In the light of recent revelations about doping in professional sports in America, it’s sobering to read that there’s nothing new under the sun, and this book gives a wonderful account of that phenomenon.

Whether it’s in pursuit of the Tour de France’s Yellow Jersey or the World Championship’s Rainbow Jersey, bicycle racing has not always been fair play all the way. From the early days on, the sport seems to have attracted more than its share of cheats.

In recent years, the use of doping, i.e. performance-enhancing drugs, has been getting increasing publicity, resulting in a tightening of controls — but also in more lies and denials.

In this book, author Les Woodland manages to present the entire story in a lighthearted way, without glossing over the sadness of events. And, as it turns out, not all cheating is tragic: some of it is outright funny, certainly as recounted by Woodland.
 

Les Woodland has been writing about bicycle racing for over 30 years. He was European correspondent for Velo News in the early days of that publication. Today, his writings still regularly appear in English and some American cycling publications. An avid cyclist himself, he recently moved to France, which he considers the world’s best place for cycling.