope and those that pursue them are trapped in a
fateful conflict that is far more complicated than the familiar
story line suggests. The detect-and-punish strategy currently being
refined by WADA does not address some of the major dimensions of
the doping phenomenon: the rights and requirements of the
athlete-worker, the gradual legalisation of soft doping techniques,
nationalistic resistance to doping control, the perils of corporate
sponsorship, the expanding black market for doping drugs, the
publics tacit acceptance of doped athletes, and the cherished
illusion that the Olympic motto citius, altius, fortius is
compatible with the requirements of a drug-free sport in the 21'th
century. Doping and Public Policy argues that the current strategy
of condemnation and surveillance is not enough, and that it is time
to rethink anti-doping policy in the global context where it
belongs.
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.
With routes spanning the province, here is everything you need to
explore the highways and byways of Munster - on two wheels. This
popular guide has now been updated to include the Waterford
Greenway, which officially opened in spring 2017. The route, set
against the glorious backdrop of the Comeragh Mountains, runs for
46km along an old railway line between Waterford and Dungarvan,
crossing three stunning viaducts and taking in charming villages
along the way. Graded cycles along the greenway are outlined, from
shorter jaunts to suit families, through challenges for
intermediate cyclists, up to a 92km loop of the whole route for the
experienced. Each of the routes in the guide is graded by
difficulty, from the gentlest, shortest circuits in Cork, through
Tipperary, Limerick and Clare, to the thigh-burning Ring of Kerry,
and Waterford's Copper Coast and Grand Vee. Each cycle is prefaced
with summary information and illustrated with photos, a
custom-drawn map and a gradient graph. You will also learn about
the historical sites and natural landmarks you'll see along the
way, as well as getting tips on where to stop for a coffee. Cycle
stunning coastal roads on the Wild Atlantic Way. Challenge yourself
on mountain passes. Pedal through tranquil woods and lakesides,
charming towns and villages. Discover routes to suit all abilities
and many hidden gems.
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