Cycling World Magazine March 2016 | Page 26

26 | Cycling World
Author : Richard Abraham Published : Carlton Books , June 2016 Price : £ 25 , Hardback ISBN : 9781780977904 Reviewer : David Robert

It takes something special to stand out when every year sees a peloton of Tour de France books . This one makes a successful break away by doing something original . It uses satellite imagery created by Goole Earth to highlight the paths to the twenty key summits featured .

The imagery is quite stunning and brings these climbs , well-known by name , to dramatic life . Beyond this it is brimming with over 220 stunning photos , from the golden era to the modern day , mainly from Offside Sports Photography . The selection is varied , capturing the fans ’ passion , the riders ’ efforts , the media ’ s and team support ’ s diligence . Above all the magnificence of the landscape is ever-looming .
It ’ s more than just a “ livre de table basse ” ( table de café is too literal ) as the text makes good reading . Richard Abraham is a cyclist , author and journalist who has covered the Tour for Cycling Weekly and Cycle Sport . He recounts tales of historic landmarks , the heroes of past Tours and the famous towns and villages on the hallowed climbs .
Like the toughest of the climbs which rank as “ hors categorie ,” the book is also “ beyond classification .” A history book , a tourist guide , a photographic volume . Certainly a good read .