The Secret Race
Inside the Hidden World of the Tour de France
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4.7 • 214 Ratings
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- $10.99
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
“The holy grail for disillusioned cycling fans . . . The book’s power is in the collective details, all strung together in a story that is told with such clear-eyed conviction that you never doubt its veracity. . . . The Secret Race isn’t just a game changer for the Lance Armstrong myth. It’s the game ender.”—Outside
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • WINNER OF THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD
The Secret Race is the book that rocked the world of professional cycling—and exposed, at long last, the doping culture surrounding the sport and its most iconic rider, Lance Armstrong. Former Olympic gold medalist Tyler Hamilton was once one of the world’s top-ranked cyclists—and a member of Lance Armstrong’s inner circle. Over the course of two years, New York Times bestselling author Daniel Coyle conducted more than two hundred hours of interviews with Hamilton and spoke with numerous teammates, rivals, and friends. The result is an explosive page-turner of a book that takes us deep inside a shadowy, fascinating, and surreal world of unscrupulous doctors, anything-goes team directors, and athletes so relentlessly driven to win that they would do almost anything to gain an edge. For the first time, Hamilton recounts his own battle with depression and tells the story of his complicated relationship with Lance Armstrong. This edition features a new Afterword, in which the authors reflect on the developments within the sport, and involving Armstrong, over the past year. The Secret Race is a courageous, groundbreaking act of witness from a man who is as determined to reveal the hard truth about his sport as he once was to win the Tour de France.
With a new Afterword by the authors.
“Loaded with bombshells and revelations.”—VeloNews
“[An] often harrowing story . . . the broadest, most accessible look at cycling’s drug problems to date.”—The New York Times
“ ‘If I cheated, how did I get away with it?’ That question, posed to SI by Lance Armstrong five years ago, has never been answered more definitively than it is in Tyler Hamilton’s new book.”—Sports Illustrated
“Explosive.”—The Daily Telegraph (London)
Customer Reviews
The Secret Race
The most in depth book on doping I have read so far. Very believable. Hamilton has nothing to hide and it shows in the pages
Hamilton delivers a brutally honest insight into secret world of cycling
I found this book to be a fantastic read. Tyler's honesty and insight into the secret world of cycling is both disturbing and intriguing. Human nature us such that we are always looking for a way to get better. This era he rode in was obviously ripe with doping and he was consumed by what seemed to be inevitable. I have read many books about cycling and doping but I found this to be the best of them. You can tell this book is truthful and obviously hard for him to tell this story. I appreciate the honesty and feel we are living in a time where people will forgive and move on. Cycling is different now and you can tell. When guys attack nowadays they do it more like humans (they get tired and have consequences for their attacks ). In the past it was attack after attack and they never seemed to tire. Now Tyler has explained where that ability to push through that state came from.
He should be applauded for his honesty and it makes me feel for Floyd Landis who came out earlier and was looked at as a rat, lier as opposed to a truthful person.
I think the blame for the doping should be put back onto the organizers of the grand tours. They create these spectacles that are almost impossible for humans to do, yet the public yearns for more. They want longer stages, more attacks, faster speeds, sketchier descents and more crashes. Yet they expect this all to be done with no aid? You tell me how many super athletes in this world could do 21 stages in 23 days with little more than gels, energy bars and gatorade. Even worse, after a stage they are expected to do media interviews etc and then race 12 hours later. Organizers should create shorter stages, safer conditions and possibly a couple less teams.
I hope Lance comes clean. What he has done for cycling and moreover for cancer research has been great and people will forgive him. He was the best of the best and playing in the same dangerous game as others and beat them. Times are changing which is fantastic. Thanks to people like Floyd and Tyler that are coming out it is forcing others to admit to their mistakes, which is probably a huge relief. Cycling is one of the most amazing sports in the world to do and watch and I am ecstatic for what the future holds. A cleaner, more human event that everyone can relate to.
Jason Binab
The real dope!
Amazing read, be careful though you will want sit and read this entire book in one sitting or over 2 days.
Tyler's has made his comeback to cycling! We will welcome you back finally! The truth is horrifying and painful and makes the reader ask what would you do?
Simply spectacular!