Tragic and moving read ...
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Having been a fan of cycling since I can remember, the story of the alleged drug taking British cyclist who died in 1967 has always fascinated me. This book was a recommended read by a fellow cycling enthusiast who assured me it was not a book that made assumptions. I am so glad I've read it as the author is fair in every aspect of the history of this amazing man, Tom Simpson. Yes he did take drugs but so did all the other cyclists. It was almost part of the way of competitive life then that one was left with no doubts that in order to complete the Tour it would be impossible to achieve without 'enhancing' drugs. I have visited the memorial stone where Tom died on Ventoux and have seen for myself how fans young and old feel a need to leave something there as a gesture yet the book describes this in such a wonderfully descriptive way that if fans never have the chance to go, the book will be a very good substitute. My admiration goes to William Fotheringham who has covered a delicate subject so well - I only wish and hope that the bad press that has surrounded this great man's death is one day put completely behind so that we can then celebrate what Tom achieved by being Britain's greatest ever cyclist.
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