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Lance Armstrong: The World's Greatest Champion |  | Author: John Wilcockson
Publisher: John Murray
Category: Book
List Price: £18.99
Buy New: £7.15
as of 25/11/2009 19:44 GMT details
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New (7) Used (3) from £7.00
Seller: sharpesbargainbooks
Rating:  7 reviews
Sales Rank: 6968
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 400
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.5
ISBN: 1848540523
EAN: 9781848540521
ASIN: 1848540523
Publication Date: July 9, 2009
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 7
 Not just "Another Lance book" September 4, 2009
Mr. J. A. Allen (Wiltshire)
As a Lance fan who was running out of things to read, I thought this would be a good bet. I was expecting a book similar to the others I have read, but this book manages to take a different slant on the same subject matter.
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br /Wilcockson has scored an ace by meticulous research and spending time talking to those who know Lance best. In fact, much of the contents are in their words and not Wilcockson's own. This lends a sense of purity and truth to the book.
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br /Downsides? Yes. Wilcockson is clearly making an effort to please all concerned by omitting certain sides of certain stories. As a lance fan I am hugely entertained by the stories of those whom he has offended and humiliated over the years. After all isn't that why we love him? However, these are missing from the book to the extent that you could be forgiven for thinking the man is a saint. I would have liked to have read both sides of lance's story, and not just the one that is so obviously designed to please him.
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br /All said though, I have enjoyed reading this book and found it a place right alongside my other favourites in the bookcase. A reccommended purchase, and I hope you found my review helpful.
Not just another book about Lance. It's THE book about Lance! September 8, 2009
Lee Harcus (UK)
Having been a keen fan of Lance Armstrong since Reading his truely inspiring book 'it's not about the bike' whilst receiving treatment myself for cancer, I have read most of the books about him and can honestly say this is something new and highly informative about what made Lance into 'The World's Greatest Champion'. John Wilcockson's style is perfect, and the insight given by those closest (and not so close) is amazing. The depth of coverage before the 7 TdF wins is what makes this stand out. I highly recommend this great book - buy it today!!
A great read November 16, 2009
Mr. K. Whalen (Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK)
Whilst this book touches on points already covered in Lance's own books ("Its not about the bike" and "Every second counts") it is a far better read as its written by somebody who knew the author and is prepared to speak to the people who also knew Lance Armstrong to get a more rounded picture of the Tour De France legend. Reading the details of his tour wins and the manner in which they were achieved it truly breathtaking, let alone that they were completed by a man who had overcome incredible odds to beat cancer. This is truly an inspiring read and when you realise how much time was devoted to cycling, supporting his cancer charity and eventually being the CEO of the US Postal Team it is truly amazing. When Lance was doing all of this I personally was not a big cycling fan but wish I had been to savour these moments as they happened.
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br /The most annoying thing for me was the way the European elite teams and the French and English press hounded him about doping when there was never a shred of evidence. Yes he may have been a brash, loud Texan, which put some noses out of joint but for seven years the best in the world had every opportunity to beat him and they just couldn't do it. Even when they WERE found guilty of doping.
From The Edge Of Cancer To The World's Greatest November 24, 2009
A. Mckellar (Wokingham, Berkshire)
Having read both of Lance Armstrong's autobiographies I was intrigued when I saw the new book on Lance by John Wilcockson. It was a book I knew as soon as I seen it that I would want to read it and find out a little more about the Tour De France's greatest champion. I've read both of his previous books written by Lance himself but this time Wilcockson has interviewed his close friends and family to get more of an insight into the man who has become not only the most famous cyclist of all time but also one of the biggest names in the fight against cancer in the world.
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br /Of course most people will know the basis of Lance's story, how he was a great prospect in the cycling world until he was struck down by testicular cancer. He then went on 18 months later to start a winning streak that may never be equalled when he won the first of 7 Tour De France races in a row. This book though gives an insight into how the people closest to Lance viewed him growing up, through his cancer diagnoses and treatment and the desire and drive that has seen him make a comeback to the cycling world at the start of this season.
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br /The book is written around the same time that Lance decided to make his return to the world of cycling at the age of 37 and the book deals with everything up to that point. With experienced cycling writer Wilcockson writing the book it meant that one of the journalists who perhaps knows Lance better than any other, having interviewed him hundreds of times was the best choice to take on this project.
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br /The first thing that struck me about the book was the rather clever style adopted by Wilcockson. It seemed slightly strange to start with but by interspersing comments from Lance's friends and family into the narrative it makes the book a more compelling read. He holds the readers interest well with interviews from all the key people in Lance's life from his Mother and Auntie to close school friends and even his father who adopted him at a young age but hasn't spoken to him since splitting from his mum.
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br /It gives a more personable view of Lance than his own autobiographies had in the past. From reading this account you get a good idea of what drives Lance to become the rider he did from his tough upbringing to his desire to be the best at what he does. While the book is about Armstrong himself there aren't as many comments from him as you would expect and I think that gives a nice balance and a good opportunity to find out who Lance Armstrong really is.
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br /I've always been fascinated by Lance's story since his first Tour De France win back in 1999 and this is another opportunity to learn a bit more about that period of his life too. It deals with his rivalries and what really drove him to make his original comeback. From the opening pages of this book, just like Lance's own two books I was hooked and couldn't put the book down as I learnt a little bit more about a man I think is one of the greatest sportsman of all time.
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br /There probably aren't too many people who aren't aware of Lance's story and the magnitude of what he achieved. This book expands on that a little further and perhaps details Lance and his success slightly better than his own books did. I feel that Wilcockson really draws the reader in and provides you with just about everything you need to know about Lance. He hasn't just regurgitated Lance's own books and perhaps that's why this is so good as rather than dealing with Lance's own views on the subject, by talking to friends and relatives it creates a greater overall picture. I've always thought that Lance's story is one that would inspire a lot of people and this book by John Wilcockson only helps to emphasise that point.
 A worthwhile read about an incredible champion July 20, 2009
Julia Flyte
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
This is a very interesting book about Lance Armstrong's incredible cycling career and life. As Elizabeth Edwards points out, the level of success that he has achieved in an immensely physically demanding sport is phenomenal and to have achieved that success as a cancer survivor is even more remarkable. The writer clearly knows Armstrong well and appears to have had unrestricted access to his family and friends.
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br /The first hundred pages deal with Lance's childhood and early triathalon/ cycling days. It gets more interesting once Lance turns professional, although I did feel that there was a bit too much focus on the details about the races he participated in and not enough on how he was developing as a cyclist and an individual. It's only in the final quarter of the book that we read about the seven victorious Tour de France campaigns. It also discusses his racing techniques (although We Might as Well Win: On the Road to Success with the Mastermind Behind a Record-setting Eight Tour De France Victories is a better choice if this is what you are interested in).
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br /Wilcockson spends a lot of time talking about the allegations of performance enhancing drugs that persistently dogged Armstrong's career. He makes a strong case for Lance never having taken them. He points out that from the earliest days Lance had brute strength and natural ability, which he later honed as he developed a better bike sense and riding skills. The loss of upper body muscle mass after his battle with cancer enabled him to rise to the next level. Wilcockson also points out that Lance's secrecy about his training techniques worked against him in terms of reducing others' suspicion.
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br /The book is very much about Lance the cyclist. I wish the author had been as interested in getting to the heart of Lance the man as he was in all those drug allegations. The most interesting parts for me were the most personal: Lance's battle with cancer, his devastation when his teammate Casartelli was killed, his relationships with his wife and with Sheryl Crow.
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br /The picture of Lance that emerges is a highly charismatic, very private, intensely driven and somewhat humorless man who was very much the hands-on CEO of his team. For many years his life revolved around the Tour de France: he rarely read a book or even lay down on a couch. His teammates respected him but were also somewhat afraid of him. While immensely talented, he also trained obsessively and made extremely smart decisions about the team of people that he surrounded himself with.
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br /The book doesn't spend a lot of time on Lance's relationships. He is clearly still very close to his ex-wife Kristin. The reasons for their break-up are not really explained here although Wilcockson suggests some theories. Nor is it very clear why he and Sheryl Crow split up - there is reference to their relationship being volatile but it's not really explored. His relationship with Anna Hanson who is the mother of his baby son Max is only briefly mentioned at the very end of the book. It would have been interesting to know more about her.
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br /The book opens with Armstrong's decision to return for the 2009 Tour de France. I thought it was odd that Alberto Contadour is never mentioned in the book and nor is Bruyneel's reaction to Lance's return. The ending does feels rushed. Nevertheless, a worthwhile read about an incredible champion.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 7
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